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This is Talk’s dedicated war and global security channel, covering conflicts from around the world.
From Ukraine and Russia to Israel and Hamas, and the latest conflict with Iran, Talk War brings together the sharpest conversations from across the network in one place.
Julia Hartley-Brewer, Jeremy Kyle, Ian Collins and Kevin O’Sullivan each bring their own approach — whether that’s on-the-ground reporting, geopolitical analysis or robust debate. You’ll hear from military voices, former intelligence figures, political heavyweights and people directly affected as events unfold.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has signalled that a deal with Iran is 'largely negotiated' and could be announced soon - a deal that would see the Strait of Hormuz reopened and Tehran surrenders its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Iran and negotiators Pakistan have not confirmed the news though. On this episode of Talk War, Ian Collins is joined by Sean Bell, former fighter pilot and military analyst, and Michael Yaki, U.S. political analyst, to discuss what the end of the war would mean for global trade. And Petrie Hosken is joined by Colonel Simon Diggins, military and defence analyst, who analyses how the U.S. underestimated Iran and their resilience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Iraqi immigrant has been granted the right to stay in Britain because he could be killed by Shia militia in home country, as his his father was a captain in Saddam Hussein's army. And UK's defence weakness has been exposed once again, as a new report alleges that Britain only has enough drones to last ONE WEEK of a war against Russia! To discuss the story, Kevin O'Sullivan is joined by Colonel Simon Diggins, former Defence attache in Kabul.They discuss why we need a change of law to address our asylum system, why the area of Iraq where the immigrant comes from is not as dangerous as he makes it out to be, and why the drone story highlights the ongoing resourcing issues in our defence system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump’s faltering Iran strategy, the escalating Strait of Hormuz blockade and the growing threat to the global economy take centre stage in this high-stakes episode of Talk War. Former Defence Select Committee chair Tobias Ellwood delivers a brutal assessment of Washington’s handling of the conflict, branding it a textbook case of how not to wage war — with no clear objectives, shaky strategy, contradictory messaging and Iran’s regime still standing stronger than many expected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump’s escalating Iran conflict, the Strait of Hormuz blockade and the growing threat to global shipping dominate this explosive Talk War special as Isabel Oakeshott reports from Dubai after fresh missile alerts in the UAE, Sean Bell breaks down why America still cannot fully reopen one of the world’s most vital waterways, and former Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe exposes how Iran’s decades-long military planning is outmanoeuvring Western strategy. From Project Freedom and Gulf state tensions to trapped cargo ships, oil prices, Royal Navy weakness and fears of a prolonged Middle East crisis, this gripping security deep dive unpacks how Trump, Tehran and the Hormuz choke point could reshape the global economy, regional alliances and Britain’s own defence vulnerabilities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new report out today has revealed that the UK military is SKINT! The defence forces can't afford to buy any new weapons until 2030.Meanwhile, Iran has sent a new 14-point peace plan to the US asking them to withdraw forces from the region, as the war drags on into another week.On this episode of Talk War, Jeremy Kyle General Ben Hodges, former Commander U.S. Army Europe, joins to discuss the defence funding crisis in the UK, and if the US is likely to accept the new peace plan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tensions in the Middle East surge after the US intercepts and seizes an Iranian cargo vessel, triggering fresh retaliation threats from Tehran and plunging the Strait of Hormuz back into chaos. With the vital shipping route flipping between open and closed, global markets and security hang in the balance as Washington and Tehran edge closer to direct confrontation.Featuring military analyst Sean Bell, journalist David Patrikarakos and US commentator Adam Coleman, the episode breaks down the escalating tit-for-tat, the fragility of multiple ceasefires, and why Iran may still hold the upper hand despite America’s military dominance. From nuclear negotiations to economic choke points, the discussion exposes the real leverage behind this conflict.As brinkmanship intensifies ahead of looming peace talks, the question is whether diplomacy can hold — or if this spirals into something far more dangerous. Talk War delivers the clearest picture yet of a conflict driven as much by strategy and messaging as it is by firepower. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure over UK defence spending after former NATO chief Lord Robertson warned Britain is “not safe”, with retired General Sir Simon Mayall telling Talk War the country’s military capability has been dangerously eroded. As tensions escalate globally, the episode breaks down the high-stakes battle over the Strait of Hormuz, China’s influence over Iran, and Donald Trump’s unpredictable role in shaping the conflict’s outcome. With fresh scrutiny on Israel’s war with Hezbollah and the media narratives driving public perception, Talk War delivers a hard-hitting analysis of a world growing more unstable—and asks whether the UK is prepared for what comes next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lord George Robertson - who co-authored a spending review for the Government - has joined the chorus of voices criticising Keir Starmer and Labour for not investing enough in defence and how that is putting the UK at risk. He said that there should be cuts to welfare spending to better invest in defence. Keir Starmer said he does not agree with Lord's views, saying that defence spending is rising and that Labour is not complacent on the issue. On this episode of Talk War, Mark Dolan is joined by former Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood, who says that the Lord's comments are very bold but are based in reality. He also argues for a ringfenced increase in taxation to help with increasing the defence budget. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talk War examines Britain’s growing security and economic crisis as Ian Collins is joined by Nigel Evans, former MI6 deputy director Nigel Inkster, Dan Hodges and Kevin Hollinrake to debate Lord Robertson’s warning that the UK is “not safe”, the pressure to cut welfare to fund defence, Donald Trump’s threat to rethink the US-UK trade deal, the IMF’s downgrade to Britain’s growth forecast, and the row over migrants being moved from hotels into HMOs and barracks, making this a punchy, search-friendly episode on UK defence spending, border security, Trump, Iran, Russia and whether Keir Starmer is prepared for a far more dangerous world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former NATO secretary general and former Labour defence secretary Lord Robertson has delivered a speech, criticising 'vandals' at the Treasury for not investing properly in defence spending, and putting the UK's national security 'in peril'. As Keir Starmer faces pressure to invest more in defence, particularly after the Iran War and HMS Dragon exposed the UK's weaknesses, how serious do we need to get?Today on Talk War, Julia Hartley-Brewer is joined by Retired British Army colonel Tim Collins OBE to discuss Lord Robertson's comments. He argues that the Government have little understanding of defence and its role in the global order, and that is shown by the Strait of Hormuz blockade and their lack of understanding on why things have gone wrong. And Julia is also joined by David Patrikarakos. special correspondent at the Daily Mail, who argues that the UK is behind the curve on funding, and they are still stuck in the paradigm of thinking that war looks like it did in WW2. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.