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Russia is Giving Iran Specific Advice on Drone Tactics; Iran Claims It Has High-Speed Underwater-Launched Missiles; House GOP Struggle to Find Consensus Amid War and Gas Price Hikes; President Trump Speaks at Pharmaceutical Manufacturer in Ohio; Heat's Bam Adebayo Scores 83, 2nd Most in NBA History. Aired 2:30-3p ET

Aired March 11, 2026 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[14:30:00]

ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: And welcome back to our breaking news coverage of the war with Iran. I'm Erin Burnett in Tel Aviv this afternoon and the evening hours here. Iran issuing new threats as it locks down the Strait of Hormuz.

A senior IRGC commander now saying that Iran has he says high-speed missiles, which could be launched underwater. They say they haven't used anything like this as of yet. And he's suggesting that such strikes could happen in the coming days.

He says it's a technology only possessed by Iran and Russia. And while CNN cannot independently verify this claim at all, we do have exclusive new reporting about the close partnership between Iran and Russia. Something that is now potentially putting U.S. servicemembers at risk in this region.

Our Nick Paton Walsh joins me now from Jordan with exclusive new reporting. And Nick, what more are you learning about this?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we've known for a number of days that U.S. officials suspected Russia was providing general information assistance to Iran, the locations of U.S. bases, etc. But one Western intelligence official I've spoken to has gone a little bit further in terms of the granular kind of advice the Russians are giving. And to some degree, I think it would be chilling for U.S. forces to learn of this. Now, they say that while at the start it seemed to be general assistance, they're now concerned at the fact that it now appears to be targeting strategies that Russia has learned in Ukraine that they're now giving to Iran.

Now, that's key because what we've seen over the past days, Erin, is obviously some of the low-cost drones that Iran's been firing, the Shahids, getting across the region and penetrating air defenses in the Gulf, hitting potentially U.S. targets as well. They've been a real threat.

And what it turns out now this official believes is happening is that all the battlefield knowledge the Russians have had over the past three years, and they didn't specify precisely their concern, but this is what Russia's basically learned, is how to get through Ukrainian air defenses if they launch these waves of drones en masse. Sometimes Ukraine's subjected to a thousand in one particular night.

Now, the Ukrainians have been constantly adapting to Russia's new tactics. I've seen Russian drones fly in huge waves, turn suddenly a different angle, go in loops, anything to avoid air defense. And Ukraine has suddenly come up over the recent months with very cheap small $2,000 interceptors they can fire to take out these $30,000 drones, a very cost-effective way of doing it. I think the concern here is that if all that three years' worth of battlefield knowledge and the constant evolution of technology is given to the Iranians in one go, it gives them a competitive edge potentially.

And I think we've also heard from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He said that Russia's been supplying drones, missiles, and indeed, the Ukrainians have sent their own experts and technology to Gulf countries, including here, Jordan, where just before you and I were talking, probably when you were hearing sirens, we heard sirens too, my colleague Natalie Wright saw two what looked like interceptions behind me over here.

[14:35:00]

So, a clear threat to around the region, but I think it will be chilling for U.S. troops in the Gulf to learn, potentially, that we're seeing all that Russian wealth of experience from the battlefields in Ukraine being handed to the Iranians.

A quick reminder, the U.S. gave intelligence and weapons to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion. So, perhaps Moscow see this as a tit-for-tat. They didn't reply to our request for comment -- Erin.

BURNETT: Yes. All right, Nick Paton Walsh, thank you very much.

And, you know, just incredible when Nick describes having seen himself, right, those swarms of drones and how they behave. I want to bring in Michael Allen, the former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush for National Security, joining me now along with the former Senior Director for Counter-Proliferation at the National Security Council. And I appreciate your time very much. So, I just want to start off with Nick Paton Walsh's reporting, because, obviously, it's hugely significant, right, if you do have Russia sharing that know-how.

It comes in the context of the reporting that Russia had been sharing targeting information with the Iranians. And then on top of that, Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy, said yesterday that, you know, Russian officials, you know, Putin had that call with Trump, and it was conveyed to Trump that Russia has not been sharing intelligence on the location of U.S. military assets. And he said in an interview that they would take Russia at its word.

What's your response to that?

MICHAEL ALLEN, FORMER SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH FOR NATIONAL SECURITY: Yes. Well, I think people should recognize that Russia is basically an adversary of the United States, even if President Trump is trying to, as he said in his national security strategy, have a workable relationship with them. They are against our interests all over the globe, of course, in Ukraine, but also now in Iran as well.

So, we should be very worried if they're supplying any intelligence to the Iranians. But it's part of the, and you've heard this term, the axis of upheaval. It's North Korea, China, Iran and Russia working together.

They're bound by a common opposition to the United States, the West and democracy. So, we have to watch them very, very closely and discourage them strongly from doing this.

BURNETT: Right. And obviously, I mean, at least all we have from the administration is their public posturing, which is trusting Russia and taking it at its word. At least that's the public perception that they're putting out there.

We also have the new reporting that I just had mentioned, and I want to give you the detail about it, Michael, which is that an IRGC commander, and this is, you know, I guess we're trying to figure out the line between what is real and what is perhaps just a threat or hyperbole. And this is the context of these missiles, they say, these underwater launched missiles that they say are high speed and deadly that Iran has not yet used and that only CNN understands that they're saying they and Russia have. Do you take that as more than just an empty threat?

ALLEN: I do. I have heard of these particular weapons that the Russians had. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they had been proliferated to the Iranians and to others that they make common cause with around the world.

This would be an extraordinarily dangerous development. We should be worried about it. I think that the U.S. Navy and others have probably been working on countermeasures for many years because, as I recall, this idea, this capability that the Russians have has been known in the United States for some time, but we should take it very, very seriously. It's another reason why, you know, we may not be ready to get our warships in the Straits of Hormuz right now where they might be at a period of maximum vulnerability. I think the position probably of the Navy is that they need to spend more time eliminating some of these conventional weapons capabilities on the shore and inside of Iran proper so that we might be able to more freely operate. But this is what's happened as the war is escalating and we've got to be on our toes as we move forward.

BURNETT: Well, obviously also hugely significant, you know, the perspective you're providing on that because, you know, we hear about all the things that the U.S. and Israeli forces say they've destroyed, whether that be missile launchers, missile sites, missile manufacturing, drone, all of those things. But these capabilities are different, obviously, just to make that point loud and clear.

One final question to you, Michael, if I may, and that is the Supreme Leader, the new Supreme Leader. You know, the president of Iran is saying that he's safe. President's son is saying that he's just got minor injuries. But of course, we haven't seen him yet.

Do you buy that?

ALLEN: I have a feeling it's not minor injuries. I'm not prepared to sort of accept some of the rumors and innuendo that he may not have survived the attack. But I think for him not even to have addressed the nation, even if it was from some sort of bunker or hidden location, is suspicious.

So I think, of course, he lost some family members. It seems inconceivable that he wouldn't have been injured.

[14:40:00]

Some sort of bunker or hidden location is suspicious. So I think, of course, he lost some family members. It seems inconceivable that he wouldn't have been injured in this. I bet it's more serious than we know.

But they wanted to put another -- they wanted to put the son of the previous Supreme Leader in to send the signal that the new boss is the same as the old boss. And so it may be some time before we actually see him address his people or otherwise try and lay down the law on how this war is going to go.

BURNETT: Michael Allen, we all appreciate your time and thank you very much.

And still to come as our special coverage here continues, rising gas prices already compounding what's happening and complicating Republicans' message that the White House is making life more affordable for Americans. Manu Raju with a special report from Capitol Hill right after this.

[14:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is disrupting more than the world oil supply. It is upsetting the Republican agenda on Capitol Hill with the midterm elections just over six months away. As gas prices go up, the GOP is struggling to find consensus on not just messaging, but methods, specifically how to push through the party's economic plans amid the war.

CNN's Mani Raju has been watching. The Republican consternation there on Capitol Hill. Manu, what are you learning?

MANU RAJU, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Republicans are trying to put together an election-year agenda focused on affordability, focused on cost-of-living issues. But the rise in gas prices has prompted Republican concerns that it could undercut their message on issue number one for voters. Talking to Republican after Republican, I asked, how are you going to deal with the rise in gas prices now that so many voters are feeling new pain at the pump? And the answer from these Republicans is that they hope that the war ends soon and that that will stabilize crude oil prices and ultimately lead to a reduction in gas prices.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. MARK ALFORD (R-MO): There may be some sacrifices to be made at the pump on a temporary basis.

RAJU: Do you think the Americans are willing to make that sacrifice?

ALFORD: I think the people in my district are. They fully understand. I think it's our job to help bring people along to them and explain what's at stake. You know, I'm willing to pay 30 percent or 30 cents more at the pump to make sure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon that's going to hit the United States.

REP. NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS (R-NY): I think that this is a short-term volatility.

RAJU: What if it does hit $5?

MALLIOTAKIS: Well, then we'll have another conversation.

REP. CARLOS GIMENEZ (R-FL): I think that this is going to be temporary and hopefully when --

RAJU: How do you know that?

GIMENEZ: It should be temporary because I don't believe this is going to last very long.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RAJU (on camera): And that's the big question, is that Republicans are hoping that this will be temporary but really no one has any idea how long this could last and the implications that it could have on oil markets and gas prices for the foreseeable future. So that is their plan right now, is hope. Now, this all comes as the Republicans are finishing up a retreat in Florida, Trump's golf course in Doral, Florida.

They tried to put together some sort of economic plan to address some of these affordability concerns, but there are still significant divisions over what to include in that plan, how to pursue it. Some Republicans saying it is not worth going through this process because of divisions over some of the contents of that proposal. And the war with Iran, gas prices increasing, and the President's push to do a totally separate piece of legislation dealing with elections and forcing people to show their proof of citizenship to vote called the Save America Act, the President's push on that, distracting of sorts from the economic agenda that Republicans want to push at this key moment.

So a lot of issues now are clouding the GOP messaging as we head into a critical midterm election battle. KEILAR: Yes, maybe clouding it. But the Manu Raju follow-up question cuts to the heart of the matter indeed. Manu, thank you so much for bringing that to us. We appreciate it.

Coming up, Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo's historic night on the court. ESPN's senior NBA insider joining us to talk about the record-breaking game, next.

[14:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

All right, let's go to President Trump.

KEILAR: All right, let's go to President Trump. He is taking questions at an event in Cincinnati. Here he is.

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ...They started talking about mines. We hit 28 mine ships as of this moment. 28.

Like using the same weapon, the exact same weapon that we use against the drug dealers in the water. We have, as an example, we had tremendous drugs pouring in through the waters, through the sea. And now we have almost none.

It's down 97 percent through water. Now we'll do it through land. Land is easier than water.

But this is a great honor being here. It's a great company. I've known it for a long time.

And you have done a fantastic job. And I'd like to congratulate you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. It's the colleagues' work.

TRUMP: See, the colleagues.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: My associates, my colleagues. What about people that just work for you? No, right? They're colleagues.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 25 years.

TRUMP: That's why he's doing so well. Congratulations. Great company. Thank you very much. It's a great honor. Thank you. Thank you, everybody.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gentlemen, we thought it would just be good to introduce some of our best people in our team and have you have a chance ...

KEILAR: All right, you're listening to President Trump. He's selling his economic message there in Cincinnati. But he stopped to take questions. And he said that they, American forces, have taken out 28 mine ships of Iran's. As we understand it, Iran has many, many, many more. The mine threat potentially very real there.

Boris, over to you.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: We'll keep monitoring the president's visit there as we make our way through the afternoon of news.

[14:55:00]

Miami Heat center, Bam Adebayo, has written his name into the NBA record books. The three-time All-Star scoring 83 points last night, surpassing Kobe Bryant's 81-point performance, now only second to Will Chamberlain's 100-point game.

Bam celebrated the feat alongside his girlfriend, WNBA star, Asia Wilson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BAM ADEBAYO, MIAMI HEAT CENTER: It's a pretty emotional moment. Like I said, I wish I could relive it twice. So this is a special moment. It's Will, me, then Kobe, which sounds crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Joining us now to break down this historic performance is ESPN senior NBA insider, Shams Charania. Shams, thank you so much for spending part of your afternoon with us. What's your reaction to Bam's huge night?

SHAMS CHARANIA, ESPN SENIOR NBA INSIDER: Historic, Boris. And when I talk to people on the league, it's a lot of shock. And this is an unforeseen moment for a player that came up in the NBA, came up in college at Kentucky as someone, Coach John Calipari told him at Kentucky, your role is to play defense, to rebound, block shots.

That's all you're going to do. And coming into the league, that's all he was known for. His career high before 83 points last night was 41.

So this is someone who is not thought of as an offensive player, but he is someone that I know internally feels like he can do that on a nightly basis. But he's had to sacrifice over the course of his career, play a role, be gritty, do all the little things. And this is someone, Boris, Bam Adebayo grew up in a single-wide trailer home with his mother, Marlin.

And that's someone, his mom and basketball, those are two things that he grew up, that's all that surrounded his life. And so this is someone that everyone around the Miami Heat was happy about. And you couldn't see more just joyful teammates as we saw last night in Miami.

SANCHEZ: His mom was in the audience, and he was shedding tears as he was hugging her after accomplishing this feat. I don't know if you could tell by my tone, Shams, but I'm a Heat lifer. And I set news objectivity aside when it comes to talking about the Miami Heat.

And you're so right, people wouldn't expect Bam to put up 83 points. He's like a pass-first, defensive-minded player. His average, I don't think, is above 20 points for his career.

I wonder if you think some of the reaction that we've seen around the league and from fans who are not quite so happy about this feat has to do with it coming from Bam and not somebody who they would expect to score that much.

CHARANIA: Maybe that, you know, in the past when Kobe Bryant had 81 points, we saw there was a build-up to that, right? He had 60-some points after three quarters, then he was taken out of the game. But we knew Kobe Bryant was known as a natural-born scorer.

Bam Adebayo has not been that, but we've seen he's had moments where he scored 20 and 10 and those -- that could have very easily been the night last night. But we have to take the whole situation into account here. He had 31 points after one quarter.

He had 43 points at halftime. So circumstances certainly played a big part in it. Eric Spoelstra, the head coach, keeping him in the game in the second half and then down the stretch of the game, his teammates continuously giving him the ball.

But he was on a tear from the beginning of the game. He had five threes in the first half. You could tell offensively he was feeling it.

And then from there, circumstances played out to where they kept giving him the ball and he kept getting fouled. You have to make shots, Boris, even if you're in an open gym by yourself. He made 13 two-pointers.

He made seven three-pointers. And then he had 36 free-throw makes out of 40-plus attempts. And so he kept getting fouled because they just could not stop him, the Wizards could.

And by the end of it, yes, there were some intentional fouls. Yes, there were some intentional free-throw misses for his team to get extra possessions. But he was getting doubled in triple team because they just could not stop him.

And they had no choice but to foul him down the stretch of the game.

SANCHEZ: There's also criticism being directed toward Eric Spoelstra because, as you said, sometimes when we've seen like Steph Curry or Klay Thompson, to give an example, rack up a ton of points through three quarters, they sit the rest of the game. But Spo, the coach of the Heat, kept him in. What do you think of some of the criticism he's receiving for that decision?

CHARANIA: That's what makes Eric Spoelstra, I think today, looked at as a player's coach. And that's what I think his give back to Bam Adebayo and everything Bam Adebayo has meant to the Heat. We've seen your sacrifice. We've seen your hard work. And now you have an opportunity where you have 31 in the first quarter, 43 at halftime. And as the game continues to go on, 50 points, 60 points.

Then he's creeping up to 70. And clearly by the time it got to the 70s, finally, Eric Spoelstra made a decision. We're going to let him go.

We're going to let him get to Kobe Bryant's record. We're going to let him get and break Kobe Bryant's record. And once that decision was made, around really the mid-70s mark, that's when the Heat moved forward.

And that's where Eric Spoelstra said, listen, I'm not going to take him out ...

END