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Episode details

World Service,09 Jan 2026,49 mins

Anti-government unrest continues to spread across Iran

BBC OS

Available for 25 days

More anti-government protests have erupted in Iran for a 13th day in a row, despite the country's supreme leader lashing out at people demonstrating. Ali Khamenei, who has ultimate power in Iran, has dismissed the protesters as "a bunch of vandals" trying to "please" US President Donald Trump, who threatened to "hit" Iran "very hard" if government forces kill protesters. We speak to our colleagues in BBC Persian and BBC Verify to piece together what we know. Colombia's President Gustavo Petro has told the BBC he believes there is a real threat of US military action in his country, after the American operation in Venezuela seized Nicolas Maduro. We speak to our correspondent who interviewed him. The first quarter final of AFCON is underway in Morocco, between Mali and Senegal. We check in with our reporter in the country. OS presenter: James Reynolds (Photo: Supplied image of demonstrations in Iran. Credit: BBC)

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