Mike Robinson is joined once again by journalist Vanessa Beeley for a wide-ranging conversation covering the latest developments in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran, and Britain's role across the region.

They begin with the latest US–Iran developments, including a reported agreement and Trump's renewed strikes on Iran. Attention turns to the upcoming funeral of former supreme leader Khamenei and the potential danger that Israel or the United States might exploit it, despite the presence of journalists and activists and the existing memorandum of understanding.

Mike and Vanessa discuss the role of al-Jolani as an instrument of British intelligence, with Vanessa detailing MI6 activity in Syria, arguing this is fundamentally a British story: British taxpayer money fuelling devastation abroad that in turn feeds migration and unrest at home. Drawing on Northern Ireland, they warn that sectarianism remains a tool of elite control — and that what unfolds in the region will increasingly be mirrored here in Britain.

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