Trump says he could 'take the oil in Iran'

I'm Alex Richardson, and in the early hours of Monday the 30th of March, these are our main stories.

“President Trump says that he wants to take the oil in Iran as the effects of the conflict caused the price of crew to saw on international markets.”

Meanwhile, the arrival of an American warship full of troops fuel speculation U.S. forces could soon be deployed on the ground. The Iranian capital is hit by another series of Israeli air strikes reportedly damaging the country's energy infrastructure. Also, in this podcast, this is what NASA embodies, this is what the space program around the world embodies,

and we are proud to be a part of that journey. We meet the four astronauts preparing to make history on the first moon mission in more than 50 years.

Donald Trump has been accused by critics of not having a clear objective for his war in Iran. But in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper, the president of the United States is stated of a very clear goal to quote, "Take the oil in Iran." He also suggested he could seize Iran's Carg Island through which most Iranian oil is exported. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Mr. Trump said that Tehran was desperate to make a deal and that the Iranian regime had already been toppled.

I would consider that regime change, and frankly, they've been very reasonable.

“So I think we've had regime change and can't do much better than that.”

The price of oil has soared yet again to around $116 a barrel after threats by the Iranian

backed Houthis to target ships in the Bab Al-Mandeb straight off the coast of Yemen. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei and South Korea's Cosby have plunged by around 4% our business correspondent, Nick Marsh, who's in Singapore, is following developments since Mr. Trump's latest remarks. He's been clear for now, Alex. Don't forget, you know, these objectives can change and they often do change from from day to day. You know, for example,

taking Carg Island, he said, "We might do that. We might not." I think it's part of a broad range of possibilities. President Trump's obviously made a lot of assertions during the course of this war

about what the United States would do or what it could do. Many of them haven't materialized,

but very often they do influence oil prices at least momentarily. And as you said, you know,

“the price of oil has got very high, I think markets have looked at the escalation of the involvement”

of the Houthis over the weekend, talk of some kind of ground offensive or the possibility of that, and they're seeing that the flows of energy will be disrupted quite heavily for quite a sustained period. And what's interesting is, you know, Donald Trump spoke about taking the oil, that might be a legitimate aim, but he drew the comparison with Venezuela. And around Venezuela, the two very, very different places, things were quite straightforward and Venezuela,

Nicholas Maduro was removed and, you know, the U.S. began the process of trying to take over that oil industry at the moment, they're nowhere near that. And huge economic consequences, if the oil price keeps going up, as some commentators are forecasting. Yeah, I mean, we're already seeing them, just heard about Australia with an emergency package to try and ease cost of living. All across Asia, governments are bringing in measures, the Philippines,

the cladder, a national energy emergency, you know, fuel shortages are starting to bite the price of gas and oil is really starting to influence the cost of living. It's having an impact on fertilizers, the price of food, so on and so forth. And countries all around the world are starting to scramble around looking at their supply chains. Where do we get our oil from? What price are we going to be paying for it? Do we look at Russian oil, unsanctioned, temporarily by the United

States? That might be answering the market. So countries are very much already feeling this shock. And as we keep saying, the longer it goes on, and the longer that the state of Hormuz is in Iranian hands, and there is a blockage there, and that there's potential for hits to energy infrastructure, then the longer the price of oil and gas will remain high, and all the corresponding effects that will have on markets, but also the lives of ordinary people. Make March in Singapore.

Before Mr Trump's interview with the financial times, the speaker, Evarun's Parliament, accused the US of secretly plotting a ground invasion, despite talking about diplomatic efforts and peace talks in Pakistan, to end the war. Mohammed Bakak al-Abath said that Iranian troops were

confirmed that the warship USS Tripoli has arrived in the region with around three and a half

“thousand military personnel on board. I asked our international editor Jeremy Bohn,”

if American boots on the ground was a possibility. It's looking more likely because the sending troops there, and of course that can be just prudent. It can be a way of giving President Trump options. But, if you look at the other possibilities that he has and he has a few choices, but none of them are good choices. What he's saying he can get is some kind of a deal with the regime and the leaked version of Trump's 15-point plan. It reads like a surrender

document in terms of pretty much everything that Israel and the US has ever asked of Iran as in that. Iran has counted publicly by making demands of its own about its continued sovereignty effectively over the straight-of-war moves about reparations about US bases being removed from the middle. I mean that's not going to happen either. So, unless they find a way of jumping into the middle ground somehow, then what are his choices? Well, Trump can say we won, we smashed them, we're going

to go home. Their military industrial complex is broken, their stores have gone, they're not a threat anymore. I don't think anyone, particularly in the Gulf States, is going to find that convincing.

Or some of his people home is not going to find that convincing. So, the other alternative is basically

digging deeper into this war by deploying those ground troops, maybe trying to put pressure on the regime by taking the very strategic island where they have their main oil export term or carguer island in the north of the Gulf, there are other small islands disputed with the UAE, closer to the entrance to the Gulf, the straight-of-war moves. And so, he could do that. Well, these troops are coming a really capable troops, but the Iranians I would imagine had made some

preparations have some surprises ready. Plus, they have to hang onto this territory and they have to try and use it as a way strategically, politically, to change the behavior of the Iranian regime, and tactically, they can take the territory. I'm sure of that. It might be pain for them to

“hang onto it, but how strategically does this get them closer to where they want to be?”

In terms of changing the regime, what are these changing the way the waves? Presumably, it would stop them exporting pretty much any oil. Yes, Iran wouldn't be able to export oil, but if Iran still controls the straight-of-war moves, neither would, from those Gulf ports anyway, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, they're not going to be happy about that, neither is the world economy, then if you switch over

across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea, you get to the Houthis who have found Barrage's missiles at these rallies, they're not yet hit shipping as they did during the Gaza war, but they might. So, there is a scenario where America may take some Iranian territory, fight to hold it. Iran can still threaten shipping in the straight-of-war moves, and they don't need to do a great deal to do that. They don't have to destroy everything, just fire something occasionally,

one or two ships. And then on the other side, potentially, this is Worst Case scenario world. The Houthis closed the Babel Mandab straight at the bottom of the Red Sea, and that means that we're in the main trade routes in world shipping for really important stuff, semiconductors, cars, new name it, coming from Asia, up through the Red Sea through Suez to Europe and on to America. If Hormuz's cut, Babel Mandab's also cut, that is serious global economic repercussions of

“the war, which we will all feel. Is this where Donald Trump thought it be at this stage in the war?”

Well, we don't know quite what's going on in his mind, but no, I wouldn't have thought so, I mean, he said himself that he thought it would be over quickly, and the analysis is essentially that he was expecting a repeat of Venezuela where in a couple of hours, they kidnapped the president and his wife. The rest of the regime came around, is now doing as it's told, allows the Americans to effectively control their oil sales and take a good cup for themselves.

Well, Iran is a completely different cup of tea, in terms of ideology, in terms of the depth and breadth of the regime, the way that it's not based on individuals, it's based on institutions. It's a terrible regime, kills its own people, but those institutions are still functioning, and they're still managing five weeks in despite a massive onslaught by the Americans and the Israelis to fight back. Pakistan is offering to mediate. Is a diplomatic solution even possible now?

Well, the diplomatic solution is always possible if people,

on either side of prepared to make a deal, but the tone of remarks coming in the last four or five days, for example, from the Watter's Press Secretary, basically echoing things Donald Trump has said. She said, "These guys, Iranians, they need to realize their beaten. They need to accept that and do as they're told." The point is, being beaten in war is not a choice. You don't choose

which means you're not beaten. So the Iranian regime is still fighting. Oh, go, it is not beaten.

“Whatever they hope and expect and say, in the White House. Jeremy Bowen”

Tehran faces intense bombing and power cuts as the US is ready war on Iran enters its fifth week. In the 24 hours up until Sunday evening, the Israeli military said that it had launched more than 140 air strikes in Central and Western Iran. Iran's government says energy infrastructure has been damaged, although there are also reports that power has been restored to most parts of the capital. Iranians have used social media to share their hopes and fears as the war

drags into a second month of fighting. Their comments have been read by our colleagues at BBC

Persian. Last night they hit the middle of the street near our house with no specific target, no building, no person, nothing, just the middle of the street. The early next to us was attacked exactly where my mother lives. I tried to call over and over again. By the time I reached them,

“and until I saw the war okay, I think I died a hundred times over again.”

The straight off almost, and the Iranian islands are in danger of being lost, just because we are in conflict doesn't mean we should let Iran's land and see borders be destroyed. Goncei Habibia Zad reports for BBC Persian and she has been in contact with people in Iran.

First, what's happening there? The latest that I have is that some parts of Tehran and

its nearby city, Kharaj, went dark tonight after electricity outage following strikes, Israeli defense forces have confirmed that they were attacking Tehran. Iran's Ministry of Energy has said that the attacks on power infrastructure in Tehran province has disrupted electricity, but they have also said and I've heard from sources that the power is now coming back.

“In other attacks in Iran, we have that a university central Iran is fahan, has been hit again”

according to reports by Iranian outlets, and Iran had threatened to attack American Israeli universities in the region in response if the US won't condemn the strikes by Tuesday, as I said, and we'll have other reports of the strikes on Iran on northern provinces as well, but we also have the strikes by Iran on different countries. They have said that they have targeted Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE Bahrain and Iraqi Kharajistan, and they have claimed that

the operation was in retaliation for strikes on two major Iranians steel complexes two days ago. And what I'm hearing, there are very much their anti-establishment, but they're really divided over their opinions. Some of them are still supporting the strikes, some of them just want to vote and even if it means that the establishment stays in power, deal happens anything, they're just tired and fed up. Gangesh Habibi is ad from BBC Persian.

While polls suggest a majority of the American people are against the military campaign in Iran. Republicans, however, have largely stuck by President Trump, but with the conflict entering

its second month, will that backing remain steadfast? Chief North America correspondent,

Gary Adonahue, has been to Alabama in the deep south of the U.S. to speak to some of Mr. Trump's make America great again, or MAGA supporters. Tim Pierce is on his tractor spraying the peach trees on his farm in Clinton, Alabama. Clouds of water fan out behind him as he moves through the 1200 trees on land, his family has farmed for almost 100 years. But all is not well. This year he's lost almost 50%

of his crop because of a few days of sub-zero temperatures two weeks ago. On top of the crop failure, diesel prices for Tim are 50% up since the beginning of the war. Tim can pass on some of these extra costs, but consumers won't pay over the odds. You'd think this might shake his support for the president, but no. If it's just going to cost me a little bit of fuel prices that the reward is greater than the expense. So getting the war done.

Yeah, getting done and not having to worry about the fact that Iran might have a nuclear missile they can send over this way. I don't like war, but sometimes it's not preventable. 70 miles west in Tuscaloosa, home to the University of Alabama, the college baseball team has just hit a whole run against their arch-rival orbit. Outside in the carpark,

jalapeno peppers wrapped in cheese and bacon. Their support for the war is strong, but you can hear

“them wrestling with concerns. I think it's a little touch and go. I'm not disagreeing with what's”

going on because I think it need to be done in the last 47 years. The way Trump has been handling his business. I would've thought he would already handled it, but this is a lot bigger than we know about. How would you feel about US boys on the ground down there? Yeah, I didn't want to see that. It's whatever it takes to get that regime. Once you start up, there is no going back.

Alabama is also the heart of America's so-called Bible Belt. Strong evangelical Christian faith here

is central to most people's lives, and backing for this president at his support for conservative values is solid. We pray in law and form our leaders of this nation. These seven-day Adventists follow the 10 Commandments closely and in particular the sixth thou shalt not kill. So what does

“the congregation make of this war? Samuel Thomas Jr. is their pastor. I think that people”

believe that Iran is a threat and as such they believe that as a threat it needs to be addressed. These Adventists are not pacifists, but most will only take on non-combatant roles in the military to that degree their natural support for Donald Trump is more qualified than other Christians, a view reflected by one member of the congregation, Gabriela Ebonescu. I don't see any word justifiable and sending people to die unless they choose to die for the cause, but that's the war, you know,

that's the nature of war. Donald Trump and his secretary of defense have often framed this war in religious language, a noble and righteous fight they say no mercy for the enemy. That makes some here uncomfortable and the support of people in churches like this cannot wholly be taken for granted, says pastor Thomas. If we look at history once again, there was support for via Na and then it turned. There was support for Iraq and doesn't storm and it shifted and so the reality as

people can be quite fickle. For some evangelical Christians this war against Iran is about supporting Israel. For others it's more a simple test of loyalty to a president they believe has returned conservative values to the center of American life. Like the rest of the mega base they will go a long way to keep the faith with Donald Trump, but their loyalty is not limitless. That report by Gary Adonahue in Alabama. Still to come in this podcast. I'm planning to have

an English breakfast for the children at school just so they see what we're having baked beans and for breakfast is not croissant, no? Zuta law the first British born man in France promises to mix things up. Later this week if NASA's launch schedule goes to plan four astronauts will be heading to the

moon. So far the US Space Agency's Artemis program is estimated to have cost $93 billion so

“why is America spending so much time effort and money racing to return to the moon?”

Our science editor Rebecca Morell has this report. Five, four, three, two, one, zero, lift off, we have a lift off. We choose to go to the moon and just decay and do the other things. Not because they are easy, but because they are hard. The words of US President John F. Kennedy setting America on course to the moon. In 1969 the Apollo program made history with the fast lunar landing and astronauts continued to go to the moon until 1972. Now, after more than

50 years, NASA is heading back, but why is the US so intent on returning? So that little black rock you can see there is a piece of the moon that was collected by Apollo astronauts

the Natural History Museum in London where the precious piece of lunar material was on display

“and it's what these rocks contain that's getting people excited. The moon holds the potential”

for a gold rush. The moon has got the same elements in it that we have here on Earth. So an example is Rare Earth Elements which are very scarce on Earth and there might be parts of the moon where these are concentrated enough to be able to mine them. But the moon's most sought after results is a surprising one. Water has water trapped in some of its minerals and it also has substantial amounts of water on the poles, the colder parts of the moon, especially regions which

are called permanently shadowed crater. So these are areas that never ever see sunlight and so they're

super cold and they can act as cold traps where ice can potentially build up. Water is vital for creating a moon base and it's at the heart of a 21st century space race. All rushes just wild about Yurika Guardian, the first man to conquer space. At Cape Canaveral the Americans though disappointed it not being first are training these men to be astronauts and may still have a man on the moon before anyone else.

Last time round America was in a battle with the Soviet Union for space dominance. Today it's China who's the competition. China's made fast progress with its space program and it plans to get humans to the moon by 2030. Both countries want the best lunar real estate

“with the most abundant resources. I think the real driver right now is that geopolitical”

incentive to be the first major power that gets to the South Pole. Dr Helen Charman is the first British astronaut and she says it really matters who wins the race to the moon. So although you can't own a piece of the land because of the UN out of space treaty you can basically operate on that land without anybody interfering with it. So that's the big thing right now is it is to try and guess to grab your piece of land you can't own it but you can use it and once you're there

you've got it for as long as you want it. But the U.S. wants to go even further. Returning to the moon is a stepping stone for going to Mars. Libby Jackson is the head of space at the science museum. She says a mission to the Red Planet will have to overcome huge technological challenges

but the moon is the perfect testing ground. There are many technologies that are essential for

learning to live and work in space particularly power, protection from radiation, recycling technologies. These are all technologies that if you try them for the first time on Mars and they go wrong are potentially catastrophic. It's much safer and much easier to try them out on the moon. Libby Jackson ending that report by Rebecca Morrell. Now to some good news 40 species have been given international protected status during a vote on Sunday at a United Nations Wildlife Summit in

Brazil. Here's the sound of some of them. [Music] That was the snowy owl, giant otter and a Hudsonian godwit. The move comes in the wake of a recent UN report which revealed that almost half the world's migratory species are in decline. Wildlife experts say the new listing means states will be expected to strengthen legal protections.

Dr. Sue Lieberman is the Wildlife Conservation Society's Vice President for International Policy and is at the summit in Brazil. Rebecca Kezby asked why the numbers were in decline. There are large number of migratory species duty human factors such as habitat loss, over exploitation, illegal trade, these species are declining. But for migratory species no one country can solve the problems. It requires cooperation across the whole range of the species.

“And that's why this convention is so important. For those species listed on what's called”

appendix one, governments now that are members of this treaty are required to fully protect the species, not allow any exploitation removal from the wild and are required really to take action to protect the species. Appendix two means they've agreed they will collaborate with other countries. For example for the giant otter here from the Amazon basin all of the governments here

now will collaborate and there is now protection for the species across its range that never has been

had. The same for the striped hyena, which is so rare there may only be 5,000 individuals across a much of African Asia. So what this means is governments are now committed, not just to

Understood, but I mean if so much of the problem is climate change. How realistic is it that

governments locally are going to be able to have a major impact? There are a lot of threats that are not climate change over exploitation, illegal trade taking animals out of the wild. That's not climate change. We can do something about that. For example with the striped hyena, there's a lot of killing and human conflict, we can take action. It's not only climate change. Of course we need to combat climate change, but there are a lot of other threats to species

for sharks overfishing isn't about climate change. What's up to each of the 133 countries that are members of this convention to make it a reality? And those of us like the wildlife conservation society, when we go home, we work with governments to make sure it does happen.

And one of the key issues isn't only about enforcement, it's funding, so we hope that donors

and private individuals who care about wildlife will now fund action for these species. Dr. Sue Lieberman speaking to Rebecca Casby. Some football news, the English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, have parted ways with another manager. Igor Tudor left the club by mutual consent. He was in charge of interim head coach for only 44 days and seven matches.

The 47 year old leaves the London club just one point above the relegation zone. More details from Jane Dugel. The former event as managers had a positive impact at previous clubs in short-term appointments, turning them around quickly. So it was hoped that he would be able to help move spurs away from relegation, but he only took one point from five matches, so they've actually slipped closer to the bottom three under him. Spurs haven't been relegated since 1977 from the

top flight, so Tottenham fans just see this as being unthinkable, but it is a real possibility.

“Seven games are remaining. So now the question is, who will replace Tudor?”

Several names are in the frame. Former Burnley and Forest Manager Sean Dyche's name has been linked, although he said he hasn't been in talks with him. Former Spurs Managers, Mauricio Pogitino and 79-year-old Harry Rednapp have also been mentioned. It also former player Ryan Mason to name a few, but for now a assistant coach Bruno Seltor will take training. The clubs say that they will have a new head coach in place for when the players return from

international juicy. They have approximately 10 days to prepare for their next primarily match, which is Sunderland away, but for now Igor Tudor has been dismissed. Jane Dugel. Like many close neighbours with a combative history, the French and the English still enjoy a light-hearted rivalry tinnished with mild mutual disdain. So this next news made children of loud of some French women and men, a woman, born to British parents has

become the first British mayor in France, more in souls grew up in the UK, but she's lived in

France for 25 years and has now been elected as the mayor in Mont-Sand-Iloi, near Lille, and as she told Paddioconol, rather than play down her British nurse, she's doing the opposite. This is really the climax of hard work for many years, but the last six months have been really intense. I haven't grown up here, so of course it's not my country, so I was walking on ice all the time, but now I feel that this famous ice is now gone. So here I am seated in my office,

“and I need a lot of work. I think I'm going to need two terms. It won't be enough in one.”

You have power hungry now more in a few tight, suddenly it's two terms. Well it's not power hungry, it's to do for the village, so much needs to be done. This morning is a simple example, this is all it's small little Mary, and it's also a post-of-is, tiny village post-of-is, and there was this mother that came in with her little boy, and I said Bozoma Dam, normal, and I looked at the little boy and I said, "Oh, hello, what's your name?"

And he was just astonished, because I spoke English, and I said to the lady, "Oh, didn't you know, from now on, we address all children in English." And she said, "Well, this is brilliant, I'm so happy I voted for you." And it was a joke, but she took it quite serious, and she was absolutely delighted with this idea. Should you say there'll be mandatory high tea in the town hall? Well we're trying already, I have brought at Christmas, I've tried

“the mince pies and the things like that, and you should see the faces of people. What's in here?”

What's that? You know, and slowly it's being angly sizing, like the Mary, and we're now going to have a burn's night as well. I'm planning to have an English breakfast for the children at school, just so they see what we're having baked beans and for breakfast is not croissant, no, we're having

it's just because I'm trying to open the mind of a little village, which used to its little routines,

“it's little frames, always the same, just brought her idea. And in a lively, happy way, I just admit,”

I import my sausages from Ireland, and I do have an English breakfast that that won't change.

Yes, I'm voting for you, I'm voting for you. Tell us what we can learn from Mark Satt Elua,

“what should we be doing from your village in return? When I arrived here, my husband and myself,”

we like the fact it was a little village, little cozy, little village, very French, easy going,

we were very quickly accepted, there was a lot of space, which I miss in the UK, but it's also this easy life. Come along, join in and it's some less rigid in its ways.

“Maureen serves a mare in France. And that's all from us for now. If you want to get in touch,”

you can email us at [email protected]. You can also find us on x@bbcworldservice, use the #globalnewspod, and don't forget our sister podcast, the global story, which goes in depth and beyond the headlines on one big story. This edition of the global news podcast was mixed by Salotta Hadroy to Zimska, and the producer was Daniel Mann. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Alex Richardson and until next time, good bye.