your book makes me wonder, too. well, i don't think we're that close you've written this to a confrontation in a very wide, the headlines: book understanding iran north korea has launched two short and why it distrusts britain. conventional range ballistic missiles sense, but i'm quite clear that from the hodo peninsula you could easily get an increase on its east coast. in skirmishing, and something the south korean military says accidental but very the missiles flew about 250 kilometres, before landing in the sea ofjapan. it's a fascinating book, serious could happen. last week pyongyang fired two and indicates that the links go, with the country, very deep diplomatically. you know foreign minister so you could easily see a number missiles from the same area. zarif very well. your wife travelled through iran, of iran's fast boats being sunk. and had you adventures you could see the iranians plant in the country yourself. detroit is hosting the second i just wonder whether you have of the democratic party's debates consistently overestimated to choose a presidential the influence and the power mines in retaliation. candidate for 2020. the two most progressive candidates, elizabeth warren and bernie sanders, came under attack early on. and then you could, you know, the debates will whittle down have one of the mines going off, the crowded field of contenders and then you could get to challenge donald trump next year. a serious escalation. the problem is the iranians are indeed desperate. of people like your friend mr zarif? they feel they have to do something. it doesn't excuse what they're the russian government has launched a criminal investigation into what it calls "mass unrest" — last saturday's free elections doing, but it's an explanation. protests — in moscow. three criminal cases have been opened into violence against the police, which could mean and indeed, in the course as, i've said again, of writing that book, and you can't repeat often enough, my attitude towards the hardliners, in view of the needs of the system, the power has shifted very markedly a 15—year jail sentence. from the elected government actually toughened up, and that is illustrated to people like hossein salami, by the conclusions. rouhani and zarif are presented who is the major general in charge of the external force as if they were a similar government to any other elected government. of the revolutionary guard, but when you look at the iranian who was a politician constitution, you will see that they are literally,

as is the parliament, subordinate to the supreme leader and the so—called guardian council, in his own right and reports only you are up—to—date with the a preacher. so i don't accept that. headlines. i'm far from dewey—eyed about it. now on bbc news — it's hardtalk. to the hardline nearly—octogenarian welcome to hardtalk, supreme leader khamenai. i'm stephen sackur. 0ne specific point about britain. the world's most pressing do you think britain needs and potentially dangerous strategic to consider releasing that oil confrontation is playing out my concern is the — tanker detained in gibraltar, to defuse tensions, and then hope in the narrow waterway i think the way president trump in a response measure is going about it will the iranians might release have the opposite effect the british—flagged ship? between iran and arabia. of what he is proposing. the united states is leading efforts to isolate the government in tehran. iran is responding with defiance, i wouldn't do it unilaterally. i would be searching what we now have is an iranian for a multifaceted deal despite severe economic disruption. government, and we can talk which involved the release about rouhani and zarif my guest, former british foreign being the frontmen for this particular policy, saying we are no secretary jack straw, longer going to live with the uranium enrichment is a veteran of engagement with iran. how high is the risk restrictions put on us. of the iranian tanker in gibraltar of calamitous conflict? we're going to go beyond the 3.67% purification limit that was put on by thejcpoa deal, and that does suggest that iran is saying to hell with the deal. if that is their decision, i think that is very unwise of them. and also release of it is. nazanin zaghari—ratcliffe, in exchange for the reimbursement i understand. and if they decide to continue for chieftain tanks which were paid with that strategy, what they will do is alienate for but never delivered. their erstwhile allies they would have to orchestrate this,

within europe, the united kingdom, because it would be... this reminds me thatjohn bolton france, britain, macron's beingjust as tough as britain, and the germans. who is now the security adviser — if those three countries jack straw, welcome to hardtalk. pull away from the deal, once called you jack of tehran, on the basis that the united states welcome. for your commitment to keep your diplomatic engagement has broken it and now iran has, the dialogue, with iran spans two decades, then that will be the notion of engagement... and through that period you've been indeed, butjohn bolton has called an advocate for dialogue, iran wrong on every occasion. for engagement, with tehran. the problem with whatjohn bolton and president trump have been doing is not undermining the people the end of the deal. who may take objection, but here we are today, and so do i. with relations are between the us they've been strengthening them. and the uk and tehran toxic. you served as foreign so is it a story secretary to tony blair. his contention led him to put is it your belief as a former british foreign secretary, looking at the way the europeans british forces into iraq, of complete failure? have handled this, that they have failed to do enough to ensure that and the united kingdom could not iran was somehow shielded afford to be anything and protected from the economic but the closest partner it's not a story of complete damage done by the reinstatement to the united states. failure at all, and indeed, of us sanctions, and the toughening it was always going to to be, as he said, in britain's best the nuclear negotiations which the french foreign ministers and i got going in the summer interest. of 2003, by fits and starts, is that still true today, laid the foundations for discussions up of us sanctions? with donald trump in the white which president 0bama house? it is less true. and his secretaryjohn kerry had with rouhani and zarif from 2013—2015, which led to this i think the europeans have done more we never, everjust did than i expected they could do, what the united states told us to do. but it's less than the iranians want. on many occasions we had and the reason for that, disagreements, but because personal relationships are so good,

groundbreaking nuclear deal. not to do with the lack and george w bush's administration of will or practical action by the europeans, included some very, very senior is to do with the extent and ubiquity of america's extraterritorial sanctions. the thing about this deal it is very difficult for any company which was agreed internationally, in the world to trade with iran including by the us, if they have any contact is that it wasn't perfect, and highly respected diplomats, but it damn near guaranteed that iran could not develop the techniques and kit necessary at all with dollar trades as well. to make a nuclear weapon for the next 15 years. is that the truth? because we spoke on hardtalk it was time—limited, for a start. to foreign minister zarif like condoleezza rice in new yorkjust the other day, and colin powell, as well as other let's be quite clear about that. and he is clearly extremely people in the white house, we were able exercised about the failure to resolve these of what he sees as the international and there was a question of what happened at the end community outside of difficulties internally. of the 15 years. the united states to do enough what president trump has done — to help iran. he says, if the europeans, the chinese, japanese, the critical thing about that and it looks as though the only all of them don't allow was that it occurred in the shadow of 9/11. reason he decided to destroy the united states to bully them do we want very close the deal, or to do his best into abiding by these decisions, relations with united states? to destroy the deal, will the us really go to destroy of course we do. was because it had been undertaken the global economy, to put out any government of the united kingdom by president 0bama, not that didn't would need sanctions on all of them? their head examined. but that does not, should not, it is a good rhetorical point, have meant that we should do but it doesn't work that way. what the united states for any other reason. it's about what would happen want us to do. to the individual entities — which is more difficult to deal the chinese company which wants with for britain right now, to trade with iran but also the fact that it has real, significant differences has dollar trades. with donald trump there was nothing else but pure spite. in washington, or the fact i have to say, there was no strategy that it seems still, despite confusion, exiting that is discernible behind this. a russian company the european union? he's torn up his side of the deal. in the same position. so the possibility the united states first of all, if the deal fully would not propose sanctions against the other five well, of those two, collapses, then the guarantee that world powers involved — the potentially more catastrophic iran could not develop a nuclear it doesn't have to. for the united kingdom

weapon for the next 15 years goes. and we've already seen the hardliners in the system is exiting without a deal. are desperately anxious to ramp up production of highly enriched uranium and of plutonium. now, i was in favour of remain, i am looking at the analysis the amount of heavy water... of matthew bey, who studies you've introduced several really important points, the iranian economy for stratfor consultancy. and from where i stood in the house he said the level of financial pain and i want to go through them one by one. is that the iranians are going now of commons, i would be i want to start with your face as a result of the toughening arguing with colleagues analysis of donald trump. to do everything we could to stop us sanctions is unprecedented. prime ministerjohnson you say it's pure spite, in a sense, i do not think, he says, we can rule from exiting without a deal, because i just don't think to undo the work done by barack out a humanitarian crisis. he and his colleagues no, i think that's absolutely right. in the government have thought 0bama. just before the sanctions through the potential consequences. were imposed, iran was exporting you are emphasising about 2.5 million exiting without a deal. are you suggesting that barrels of oil a day. exiting with a deal, that's dropped to less than one goodness knows it looks unlikely, i would point to the coherent set sixth of that, to 400,000. but it might happen, the iranian rial was trading of reasons that trump you're suggesting that exiting and his advisers would suggest that at 9,000 to the us dollar. with an arrangement with the eu iran is an unreconstructed threat it is now trading at 42,000 wouldn't have any impact to the us dollar on the official on britain's influence and leverage to us and other western powers‘ around the world ? rate, but on the unofficial rate, well, i think it will. which is what most people get that's one of my many arguments for staying in. hold of, 135,000. but it would be far less disruptive so what was worth £1 is now to our economy and our standing interests around the world today. in the world, without any question. but, you know, i'd prefer worth less than 10p. the point about iran there to be a second referendum, is it is a very divided government, an elected government. rouhani and zarif don't and for the british people to decide have absolute power, but a huge amount of influence. after all this wasn't such iran is desperate, and britain a good idea. is in a difficult position. that's not going to happen. britain is, with the europeans, it is not going to happen? keen not to see this agreement

frankly, i would imagine — with iran completely disrupted. you are still a member of the labour but at the same time we know, for reasons that we will discuss party. you have grave differences with the leader of the party, in a moment, that britain jerry corbyn, but you the real power sits is extremely eager to stay close still vote labour. with the ayatollah, and the security to the trump administration. some of colleagues didn't. apparatus goes through him. i did, so i'm not here to... so would you say that labour, your party, has a clear, that is the error that the american right wing made, saying they're coherent position on brexit? the trump administration is talking no. simply mouthpieces at the front. about putting more military vessels they are not. in the area. this is a very divided britain has seen one of its flagged governmental system. the supreme leader and the revolutionary guards control oil tankers detained by the iranians the apparatus of the state. in a tit—for—tat after britain detained an iranian but khamenei had to accept shipped in gibraltar. the nuclear deal, under pressure how close do you believe we are, from rouhani and other sensible in that stretch of water, 00:05:29,275 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 to a confrontation? people in the system, who wanted iran to have i mean, that's one of the major problems and one of the reasons an economic future. we did so lamentably in those european elections of which you have just spoken. for us, we got 9% of the irony of trump's position the popular vote in scotland. we used to dominate them. is that the one group who are cheering his position we lost seats to all are indeed the hardliners the other parties. in the revolutionary guards, it was awful, and why who always opposed the nuclear deal did we do that? because they could see because we're standing in the middle of the road. and i'm afraid jeremy corbyn, who represents a very strong remain how restrictive it was. constituency, islington north, to my experience, is a brexiteer. yes, but if i may, there what prime ministerjohnson said is substance behind the american list of reasons why that deal, to use trump's melodramatic phrase,

about it happens to be true. was "the worst deal ever". if he has meant what he said over years and years and years, for example, ballistic missile his whole instinct is to see technology and development continues the european union as a capitalist in iran, and that represents a fundamental danger, club, and he wants out of that. in the view of the americans. so is your position that labour needs right now, for instance, another instance, iran's funding of different groups as people like tom watson in the region and beyond, and emily thornbury have said, which are absolutely contrary within the shadow cabinet, needs to western interests, to come out as a party of remain? notjust a referendum, but remain? yes, and it needs to has been ramped up. be clear about that. and of course it won't please everybody. one only has to look at hezbollah, the situation in syria, some labour mps have made and the houthis in yemen. it quite clear that, if it comes to a no—deal brexit or no brexit at all, all of these are instances they will choose no—deal brexit. where iran, according to trump and many others, is but at the moment you're not pleasing anybody, because you're trying to ride these two horses, and they're diverging. simply unacceptable. and jeremy corbyn has fallen in between those horses, i'm not here as a spokesman to continue the metaphor. for the iranian regime, yes, and the politics of britain has far from it. radically changed the last week. in fact, i have written borisjohnson has changed the political atmosphere. about it in my book. can a jeremy corbyn—led labour party win a general election fighting against boris johnson? i think that is extremely unlikely. however, what trump did

was to dispose of the one good thing, the nuclear deal, you can never be — which ensured some sort of guarantee on the nuclear capabilities. i actually thought that we would do yes, there were other very badly at the 2017 election. things on the agenda. in fairness to the iranians‘ use so did most people in the labour party, of missiles, all of their activities until the last week. elsewhere in the region were not part of the nuclear deal. so you can be surprised where you're in my view, if the nuclear deal had predicting people's behaviour. settled and started to produce but things have changed radically economic benefits for iran, since the 2017 election. which it was beginning to do, notwithstanding efforts borisjohnson is a far more by the united states even before effective campaigner than theresa the latest trump abandonment may. of the deal to undermine the economy in iran, then those other she was never a campaigner, anyway. the scales have fallen from people's eyes about jeremy corbyn. items could have been... for the 2017 election, he was able to be packaged as this rather kindly sort that logical leap you've just made of grandfather figure, simply doesn't work — that yes, there were economic and he wasn't put under great benefits for iran after the 2015 examination in that election, signing of the jcpoa, not least because nobody including but the result was iran was able the broadcasters thought to ramp up spending on its military, ramp up spending on military in syria, on hezbollah. he was going to do well. but in the last two years, those were the very real he has been put under scrutiny, consequences of the easing of sanctions. where is the falsehood in that? and he will be still more. and we've had a taste i think it's entirely true. of that in the last

prime minister's questions — sorry, statement, that borisjohnson made just before the recess, where he skinned corbyn. in your opinion? interesting you feel so strongly about it. i do. iran is supporting its erstwhile allies. what i think is completely exaggerated is the extent to which iran was able to use alastair campbell, he was the director of communications. the normalisation of relations just this morning, he hasjust said as a result of thejcpoa, i can no longer be a member in your phrase, to ramp this up. of the labour party. in my view, i understand why — it's not a party i want to be in. exactly why iran has corbyn's labour does not been doing that. represent my hopes and my values. do you feeljust the same? it's because it's weak not quite the same. militarily, very weak. it spends one fifth of what saudi arabia spends on armaments, an infinitesimal amount compared to the united states, and it's using its neighbourhood as its form of defence. now, in my view, since most of the iranians are desperate for a normalisation of the relationships, that had we settled the nuclear deal, then those other issues 00:08:41,736 --> 2147483051:41:05,583 would have been subject, could have 2147483051:41:05,583 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 been subject, to negotiation. i mean, i understand exactly why alastair campbell feels like that, but for him to be expelled just like that, in a millisecond, for having said that... just to be clear, for voting liberal democrat. again, serious allegations of anti—semitism have had their cases postponed. so why on earth can't you say, this is not a party i can be in? because i'm still a member of the blackburn labour party.

blackburn labour party remains a very good party. it's a momentum—free zone. it continues to attract support. and for me to leave the labour party would be for me to betray people who'd worked for me over a 30—year period. so you're burying into a little hole, and you can't see the big picture? no, i can see the big picture, and there may come a moment where i take a different view. if you ask me why, i'm giving you an explanation. i could, but it's about my personal loyalty to people who've been loyal to me, and to a town and to a cause in blackburn which remains on the same cause. i'm as distressed as anybody about the wayjeremy corbyn has brought down, and more to the point the people he's allowed to have around him, like len mccluskey,

who bears greatest responsibility, for bringing down this great party and corrupting its values. allowing us to, on good reason, to be called racist is just extraordinary. jack straw, we have got to the end. i thank you very much for being on hardtalk. thank you very much. hello. tuesday brought a pretty destructive combination of weather to some parts of the british isles. across the southern counties, it was all about the strength of the wind, which downed a number of trees in a number of locations. but further north, particularly across the northern parts of yorkshire, it was the rain and thunderstorm activity brought by this area of low pressure that caused real problems, with anything up to 100 mm of rain falling in a very short space of time, hence the flooding in northern parts of yorkshire, and indeed elsewhere across the north of england.

and we're not done with itjust yet, because that low pressure taking time to drift offshore into the north sea. a much improved day, it has to be said, across the southern counties of england and through the midlands into wales. fewer showers to report here, and less in the way of wind as well. but still some intensity about the showers, both in the north of england and also into the western side of scotland. as i take you from wednesday on into thursday, so that low pressure will eventually drift offshore, but the western flank still supplying a gaggle of showers into some of those eastern—facing counties, with again the possibility of thunderstorms developing later on in the afternoon across central, western and north—western parts of scotland. northern ireland faring quite decently, and again the southern counties for the most part escaping any shower activity. that trend to a spell of somewhat quieter weather will take us out of thursday, and indeed on into friday. a very weak area of high pressure will just about kill off

the remnants of the showers from most parts of the british isles. the odd one or two couldn't be ruled out, but you get the sense on the broader picture that many areas will enjoy a fine day, with a decent amount of sunshine, with just one or two of showers left behind. with that increase in sunshine, less in the way of wind, i think we will find temperatures picking up by a degree or two. 0n into the weekend, and i have say there is some doubt at this stage aboutjust how fast this atlantic frontal system will spread its cloud and rain into the western side of the british isles. i think as a general rule, the further east you are, saturday looks to be a dry and fine affair. as one set of weather fronts gradually work their way across the british isles, weakening probably all the while, so eventually on the latter part of sunday we'll bring another weather system in towards the western side of the british isles. and again, after a fairly decent start, i think we'lljust begin to thicken the cloud, and i wouldn't rule out the possibility of another belt

of rain working into the western side of the british isles to finish off the weekend.

this is the briefing. i'm maryam moshiri. our top story:

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