Iran quits US talks, vows escalation after Israel orders Beirut strikes

Iran quits US talks, vows escalation after Israel orders Beirut strikes

From Iran: The Latest by The Telegraph

June 1, 2026 · 47 min

About this episode

The episode discusses Iran's withdrawal from US peace talks and the implications of recent military actions in the region.

Iran has pulled out of peace talks to end the war with the US, accusing Israel of breaking the ceasefire by ordering strikes on Beirut.  Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey discuss the latest news, which comes after a series of military escalations over the weekend, including more tit-for-tat bombing between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile in Lebanon, the Israeli army scored a symbolic and strategic victory by capturing Beaufort Castle as part of its expanding offensive in the country’s south, amid fierce fighting with Hezbollah.  Plus, how did Iran become a corrupt mafia state? Iranian journalists Yeganeh Torbati (New York Times) and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin (Iran International) have written a new book on the subject, Stolen Revolution, and join the show to explain why the war is likely to make things even worse.  Highlights Iran quits US talks after Israel orders Beirut strikes Plus: how Iran became a corrupt mafia state CONTRIBUTORS: Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey Yeganeh Torbati, journalist and author of Stolen Revolution @yjtorbati…

People in this episode

Hosts: Roland Oliphant, Venetia Rainey

Guests: Yeganeh Torbati, Bozorgmehr Sharafedin

Topics covered

  • Iran-US relations
  • military escalation
  • Israel strikes
  • Lebanon conflict
  • corruption in Iran
  • journalism
  • Middle East politics

Keywords

  • Iran
  • US talks
  • Israel
  • Beirut strikes
  • military escalation
  • corruption
  • mafia state
  • Hezbollah
  • journalism
  • Middle East

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New York Times, Iran International, Hezbollah

Books & works: Stolen Revolution

Places: Beirut, Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon, Beaufort Castle

More episodes of Iran: The Latest

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Iran: The Latest podcast page.