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Israel Says, Iranian Security Chief Ali Larijani Killed in Strike; White House Officials Say, Trump Rebuffed Efforts to Restart Iran Talks; Airport Security Lines Grow as TSA Goes Unpaid Amid Shutdown. Aired 7-7:30a ET

Aired March 17, 2026 - 07:00   ET

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

[07:00:00]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking just a few moments ago, Israel claims it has killed Iran's top security chief, maybe the single most powerful man in Iran. What it means this morning for the stability of that regime.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: And chaos at airports nationwide as TSA workers quit or call out because they aren't getting paid, and stormy weather adding to that chaos, some airports even taking donations for TSA officers as Congress fails to act.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: And growing controversy over a new ChatGPT feature called Adult Mode, and probably, not surprisingly, it all has to do with X-rated content.

I'm Kate Bolduan with John Berman and Sara Sidner. This is CNN News Central.

BERMAN: All right, the breaking news, what could be a major development, one of the most consequential targets in Iran to-date. Just a short time ago, Israel's defense minister claimed they, quote, eliminated Ali Larijani, Iran's top security official. Larijani is or was perhaps the single most powerful man in the country, a regime stalwart close to Iran's late supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Iran has not confirmed his death. We are waiting to hear more on that front.

The Israeli military also said it killed the head of Iran's Basij paramilitary force. We're going to follow reaction in and around I around over the next several hours. That, of course, will be key.

The war raged on overnight, new attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq, an explosion and smoke scene in the air over Baghdad. So, the air defense system that protects the embassy uses a gun that shoots 4,500 rounds per minute. It shot down two of the drones, but a third did strike inside the embassy compound, that is according to Reuters.

Let's still get right to CNN's Oren Liebermann live in Tel Aviv this morning for the latest on this Israeli claim to have killed Ali Larijani, which would be a major, major development, Oren.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: John, Ali Larijani was one of the key decision-makers, if not the key decision-maker, especially after the opening wave of attacks from Israel and the United States, which decapitated much of Iran's leadership. Larijani was the key leader remaining in charge of the security forces and likely making many of the important decisions as this war continues into its third week here.

He was also, therefore, at the top of the target list for Israel. And Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz saying he was killed in a targeted strike in Tehran last night. Israel has made clear that it will continue to go after Iran's top leadership. And that too, in a statement from Katz, the defense minister saying that decision was from him and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But it wasn't just Larijani. Israel said they also eliminated the top leader of Iran's Basij paramilitary forces. Israel's leadership here saying that is the military force or the paramilitary force that cracked down on the protest that we saw earlier this year. An Israeli source also tells CNN other senior leadership in the Basij were also killed in those overnight strikes.

Israel's military had put out statements saying it targeted Tehran as well as other cities, but it is now, with the statements coming from Israel's military leadership and defense leadership, that we see the statement that Larijani was killed.

Crucially, we have not yet had confirmation here from the, from Iran just yet, but that, of course, is what we're looking for, Israel continuing to go after the top layers of Iran's command structure and simply working their way down that list. John?

BERMAN: Yes. And, of course, Larijani and also the head of the Basij paramilitary force would be key to maintaining stability and security inside Iran itself. They were both key to the crackdowns on protesters. So, perhaps Israel trying to destabilize the situation on the ground, maybe foment new unrest there.

Oren, what can you tell us about what's going on with the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, which is, in many ways, a symbolic target and has been for decades?

LIEBERMANN: Iran has continued to lash out across the region, and that's not only at energy and oil infrastructure of Gulf states but also at U.S. diplomatic facilities. Take a look at this video.

[07:05:00]

This shows one of the defense systems at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, the CRAM, which stands for counter rocket artillery and mortar firing -- it's a Gatling gun, so it can fire thousands of rounds a minute. And according to Reuters, it engaged two projectiles that were targeted at that U.S. embassy.

Take a look at this second video. This shows one of those projectiles, likely a drone, getting through and getting by that CRAM defense system and striking some part of the embassy compound itself, it looks like, from the video here. We have seen Iran and Iranian proxies continue to try to target the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. In fact, just a few days ago over the weekend, there was what appeared to be a drone that had gotten through and done some damage there.

So, you can see that continued effort, even as the U.S. and Israel have taken out, Iran's top leader, Iran's still retaining some sort of capability to strike back. And in fact, over the course of the past hour, we had sirens warning of incoming missiles here in Tel Aviv, as well as reports of shrapnel across Tel Aviv and nearby here. So, Iran retaining that ability to fire back, even as Israel has continued to take out the top security leadership of the country.

BERMAN: Again, waiting for confirmation from inside Iran, but a flurry of new developments this morning. Oren Liebermann in Tel Aviv, thank you very much. Sara?

SIDNER: All right, thank you, John.

Conflicting accounts this morning between the White House and Iranian officials. Senior Trump administration officials say Iran's foreign minister reached out to the president's Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff to try and restart diplomatic talks, but Iran is denying that ever happened. It all comes as the president continues to slam allies who have refused so far to help secure the critical Strait of Hormuz.

CNN's Kevin Liptak is joining us now. What is the latest from the White House?

KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes. And I think, you know, White House officials recognize that there is a growing hunger even among some of the president's allies, for a better picture about what the endgame in this conflict looks like as energy prices rise, as the Strait of Hormuz remains close.

You know, the president spent most of the day yesterday trying to cajole European allies into sending warships to help reopen the strait, suggesting that they were insufficiently grateful for everything the United States had done to protect them. The president did say that numerous countries were, quote, on their way, but so far no countries have said publicly that they're going to send warships while active hostilities are underway.

When it comes to this question of diplomacy, the president has made pretty clear that he does not think Iran at this point is ready to sit down and have serious negotiations. What White House officials told us yesterday was that. The foreign minister had reached out to Steve Witkoff, the president's foreign envoy, but that Witkoff had not responded.

The foreign minister himself denies this, saying that he has not been in contact with the United States since this war began. What both sides seem to agree on is that there are no active negotiations underway. And President Trump yesterday said that it would be difficult because so much of Iran's senior leadership had been killed. He said, we have, quote, no idea who we're talking to, that no one had ever heard of these people who are still alive.

You know, I'm told by diplomats that a number of countries are trying to mediate talks between the U.S. and Iran to try and bring this conflict to an end. Many of them very eager to see it end very quickly. The president was asked yesterday whether this could wrap up within one week. Listen to what he said.

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DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I don't think so, but it'll be soon. It won't be long. And we're going to have a much safer world when it's wrapped up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIPTAK: Now, one person that the president does say he's talking to is one of his predecessors. He said he had spoken to a former president who said, quote, I wish what you did when it comes to Iran, but people close to all four former presidents, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden all say they have not spoken to the president about Iran, and, in fact, have not spoken to him at all in recent days. Sara?

SIDNER: You wonder who he was talking to. Kevin Liptak, thank you so much. I do appreciate it. Kate?

BOLDUAN: Wait times at airports across the country stretching two, three, and now sometimes even four hours.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I could like punch through a wall right now and I'm just like over it.

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BOLDUAN: Growing delays, the delays will continue to grow after hundreds of TSA agents have quit or are not showing up to continue working without pay one month into the partial government shutdown. So, is this about to get worse?

Gas prices, they continue to climb now every day since the war in Iran began hitting nearly $3.80 cents a gallon. We're keeping a very close eye on that this morning.

And a Utah woman who wrote a children's book about grief after the death of her husband now found guilty of murdering her husband.

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BOLDUAN: We're going to show you pictures of security lines at Atlanta's airport. We could stand here for minutes probably and still see this line going and going. This line's already this morning stretching back to baggage claim. Wait times in Atlanta and airports across the country are not just long today but painfully long, stretching for hours. And what is driving this is the partial government shutdown. Hundreds of TSA agents have now quit after missing their first full paycheck one month in to the partial government shutdown. TSA workers and their union leaders, they're angry.

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AARON BARKER, AFGE Y.O.U.N.G. NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR: To be quite frank, officers are pissed off. And we're not just talking about here in Atlanta, we're talking about nationwide. The officers are pissed off. They want this to end.

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[07:15:00]

BOLDUAN: CNN's Brynn Gingras is live at another critical airport, major airport, Newark Airport in New Jersey. What are you seeing there and what are you hearing from people, Brymn?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kate. You know what? People who live around this area, I can tell you no one likes flying out of Newark York airport, but I got to tell you, we've actually talked to a few travelers this morning who are coming up to the security lines and saying, oh, not bad. And you know what? It isn't that bad.

Take a look at the wait lines that we're actually seeing here. I hate to, you know, brag a bit compared to what you just showed, all the viewers in Atlanta, but five-minute wait times here at TSA pre-check and you can the lines are just moving quite well.

But, yes, such a different story when you look at some other airports, like Atlanta, what you were just showing everybody about an hour and a half wait times for some people just trying to make their flights for really what is right now some of the first flights of the day.

We obviously have seen this backup for several days now, like you mentioned, all because of this partial government shutdown, where hundreds of TSA employees have quit, just completely walked off the job or just calling in and saying, I'm not going to work because I'm not getting a paycheck.

And we talked to some of those people who were traveling, facing all of these delays, waiting in these long lines and take a listen to what they've been saying.

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VICTORIA KILGORE, TRAVELER: Oh, it was ridiculously frustrating then to know that, you know -- and it's not their fault because they're not getting paid and they're going to come in here. I wouldn't do it either, but just ask the layers of your frustration, ask the layers of you're just trying to buy your time back, have a little piece of vacation from the Matrix, and the matrix still gets you.

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GINGRAS: So, again, not too bad here at Newark Airport. We're only seeing about five minutes here. There in a couple of other terminals are a little bit longer lines, but we actually have been talking to some people who just say, you know what? I've been seeing all those lines on T.V. at all the different airports across the country, and I'm getting here early. I met someone here, got three hours early for a domestic flight. So, people definitely taking precautions and really just talking about how they hate to see what's happening to these TSA workers who are, again, facing no paychecks for the second time in under a year. Guys?

BOLDUAN: Yes. It's great to see you, Brynn. Thank you so much. John?

BERMAN: If you're going to show up three hours before your flight, you might as well just walk to your destination. That's sort of what I think about that.

BOLDUAN: No, J.B., you sit and get a coffee.

BERMAN: All right. Fear over what is being called by some a sexy suicide coach. New concerns about OpenAI's plans for an adult mode chatbot.

And then some of the most thrilling baseball the world has ever seen fueled largely by stars from the Boston Red Sox. We are bracing for the finals of the World Baseball Classic.

It's true. It's all true.

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BERMAN: So I cannot remember seeing such supercharged baseball. The final matchup of the World Baseball Classic is set featuring key members of the Boston Red Sox facing key members of the Boston Red Sox. Also you can all boo, you can all boo, but it's true, Aaron Judge strikes out, that Roman Anthony homers. Also tonight, the U.S. playing Venezuela.

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Oh, John, I love you and your Red Sox. The World Baseball Classic, it has been phenomenal C.B. (ph). There we go, electric atmosphere in Miami. The USA, they're awaiting the winner of the semi-final matchup between Venezuela and Italy last night. Venezuela down 2-1 in the seventh with two outs, but Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. put on the afterburners to beat the throw knocking in the time run, juicing the crowd and his team. Venezuela would score two more in the inning, capped with three-time All Star Luis Arraez shot to left, which scored Acuna, putting them up 4-2. All their hits in the inning came with two outs.

And in the ninth, Daniel Palencia on the mound to close it out, bringing the heat. Antonacci with the big whiffer on a 99-mile-per- hour heater. Venezuela's bullpen was the story of the game. They advance to their first ever WBC title game to face the USA tonight.

In the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks were stripped of their strip club-themed game, Magic City Night, but they still served up some of their famous lemon pepper wings and a tenth straight win for their fans. Nikhil Alexander-Walker, he was still dropping it like it's hot, 41 points including nine three-pointers against Orlando in a 124-112 win, stripping them of their seven-game win streak. Atlanta now flirting with a playoff playing spot after their Eastern Conference leading tenth straight win.

In the NHL, 39-year-old at Evgeni Malkin pulls off a ridiculous behind the back there, spin-o-rama goal, in his return for the Pittsburgh Penguins, making his presence failed immediately against the Avalanche. He scored twice in a four goal first period. His second goal put the Pens up 3-1, got the league's leader in safe percentage. Scott Wedgewood benched after serving a five-game suspension for thrashing. Malkin helps Pittsburgh put a thrashing on Colorado in a 7- 2 win.

All right, stop what you're doing and watch this. Play of the Day comes from the KHL. Dynamo Moscow Forward former Toronto Maple Leaf Draftee Semyon Der-Arguchintsev pulls off a goal so unbelievable, people online were questioning whether this was A.I. It is behind his back roof in a seven-round shootout winner against Spartak, John, breaking the internet and goalie's ankles there, incredible stuff.

BERMAN: When you said, people on the internet wondering if it was A.I., that was me. Like I saw this video when I woke up. I'm like this can't possibly be true. I've never seen anything like that. Unbelievable,

WIRE: Incredible stuff, got to watch it time and time again.

[07:25:01]

And good luck to your Red Sox tonight against the Red Sox in the WBC title game, John.

BERMAN: I'll be watching. Red Sox win always.

Coy Wire, thank you very much for that. It's true. You guys can all boo. It's true. They're loaded on each team. It's really impressive.

SIDNER: You are outnumbered here, but if your team wins, your team wins. What are we going to do? You know what I mean?

BERMAN: It's all good.

SIDNER: All right. Ahead, the new vaccine agenda from Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. just got a legal slap down. What this means for children's vaccine policies.

And get your green ready a live look at Dublin as the world marks St. Patty's Day.

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