Gulf gets laser-guided missiles to fight drones & Iran executions soar

Executions have soared inside Iran, with new Amnesty data today showing more than 2,000 people were given the death penalty in 2025.  

Roland Oliphant speaks to Iranian journalist in exile Maryam Mazrooei about the “bloodthirsty” regime’s latest tactic to scare citizens into silence amid the war with the US and Israel. She also explains why the mood inside the country is increasingly dark amid a growing economic disaster, with mass layoffs and no internet.

Plus, the UK has fitted new laser-guided missiles to its Typhoon jets on patrol in the Gulf. Venetia Rainey talks to acting defence editor Tom Cotterill about how they have been designed to talk on Iranian Shahed drones and why they were developed so fast. 

Tom also talks about his recent trip to the Falklands, where locals dismissed rumours that the US may drop its backing for British sovereignty over the Islands as punishment for not joining Donald Trump’s war against Iran. 

Highlights 

• Gulf gets new laser-guided missiles to help smash Iranian drones
• ‘Bloodthirsty’ Iran regime executions hit all-time high as economy freefalls

CONTRIBUTORS:

Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey

Roland Oliphant, co-host and chief foreign affairs analyst @RolandOliphant

Tom Cotterill, acting defence editor @TomCotterillX

Maryam Mazrooie, journalist @MaryammazrooeiS

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Trump: There won’t be anything left of Iran if it refuses peace deal

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/17/trump-wont-be-anything-left-of-iran-if-refuses-peace-deal/

Typhoon jets equipped with cheaper missiles to fend off Iranian attacks

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/17/typhoon-jets-new-missiles-iran-attacks/

Tom Cotterill: Trump is using us as a pawn, says Falklands chief

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/10/falkland-islands-trump-is-using-us-as-a-pawn/

David Blair: Iran’s regime is confident of victory. It may be overplaying its hand

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/17/irans-regime-confident-of-victory-it-may-overplaying-hand/

Amnesty: Executions surge to highest recorded figure in 44 years

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/05/executions-surge-highest-recorded-figure-44-years/

Producer: Peter Shevlin

Executive Producers: Venetia Rainey & Louisa Wells

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