World War 3? How Russia and China could be dragged into the Iran conflict

Is this what the start of World War Three looks like?

On the 11th day of the US-Israeli war with Iran, Roland looks at how the conflict is broadening well beyond Iran’s borders. President Donald Trump has hinted the war is nearly over, but ACLED CEO Clionadh Raleigh says it is dangerously close to dragging in Russia and China given they have already openly backed Iran. She also talks through what the data says about this conflict so far, from the high intensity of the military campaign to the surprisingly low casualty rates.

Plus, Senior Foreign Correspondent Sophia Yan reports from the Iraqi side of the Iranian border where she has been speaking to Iranian Kurdish separatist leaders who say they have thousands of fighters ready to go. Trump has flip-flopped over whether he would support the separatist groups as a proxy ground force in the US-Israel war against Iran. But they say America cannot topple Tehran’s regime without their help.

CONTRIBUTORS:

Roland Oliphant, Chief Foreign Affairs Analyst and co-host @RolandOliphant

Sophia Yan, Senior Foreign Correspondent @sophiayan

Clionadh Raleigh, ACLED CEO, @cliona_raleigh

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Trump needs us to win war, says Kurdish opposition commander

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/08/kurdish-militia-leader-trump-needs-us-to-win-iran-war/

Kurds desperate to invade Iran... if they get Trump’s jets

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/08/kurds-desperate-invade-iran-cover-trump-jets/

Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producer: Louisa Wells

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