BBCPERSIAN — broadcast 20261102 163000 UTC 419 transcript segments Google Cloud Speech-to-Text API (Chirp) + Gemini 2.5 Flash Non-Thinking Data courtesy of The GDELT Project (https://www.gdeltproject.org/), from the Internet Archive TV News Archive. Machine transcription. Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a verbatim quotation record. [00:00:00] and [00:00:00] the world. [00:00:08] Stay with us for the latest developments [00:00:10] in the [00:00:14] World Cup. Stay with [00:00:17] us. [00:00:21] This is London, BBC Radio. It's 8 PM Tehran time. Top [00:00:24] news: Whispers and concerns about another [00:00:28] widespread war in Tehran. Iran has announced its readiness to open [00:00:31] the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Mohsen Rezaei has [00:00:35] spoken with Putin. Beijing says it supports Iran's right to [00:00:38] defend itself. Meanwhile, a wave of criticism has erupted over the attack on [00:00:42] a Qatari gas tanker in the Persian Gulf. The Revolutionary Guard [00:00:45] claims to have targeted 11 vessels in 9 days. [00:00:48] Stay with us in this program. The World Cup. We ask: Can China and Russia [00:00:52] change the equations? What factors [00:00:56] play a role in America and Israel's decision to confront Iran? [00:01:00] Controversy in Michigan, USA. One day before the midterm [00:01:04] elections, a Democratic representative has endorsed the Republican candidate [00:01:07] instead of the Arab-American nominee of her own party. All in the next [00:01:11] half hour. [00:01:12] You [00:01:19] are listening to BBC Radio. Good evening wherever you are in the world. I am Nasser Madani, [00:01:23] and you are listening to the World Cup program [00:01:26] on Monday, November 11, 1405. The Iranian [00:01:30] Foreign Minister said that as a result of ongoing talks [00:01:33] with Qatari mediators, Iran's proposed seven-day plan has now [00:01:37] been reduced to two days, so that if America meets Iran's conditions [00:01:40] on the first day, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened [00:01:44] on the second day. Abbas Aragchi, look, [00:01:48] given the sensitivity of the current situation and the critical nature of affairs, [00:01:52] well, consultations have become very intense now. Negotiations are taking place [00:01:55] very closely. Both Qatar and Pakistan are playing a very [00:01:59] active role as mediators in these [00:02:02] negotiations. We have said many times that just as we are fully prepared [00:02:05] to defend ourselves, we are also prepared to engage [00:02:09] in diplomacy and find a negotiated solution. [00:02:12] That was the Iranian Foreign Minister. Baran Abbasi is here in the studio [00:02:16] with us. Baran, tell us about the negotiations. Nasser, [00:02:19] what we know now is that, according to Reuters, Iranian [00:02:23] negotiators have currently left and are [00:02:26] waiting for America's response to what [00:02:34] happened. But what we saw in the past few days was that from Friday, [00:02:38] negotiations with [00:02:41] Qatar's mediation began. First, a Qatari delegation came [00:02:44] to Tehran, then Iranian diplomats went to Doha. [00:02:47] What Iran has said is that [00:02:51] it had previously offered a seven-point proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz within 7 days. [00:02:55] Now it has compressed this, saying it is willing to do [00:02:58] this within two days, provided that [00:03:01] America fulfills its conditions. That is, it has said that this will [00:03:05] not be without conditions. The conditions that Iran had previously set were [00:03:08] seven conditions, and the most important of them was that [00:03:12] the naval blockade should end, sanctions relief [00:03:16] for Iran, an end to the war on all fronts, and the release [00:03:19] of Iran's blocked assets. Iran has emphasized that first, [00:03:23] these conditions must be met, and then the Strait [00:03:26] of Hormuz will be opened. This [00:03:30] began after Jay Diddy, the US Vice President, wrote a letter to [00:03:33] Mohsen Rezaei, the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Today, [00:03:37] the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that this letter had no initiative. [00:03:41] However, we have heard other things. Mohsen Rezaei himself said that [00:03:44] this was a positive step, [00:03:48] and American officials also said that the proposal by Jay Diddy [00:03:51] was to resume negotiations and that the nuclear [00:03:55] program should also be among the issues discussed. In return, [00:03:58] part of Iran's blocked assets should be released so that Iran can purchase [00:04:02] humanitarian aid such as food. [00:04:05] Iran, on the other hand, has said that it will not [00:04:09] discuss the nuclear issue until its conditions are met. [00:04:13] Therefore, there is still a large gap [00:04:16] between the two sides. But in any case, as you [00:04:20] also mentioned, Abbas Araqchi said that the two sides are still [00:04:24] exchanging messages intensively. Reuters says that [00:04:28] a proposal, a list, a proposal, [00:04:31] is currently being circulated to see if an agreement [00:04:35] can be reached or not. [00:04:37] At the same time, this talk of negotiations and reaching an [00:04:41] agreement based on this draft, as you said, with the targeting of several [00:04:45] other commercial ships in the Persian Gulf, one of these [00:04:48] vessels was apparently carrying Qatari gas, right? [00:04:52] According to Iran, the attack continued, [00:04:55] and this incident involving the Qatari natural [00:04:58] gas ship happened a few days ago. But [00:05:02] reactions to it are still ongoing, and [00:05:06] the condemnation of this event [00:05:09] by Qatar's supporters and allies. [00:05:13] Qatar itself has not directly blamed Iran for this attack, [00:05:16] but it has condemned the attack, saying [00:05:20] it poses a serious threat to maritime safety and [00:05:23] global energy supply. It has said it will investigate [00:05:27] who was responsible for this incident. [00:05:31] But we should note that the attack happened when Qatari [00:05:34] and Iranian delegations were negotiating, [00:05:37] and [00:05:39] allies [00:05:42] in Qatar condemned it. Well, Iran had previously said that [00:05:46] if ships pass through a route that Iran [00:05:49] describes as an illegal route, which is near [00:05:52] Oman, they might encounter mines, [00:05:56] or that the Iranian armed forces [00:05:59] themselves [00:06:01] have been accused of targeting these ships. [00:06:05] The thing is, we don't know exactly what happened to this ship. Iran [00:06:09] has not accepted responsibility, and Qatar has not directly condemned Iran. [00:06:13] But the incident involving this Qatari gas ship [00:06:16] is very important in such circumstances. [00:06:19] All this is happening while the concern about another [00:06:22] widespread war cannot really be ignored. [00:06:26] Everyone is openly expressing concern about it. Iran has also [00:06:30] issued serious warnings about responding to a possible US attack. [00:06:34] That's right. Last night, we heard from Donald Trump again [00:06:37] that he said he had been lenient with Iran until now, [00:06:41] and that he might be forced at some point [00:06:44] to deal a heavy blow to Iran. [00:06:47] The day before, he had said that [00:06:51] negotiations are good. On the other hand, he again mentioned Kuh-e Kalang, which is a nuclear [00:06:55] center in central Iran, near Natanz, and said [00:06:58] that one or two targets are among those [00:07:02] whose fate must be decided. Channel 12 of Israel reported that [00:07:05] Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Donald Trump and demanded that [00:07:09] Iran be attacked immediately after tomorrow's elections. [00:07:12] Donald Trump, according to this report, said [00:07:15] that he wants to give negotiations more time. [00:07:19] And according to what Israeli sources told the Axios website, [00:07:22] this phone conversation was tense. On the other hand, [00:07:26] American sources reported that the conversation was frank and candid. [00:07:29] Iran is also again issuing its warnings, [00:07:32] and this has continued throughout this period. A message attributed [00:07:36] to Mojtaba Khamenei has been published by Iranian media outlets, stating that [00:07:40] Iran's response must be immediate and without geographical limitations. And we are [00:07:43] now hearing this from other Iranian officials, including Manouchehr [00:07:47] Mottaki, who was previously the foreign minister and is now [00:07:50] a member of parliament, and who said that Europe could be [00:07:54] one of Iran's targets, and in relation [00:07:57] to the fact that Iran's response will have no geographical [00:08:01] limitations, diplomatic reactions and [00:08:04] moves have also become more widespread. China is now [00:08:07] playing a more prominent role, as is Russia. China [00:08:11] has said that it has appointed a special envoy who will travel [00:08:14] to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia [00:08:18] this month, November. Today, the Chinese Foreign Minister met [00:08:22] with Ali Bagheri Kani, the Deputy Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. [00:08:26] On the other hand, Xi Jinping met with the Sultan [00:08:29] of Oman in Beijing. The Sultan of Oman asked him to play [00:08:33] a greater role in the Middle East issue. [00:08:36] Also, Mohsen Rezaei met with Vladimir Putin. Russia had previously [00:08:40] said that it is willing to play a role. [00:08:53] They hope there won't be a war. The price of oil fell by 6% today due to these [00:08:57] hopes. It was 4 at the beginning of the day, then it increased [00:09:01] to about $16 per barrel. Brent crude was traded. [00:09:04] But Reuters, quoting several Iranian officials and its own sources, [00:09:08] said that Iranians expect [00:09:11] the probability of war to be higher than that of an agreement. [00:09:15] Thank you, Baran. Baran Abbasi, senior reporter for [00:09:18] BBC Persian Television, who was with us on the radio today. [00:09:21] With the details of the latest [00:09:24] news, in the conversation with Baran, Qatar's role and [00:09:28] its mediation in these negotiations were mentioned. [00:09:31] Nafiseh Kouhnavard, our senior correspondent for Middle East affairs, talks about Qatar's [00:09:35] efforts for negotiations between Iran and the US, and what will happen [00:09:38] if these negotiations don't succeed and Qatar's role is not prominent, [00:09:42] and if it is diminished and disappears. [00:09:46] Here, the discussion is about Qatar's weight. There is such [00:09:49] an image of Qatar that its capabilities [00:09:53] are superior to other mediators in the region, [00:09:56] whether it's Pakistan or Oman. What I hear from diplomatic sources, [00:09:59] well, Oman also has some weight, but [00:10:03] for example, in the opinion of many in the region, [00:10:07] Pakistan was not able to play that [00:10:10] role, apart from that. Apparently, in these negotiations, [00:10:14] every sentence that is said is also recorded in writing. [00:10:17] What was interesting to me was that apparently, regarding Pakistan, [00:10:21] there was more exchange [00:10:24] of words and sentences, which caused [00:10:27] many conflicting statements from both sides to be [00:10:30] published later in the media, regarding what message was [00:10:34] exchanged through Pakistan. Alongside [00:10:37] this view that if Qatar can, [00:10:41] it can also create an atmosphere of concern [00:10:44] and a negative outlook prevails in the region, [00:10:48] where many in Iran are concerned. That concern [00:10:51] is clearly felt here in the [00:10:54] region as well. And I hear this from various sources [00:10:57] that practically, the assumption [00:11:00] is that unless a miracle happens [00:11:03] and Qatar succeeds in reaching [00:11:06] an agreement, otherwise war is at the doorstep. Nafiseh [00:11:10] Kouhnavard was our senior correspondent for Middle East affairs, who was [00:11:13] giving us these explanations from Beirut, Lebanon. Let's listen to [00:11:17] a few short news items [00:11:18] together. [00:11:22] In the United Arab Emirates, the head of the Abu Dhabi [00:11:25] National Oil Company warned that global crude oil reserves have [00:11:29] sharply declined. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said that since [00:11:33] the disruption of tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, nearly [00:11:36] one billion barrels of crude oil have been drawn from global reserves. According [00:11:40] to this Emirati official, transportation [00:11:42] and logistics costs, which were previously 5% of the price per barrel, have now [00:11:46] reached over 30%. He called for an increase in strategic [00:11:49] reserves. Ukrainian and Russian officials reported cyberattacks [00:11:53] on emergency alert centers in both [00:11:57] countries. On Sunday night, Ukrainian citizens received [00:12:00] fake messages on their mobile phones about the danger of radioactive [00:12:04] materials, chemical attacks, and the possibility of street clashes [00:12:08] in Kyiv. Ukraine blamed Russia for hacking [00:12:11] and sending these messages. BBC cannot independently confirm [00:12:15] these details. A few hours later, Russia also claimed that its [00:12:19] alert center was targeted by a large-scale cyberattack. [00:12:22] The governor of Hebron says that Israeli forces [00:12:26] have withdrawn from the center of this province in the southern occupied West Bank [00:12:30] after a 10-day siege. According to him, Palestinian security forces [00:12:33] have taken control of the area. The mayor of Hebron also [00:12:37] said that families who were forced to leave their homes [00:12:41] can now return. Students and university students also [00:12:44] went to schools and universities for the first time in 10 days. [00:12:48] The Israeli army besieged the city about 10 days ago [00:12:51] following a deadly shooting of its soldiers. Thank [00:12:58] you for being with us so far. Let's go to America. One of the most sensitive and [00:13:02] controversial electoral races in America is the [00:13:05] attempt to seize a Senate seat from the state [00:13:08] of Michigan. Polls show two rivals, a Democrat and [00:13:12] a Republican, neck and neck. On one side of this race is [00:13:16] a Muslim of Arab descent who has been nominated by the Democratic Party, and from the US [00:13:19] President to his party members, many have criticized [00:13:22] him, and some criticize him. [00:14:00] is very different from the candidate that the Republicans have presented. [00:14:03] The Republicans are very close to Mr. Trump. Abdullah [00:14:07] Al-Sayed, what he says is very different. One of the issues he raises [00:14:11] specifically is that money should not be spent [00:14:15] on America, the money of American voters, but rather in [00:14:18] other countries, including, for example, Israel, and, for example, [00:14:22] Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other places, specifically. [00:14:49] supported the Republicans. Why? [00:14:52] Look, the Democratic [00:14:56] primaries in Michigan were a very [00:14:59] difficult competition for the two candidates, and it [00:15:03] left a lot of wounds, especially since [00:15:07] Al-Sayed actually took action, and this point [00:15:10] for the other [00:15:13] candidate was very costly [00:15:16] and caused her to lose. And the issue of taking [00:15:20] money from Israeli lobbies, from AIPAC, was [00:15:22] emphasized, and the emphasis was that for the Senate [00:15:26] election, for the election [00:15:29] in Michigan, our emphasis should be on the people. [00:15:32] Therefore, this issue, that [00:15:35] Ms. Stevens actually took money from the Israeli lobby, [00:15:39] and the emphasis on that, created a very large gap [00:15:42] that was not filled. And Al-Sayed, in the past few months, [00:15:46] did not want Stevens to come [00:15:50] and participate in his campaign. And some said that it was a matter [00:15:53] of principle, meaning it was true that the primaries were over [00:15:57] and everyone was behind the Democratic ticket, but the issues [00:16:00] they disagreed on were very fundamental. And now it's interesting that [00:16:04] Ms. Heidi Stevens, who is the Democratic candidate, [00:16:50] large Muslim population, you expect surprises. [00:16:54] Look, it's very important [00:16:58] that in the city of Detroit [00:17:01] and the city of Ann Arbor, where the state university, the University [00:17:05] of Michigan, is located, and in the city itself, [00:17:37] to raise more money, and in any case, [00:17:40] many people have been drawn to this issue and should participate in the election. [00:17:44] The New York Times newspaper last night published a poll [00:17:47] regarding what would happen if the election were held right now. [00:17:51] Mr. Al-Sayed was actually about 10-11 points ahead [00:17:55] of Mark Rogers, who is the Republican candidate. [00:17:58] Specifically, we have seen that since 2006, polls [00:18:01] have differed by 45 degrees, 45, [00:18:05] in fact, a bit from reality. Even [00:18:09] if we say that 5-6% is closer to reality, [00:18:13] this gap still seems to indicate [00:18:16] that [00:18:19] Al-Sayed still has a very good chance in this fight. [00:18:23] We have one or two minutes, Mr. Memarian, about the elections in [00:18:26] America. We cannot talk about Iran and all the controversies [00:18:30] that have arisen in the past short time. [00:18:33] Where does this Iranian controversy stand in the American elections [00:18:37] one day before the end of voting [00:18:40] in these elections? The [00:18:43] controversy about Iran in the American elections? [00:18:46] It is important in this regard because it relates to the increase in people's [00:18:50] expenses in many states where, coincidentally, Mr. Trump [00:18:54] won against his opponent Kamala Harris by a margin of 10%, 15%, 20% [00:18:57] in the presidential elections there. In these very states, [00:19:01] the price of gasoline and diesel in some of these states, where people [00:19:04] are, for example, farmers, the increase [00:19:24] in prices is linked to the war, and the fact that for many, [00:19:28] it is not understandable why this war started, and Mr. Trump, who [00:19:31] had promised not to start any war, and this was one of the issues that [00:19:35] was very important to the people. [00:19:47] The issue of war, linked to the cost of living, [00:19:50] has had a complete impact, and I even saw several reports where people said that their primary [00:19:54] concern was the issue of war with Iran and why this war [00:19:58] even started, and that Mr. Trump betrayed [00:20:01] his promises in that he should not have started a war, and he did, and now we have to pay [00:20:05] the costs. Therefore, in terms of [00:20:07] the increasing cost of living, it is very noticeable. The issue of war, [00:20:11] its costs, and why Mr. Trump started the war, are heard by [00:20:15] voters in many states. These [00:20:18] issues, Omid Memarian, political analyst at the Dawn Institute from [00:20:22] Detroit, Michigan. Thank you. The final [00:20:25] item of today's program must [00:20:28] unfortunately or with deep concern still [00:20:32] be about the war, and we must conclude it. As [00:20:36] we said at the beginning of the program. [00:20:45] Wang Yi met with China. In this meeting, Wang Yi said that China supports Iran in defending its sovereignty [00:20:48] and security. A special Chinese envoy is also expected [00:20:52] to visit the Persian Gulf region soon, meeting and talking [00:20:55] with officials in Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. China [00:20:59] has previously played a role in mediation efforts to end [00:21:02] the US-Israel war with Iran. However, it now seems [00:21:06] that with the increasing likelihood of a renewed war [00:21:10] after the US midterm congressional elections, Beijing officials [00:21:14] are preparing to play a more active role [00:21:17] in this regard. Omid Parsanejad from Serdoyi. [00:21:32] that something really might come out of it, because it has high economic power. It has [00:21:36] high motivation, because it is one of the biggest importers [00:21:40] of energy, and the rise in energy prices [00:21:43] puts a lot of pressure on China's economy. Of course, [00:21:46] during these few months, they have tried to use [00:22:05] energy supply to maintain stability [00:22:08] in the Persian Gulf region. It has economic cooperation [00:22:12] with Arab countries there, it has invested there, [00:22:14] and it expects to make more [00:22:18] investments and economic activities there [00:22:22] in the coming years. Therefore, the current situation in [00:22:25] the Persian Gulf and the threat of war returning [00:22:29] in a much more destructive way, as Iran has threatened [00:22:32] that if America or [00:22:34] Israel attack Iran's infrastructure, and they have also [00:22:38] made such a threat, Iran will attack the infrastructure [00:22:41] of its allies and countries that have [00:22:45] provided their bases and airspace [00:22:48] to America and [00:22:52] Arab neighbors in the southern Persian Gulf, and if this [00:22:55] happens, then it will have serious [00:22:59] effects on both the fuel market and the investments [00:23:02] China has made and the future it has envisioned for that region. [00:23:06] Therefore, it has a very serious motivation, economic power, [00:23:09] and high diplomatic power. It has all three. You mentioned motivation, [00:23:13] and in the field of news or [00:23:17] diplomacy, it is very common to say that the level at which [00:23:20] discussions are taking place indicates how much [00:23:24] importance countries attach to those discussions. This level that China is [00:23:28] currently trying to [00:23:30] advance the equations, [00:23:33] the Foreign Minister is at this level. [00:23:37] I want to know how much Xi Jinping [00:23:40] is concerned about engaging in discussions with Donald Trump [00:23:43] about this. Look, the Chinese [00:23:46] may not have the long diplomatic [00:23:50] experience that, for example, the Americans or even the Russians have, [00:23:54] because they have been trying to play a role in the world [00:23:57] of diplomacy for a few years now, and [00:24:01] their way of governing their country is different from other countries in the world. [00:24:04] That's true, but despite this, the level [00:24:08] you just referred to is not even at that level. Just today, [00:24:12] it was reported that bin Salman, [00:24:15] in fact, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who practically [00:24:19] governs Saudi Arabia, wrote a letter to [00:24:22] Xi Jinping, and next week [00:24:25] or soon in the coming days, a special Chinese envoy is expected [00:24:29] to be sent to the region to visit Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia [00:24:33] and meet with officials of these countries. Therefore, [00:24:36] it is true that Xi Jinping himself [00:24:39] may not make statements about Iran and the region on camera, [00:24:42] but this does not mean that he is not concerned [00:24:46] or not involved, especially since it was reported that during his meeting [00:24:50] and discussion with Trump, one of the issues that was raised [00:24:54] was this issue of Iran and energy. [00:24:57] Apparently, yes. And [00:25:00] therefore, the ability that China has even today, [00:25:03] for example, when the Chinese Foreign Minister says that we [00:25:06] support Iran's defense [00:25:09] of its sovereignty and security, well, this [00:25:13] support can start with verbal support, but Americans [00:25:17] know that this may not be limited to that. [00:25:21] Satellite images might, I don't know, even weapons at [00:25:25] some stage. China has the ability to change [00:25:29] this equation. Therefore, it has the power to influence [00:25:32] this issue. In the past, if you remember, the Qataris [00:25:36] once said that this was the second or third time that the [00:25:40] Qataris were mediating, and they explicitly [00:25:42] said that this was at China's initiative. [00:25:46] And regarding the involvement of Pakistanis, [00:25:49] these reports were always there, and it was never [00:25:53] denied that Pakistanis are also [00:25:56] conducting these mediations with China's support. I understand. [00:26:00] In one minute, on the other side of the issue, the decision-making system [00:26:03] in Iran, on a day when there is talk of negotiations, [00:26:07] a Qatari gas tanker is targeted. They are aware of [00:26:11] the crisis, but how is decision-making done [00:26:14] there? Decision-making is, in any case, in the Supreme [00:26:18] National Security Council, apparently with the oversight of Mojtaba [00:26:22] Khamenei from a distance. Just today, Mr. Pezeshkian said [00:26:26] that the Leader has also given the government certain powers in these negotiations. [00:26:30] Therefore, regarding the [00:26:34] issue, it is clear that regarding, for example, the nuclear program, they are not [00:26:38] yet willing to talk. But regarding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz [00:26:42] in exchange for lifting the naval blockade, [00:26:45] it seems they are open and ready. The reason is that [00:26:49] they want to return to the situation before the war. These [00:26:53] two, the Strait of Hormuz, were open, and there was no blockade. Let's go back to [00:26:56] that point and start again. Thank you, Omid. Omid Parsanejad, one of the editors of [00:27:00] BBC Persian, here in the BBC [00:27:02] Radio studio with me, Nasser Madani, and also Amir Nategh, the producer [00:27:06] of this program. I wish you a good evening. [00:29:52] This car is 100% electric and is made in Europe. [00:29:55] When the old 2CV first came to the market, it was meant [00:29:59] to be a practical car for ordinary people. A car [00:30:02] that, for example, farmers could use to transport four [00:30:06] people and 50 kg of potatoes without having to worry [00:30:10] about the car breaking down. The goal was to make [00:30:13] owning a car and transportation easier for everyone. Now we are [00:30:17] pursuing the exact same goal. We hope that those who loved [00:30:21] the old 2CV will also like this new and [00:30:23] modern version. 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