Owen Gibson, deputy editor
It’s been a week since the United States and Israel began their assault on Iran. The last seven days have shaken the lives of people in the region and what we’ve witnessed – from the assassination of Ali Khamenei to the growing conflict around the region – will have repercussions that last for years.
Reporting on a story as huge as this is a challenge, but we are in a fortunate position. The Guardian has always been dedicated to international news, and in the last few years we have doubled down on that commitment. Our expanded teams have this week helped the millions of people who consume our journalism every day to follow every development and understand the implications of this war for everyone around the world.
The Guardian’s global voice has meant we are able to cover the story in great depth and from a range of perspectives. Powered by our reporters on the ground, and editors and writers in the UK, US and Australia, our live blog has come into its own once more this week, running continuously since the first strikes. Our correspondents have covered the story widely and deeply, explaining the crisis using immersive visual guides; powerful photography (including this collection from inside Iran by Mohammad Mohsenifar); as well as video explainers and podcasts. We questioned Donald Trump’s motivation for the war, arguing he was never serious about peace, and profiled Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to try to parse what may come next.
It is extremely difficult to get information from inside Iran with internet blackouts continuing, but Deepa Parent and Tess McClure worked with our visual teams to take a forensic look at the Minab school bombing, which killed at least 168 people including dozens of seven- to 12-year-old girls.
From the US, Aram Roston’s story pointed out how Donald Trump invoked the “stolen” 2020 election to help justify the attack; while Robert Tait drew on his knowledge of decades of Iranian history to provide this portrait of the longstanding tensions between Iran and the US and Andrew Roth unpacked the shifting justifications behind the US attack.
Pippa Crerar analysed the fracturing “special relationship” between the UK and US in light of Keir Starmer’s trepidation about the UK’s role in the conflict. Alexandra Topping and Aletha Adu reported on the way the shadow of the Iraq war hangs over Westminster, while Dan Sabbagh examined claims the UK was caught on the back foot.
We’ve explained how the situation in the strait of Hormuz has direct implications for the global economy; explored the role AI is playing in the war and mapped flights as the Gulf increasingly became a no-fly zone. We also looked at how lives of luxury in Dubai have been interrupted by the crisis and asked if this is a moment to accelerate the UK’s renewable energy drive. Our analysis and commentary this week has covered everything from Sanam Vakil on the future shape of the regime to Barney Ronay on the implications for Fifa president and Trump acolyte, Gianni Infantino.
Our veteran international affairs correspondent, Simon Tisdall, published his response within hours of the first bombs being dropped, but it’s worth revisiting a week on, particularly his final paragraph: “Despite all the hate-mongering, mutual ignorance and disinformation, the vast majority of Americans and Iranians are on the same side. Their common foe is tyranny. Their leaders are the problem. There is no need for this fight.”
The Guardian’s reporting on this war comes with a truly global perspective and without political interference – we don’t have a corporate or billionaire owner. If you’re not already a supporter of our work, please consider backing us today with a one-off or monthly amount.
07/03/2026