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Iran's Supreme Leader Not Poised for Compromise; Obama Administration Ramping Up Iran Rhetoric; Obama May Be Ready to Return Ambassador to Syria After Four-Year Absence; Sanford's Hiatus Spent in Argentina, Not Appalachian Trail; Day Three of D.C. Metro Crash Investigation; No Answers About Steve Jobs' Liver Transplant
Aired June 24, 2009 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Iran, not backing down. The supreme leader says the government will not cave in to pressure for a new presidential election.
Your future health care in focus today in Washington. We'll tell you what the president and Congress have planned.
Plus, putting civilians first. A new U.S. strategy to win the war in Afghanistan.
It is Wednesday, June 24. Hi, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
In fact, a whole lot of international news to talk about this morning, of course, as well. Our Ivan Watson is the point man on Iran today. He is monitoring all of those satellite feeds that are coming in and also talking with some of our sources there. We'll get to him in just a moment.
Also, Suzanne Malveaux focusing on Iran. She is standing outside the White House. But of course, her sources are deep inside the White House.
And foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty talking today a little bit more about the Middle Eastern trouble spot, Syria. A major diplomatic move now taking place behind closed doors.
Let's begin now with the latest in Iran. Here is what we know. Iran's supreme leader appears to have closed the door on any compromise over the disputed presidential elections. He says the government will not give in to protesters or international pressure.
The mood in Tehran is being described now as tense. Today, many Iranians say they are afraid to talk about the crisis to callers from the U.S. and Europe. Iranian authorities say they have arrested several foreign nationals for fueling the country's post-election unrest.
Great Britain says it's investigating Tehran's claims that some of those arrested held British passports.
We're watching all of it and due to the Iranian government's restrictions on international media reporting in Iran, we are relying on other sources to bring you the very latest information.
CNN's Ivan Watson is joining us now from our Iran desk this morning.
So, Ivan, the Iranian government is actually saying now this isn't really the Iranian people that are doing the protesting that we've actually been seeing.
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And this is a common theme that we've heard not just over the course of the past few days but the past week and a half.
Iran's intelligence minister coming out to cameras in Iran and claiming that they're foiling foreign plots to stage a kind of velvet revolution, that they've arrested at least seven people, some of them holding British passports.
And we've heard numerous accusations, Heidi, over the course of the past several days, accusations that foreign governments and intelligence agencies and even the media companies such as ourselves are actually creating this instability, Heidi, on the ground in Iran.
COLLINS: Wow. I mean that's something that is going to be fascinating to follow, no question about that. Let us know if you get more on that.
Meanwhile, it's also kind of obvious that we're not seeing the leaders of the opposition anymore. I'm talking about Mousavi and Rafsanjani. I think the last time we saw them was something like last Thursday? Is that right?
WATSON: Absolutely. Mir Hossein Mousavi, according to the official results in these disputed elections -- he hasn't been seen since last week. We're looking at this video where he addressed the crowd of demonstrators who were all accusing the government of rigging the elections.
One man, an Iranian cinematographer, an activist in Paris, he claims, the journalist, that Mousavi is surrounded by security officers. He's isolated and is not allowed to speak freely. Another one of the opposition candidates, Mehdi Karroubi, he wrote an open letter to Iranian state media saying, we're not getting a fair shake on TV. You're accusing us...
COLLINS: Yes.
WATSON: ... of carrying out terrorist acts. It's not true. And he accused the winner of the election, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, of running a Taliban-like interpretation of Islam.
COLLINS: All right. Well, again, it's been difficult but we are certainly watching everything that we're getting in to the CNN NEWSROOM, whether it be from iReports or e-mails or otherwise. And you are the guy for that, so we'll come back to you if anything new should happen.
Sure do appreciate it, Ivan Watson, this morning.
The Obama administration is ramping up the rhetoric on Iran now, but will it lead to action? White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux standing by with more on this.
Suzanne, President Obama did seem to strike sort of a different tone on Iran in his news conference yesterday. Most people feel the same way about that?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I think he definitely hardened his language against the Iranian regime. We heard words like outrage, he condemned it, that he was appalled with what he was seeing on the streets, the violence against these protesters.
But what he did say is that -- he laughed about the suggestion that he was doing this in reaction to some conservatives who were criticizing him for not using tougher language. What his aides said is that what they were seeing on the streets over the last 48 hours really called for this kind of more aggressive language.
I even had a chance to ask the president if he had seen the video that has really circulated the world, galvanized the Iranian protest movement of this young woman Neda who was killed on the streets of Tehran.
COLLINS: Right.
MALVEAUX: And here's how he responded. Here's how he reacted.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: In fact, Iran is putting a human face on this. Over the weekend, we saw a shocking video of this woman Neda who had been shot in the chest. Have you seen this video? What's your reaction?
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have. It's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking and I think that anybody who sees it knows that there's something fundamentally unjust about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Heidi, what was also interesting about the press conference and what the president said was that he acknowledged that they're really in a holding pattern, a waiting pattern, if you will, to see what is going to happen with Iran's elections, what's going to happen on the ground, that these nuclear talks, despite the fact the administration would like to move forward, cannot move forward at this time until they figure that out, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, understood. Also as far as today's events go at the White House, a completely different subject, and that is health care. Right?
MALVEAUX: It's -- you know it's his number one domestic priority. The president saying he wants to get this done by the end of the year so we're going to have governors that are hosting -- a small group of governors who's been having these kind of town-hall meetings about the issue of health care reform.
There's going to be a big town hall in the East Room later in the evening, late in the evening or so. This is all about this big push, at least part of it, to create this government insurance plan, an alternative to private insurance, to allow more people options.
This is something that we heard strong language from the president yesterday defending against some of those who would say this is basically to squeeze out private insurers. Take a listen, Heidi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Why would it drive private insurance out of business? If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality health care, if they tell us that they're offering a good deal, then why is it that the government, which they say can't run anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That's not logical.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Heidi, some tough words for the president, but there is a little wiggle room, some compromise here. His chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, was on the Hill last night talking about some other alternatives, saying that they want to listen to all suggestions, all ideas.
But the president this morning saying that he is confident that he's still going to get some sort of health care reform by the end of the year. We'll see.
COLLINS: All right. We will see. Thanks so much, Suzanne Malveaux, reporting from the White House this morning. Thanks.
President Obama may be ready to take an important step in improving relations in the Middle East. Sources tell CNN the president is ready to return an ambassador to Syria after a four-year absence.
CNN correspondent Jill Dougherty joining us now live from the State Department with more on this.
So, this seems like a pretty big step. What's this all about? Why is the president doing this now?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Heidi, four years ago, the Bush administration pulled out the U.S. ambassador, and the reason they did it was they were accusing Syria of being involved in the assassination of the Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.
COLLINS: Right.
DOUGHERTY: Now things are different. This is a new administration, and they're having a lot more contact. In fact, this administration official, one of them we spoke to, said that it's really important for the U.S. to get a person, an ambassador, back into Damascus.
There's a lot more contact. U.S. officials are going back and forth now to Damascus. In fact just two weeks ago the U.S. Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell was there. He was meeting with the president Hafez al-Assad. So there's a lot of stuff happening and they need somebody, they say, in place.
COLLINS: So, Jill, has the current administration been able to find a way to investigate further those allegations about the involvement of the Syrians with the assassination of Hariri, or do they deem it not as important given the timing with Iran right now?
DOUGHERTY: Well, they still do. I mean they still believe that the Syrians were complicit in this. And in fact, a U.N. investigation did show some complicity. Syria always denied it. But it appears that they're willing to put that on the side because there are other issues.
And you know some of them are big issues like Syria could be very helpful with Israel and the Mideast peace process. It could be helpful on Hamas. It could also be helpful in a very immediate sense in stopping those foreign fighters who are going over the border from Syria into Iraq.
In fact, just recently the general -- General Ray Odierno, who's in charge of U.S. troops in Iraq, said they're already taking some steps to help that. And then the other really interesting part of this, Heidi, is Iran.
Because although the U.S. officials say this doesn't have anything to do with what's going on in Iran right now, the feeling always has been that if you start the strategy of engagement with Syria, you might be able to pull them away from that really close relationship that they have with Iran.
So there's a lot going on in that region right now that we should be watching.
COLLINS: Yes, very close relationship. All right, Jill. Keep us posted. Sure do appreciate that. Jill Dougherty this morning from the State Department.
Investigators in Washington are doing more than looking at train wreckage now. They are actually combing through information about the driver of the Metro train that collided with another train on Monday.
Nine people were killed in that accident. Investigators want to know if the driver was tired or was talking on a cell phone. It was already determined that the train was in automatic mode, which meant it was computer-controlled at the time of the crash.
They also say it looks like the operator engaged the emergency brake after all. And today metro officials say they are running all of their trains in the manual mode. So coming up, we will be talking with a spokesman for the NTSB, ask her a little bit more about those computer controls and why Metro system officials seemingly ignored calls to update these older trains.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I'm Rob Marciano at CNN's Severe Weather Center. Look at these numbers from yesterday, just ridiculous heat across much of the southeastern third of the country. It continues today.
We'll talk about that plus what's up with Andres all coming up next when the CNN NEWSROOM comes right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: There is new information this morning on the whereabouts of South Carolina governor Mark Sanford. He was supposed to be back at work this morning after five days of no one apparently knowing where he was.
"The State" newspaper in South Carolina says they caught up with the governor in Atlanta this morning as he was returning from a trip to Argentina. Sanford's staff told the press he was hiking the Appalachian trail.
The governor says he doesn't know why they said that. Sanford says he went to Buenos Aires to clear his head. The reporter from "The State," Gina Smith, talked about her line of questioning earlier on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GINA SMITH, REPORTER, "THE STATE": I did ask him what he did while he was away. He said he drove along the coast. He says it's a beautiful city. I asked him if he was alone. He said yes, he was alone. I asked him if he stayed in a hotel. Then he said he saw where I was going and he didn't want to discuss anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Sanford says he cut his trip short when he found out there was an uproar over his being out of touch for several days.
Head over to the Severe Weather Center now because Rob Marciano is there and talking about this incredible heat. I mean like boiling hot.
MARCIANO: Yes. I'm just thinking Governor Sanford may just want to get away from the heat. You know?
COLLINS: It's just hot. But isn't it hot in Argentina?
MARCIANO: It's winter right now down there, so...
COLLINS: Oh! Forgive me.
MARCIANO: Yes. It can even snow down there this time of year. So...
COLLINS: You could ski there right now?
MARCIANO: Yes, sure, you can. Go out there on the west side of Argentina? The Andes? Not bad. Not bad at all.
COLLINS: Excellent.
MARCIANO: So let's go. Get out of here.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: Want to cool off? You either go to Buenos Aires or even Los Angeles, (INAUDIBLE) is there.
COLLINS: OK. Very good. Nice to see you on the big show, by the way.
MARCIANO: Nice to see you, Heidi.
COLLINS: I don't know where the heck you've been, but I'm glad...
MARCIANO: On assignment in Disney World yesterday.
COLLINS: Oh, come on.
MARCIANO: I'm not kidding. We'll be there live next week. It's exclusive stuff.
COLLINS: Really? Mickey involved in any way?
MARCIANO: Mickey's always involved.
COLLINS: All right. Excellent. I can't wait.
MARCIANO: OK.
COLLINS: Rob Marciano.
MARCIANO: See you.
COLLINS: Check with you later.
Steve Jobs changed your life and recently doctors saved his, but did the computer pioneer receive special treatment when so many other lives depend on fairness?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: As you probably know by now, it is day three into the investigation to the D.C. Metro crash. Really, really tough story. We have been following it, obviously, ever since it happened. And we are also asking you to write into us about your thoughts here.
Apparently what happened was the NTSB had made a couple of recommendations about the particular train cars that were being used. They were saying they were old and they were saying they needed some retrofitting. And apparently for various reasons, WMATA, which is the Washington Metro Transportation Association there, has not been able to heed those warnings or those recommendations.
So we're going to be talking about a little more. Tell us what you think of that. You can go to CNN.com/newsroom. Then just click on my name, you see it right here, Heidi, and tell us what you think. We're talking with NTSB investigators' spokesperson about this coming up in just a few moments right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Investigators are focusing on the automatic train controls today. They're trying to determine why the computer system did not stop one D.C. Metro train from slamming into the back of another. They're also looking at the integrity of the system's older train cars.
NTSB spokeswoman Debbie Hersman is joining us now this morning from Washington to give us a little bit more of an update on the investigation.
Debbie, thanks for being with us. Listen, I know that there are some reports now that you guys are looking into regarding the train operator and her efforts to try and stop that train.
What are you able to tell us and what is the data able to confirm to you at this point?
DEBBIE HERSMAN, NTSB SPOKESWOMAN: Well, our investigators on scene yesterday did find some evidence of emergency brake application. They found the emergency mushroom which is a button that was depressed in the control cab and they also examined the wheels and the brakes and they found that the rotors had showed some bluing.
And that bluing is consistent with an emergency brake application. And so we don't when she might have applied the brakes, but that first car did show some evidence of application of emergency brakes.
COLLINS: OK. So, regardless, unfortunately, it didn't work. I know you still have a lot more investigating to do, as you said, when she may have tried to apply those brakes. But I got to wonder about those break inspections.
Isn't there also some information out there now that talks about this particular train was two months past due on this brakes inspection? And also give us some perspective -- is that a big deal?
HERSMAN: Well, we have seen those reports. Our investigators yesterday were really focused on documenting the scene, getting those actual brakes inspected on the accident trains. So they haven't had an opportunity to review all of those records.
We have requested those records and they're going to be looking at them today. As a part of our accident investigation we usually look at maintenance.
COLLINS: Sure.
HERSMAN: We're going to look at the condition of the brakes and they're going to try to -- you know, put some air in those brakes today and do a brake test to see if they were functioning.
COLLINS: OK. Well, you know, I got to tell you, yesterday when I heard you at the press conference talking about the crashworthiness, so to speak, of these particular trains, actually the one in the back, and you had mentioned that the NTSB had really made this strong recommendation about retrofitting and then also about updating these particular cars all the way back to 2006 when these recommendations were being made.
But the WMATA, this is the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority, was not able to comply. Is this going to be at the center of this entire investigation?
HERSMAN: Well, it's certainly a piece of our investigation. We're going to be looking at operations, we're going to be looking at equipment, we're going to be looking at the tracks, at the signal system, at the train control system. You know, but part of this is the survivability of this accident.
And that first car on the striking train, it's 75 feet long, and 50 feet of that 75-foot car were involved in that crash area. And so the survivable space on this car was extremely compromised.
That is not something that we like to see when we come to an accident scene and that's why we made those recommendations back in 2006 following that accident that occurred on this red line here in Washington, D.C., to phase out those cars or to retrofit them so that they would be more robust in a crash.
COLLINS: Right.
HERSMAN: That hasn't happened.
COLLINS: Yes, and to be fair...
HERSMAN: So that has...
COLLINS: Sorry, Debbie, but to be fair, they have said that one of the reasons why they couldn't make those changes that were recommended to them is because of expense and so forth. And now everything is shut down forcibly, and of course, there have been deaths involved.
So I just wonder what will happen next by way of the NTSB and recommendations like this and how seriously they're taken?
HERSMAN: Well, the NTSB doesn't have any regulatory authority, and so we can't force anybody to do anything. And we don't have any grant money, so we can't help people purchase new equipment. But we're here to investigate the accident, determine what happened and make recommendations for safety improvements.
It's really up to other entities to determine how they want to implement or not implement our recommendations. Our concern is when we come back and we see -- you know, a second or a third time where we're addressing the same issue. We recognize that Metro has some financial challenges, but our role is really to identify what some of the problem areas are.
COLLINS: Sure.
HERSMAN: And we're -- you know, and we're looking at that issue.
COLLINS: Yes. I'm just not sure that everybody in the public understands that the NTSB can only make recommendations. And you can't require it. So we appreciate your explanation definitely.
HERSMAN: Right.
COLLINS: Debbie Hersman, we sure do appreciate it. NTSB spokeswoman. Thanks so much.
And we are talking about the D.C. Metro crash on our blog this morning. Just go to CNN.com/newsroom. Click on my name and you, too, can join the discussion.
We now have some new information about the man who helped bring computers into the American home. Doctors say Apple's CEO Steve Jobs was close to liver failure when he received a transplant. But did he receive special treatment?
CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is taking a closer look at this.
Good morning to you, Elizabeth. First off, what do we know about the transplant and Steve Jobs' condition?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: What we know, Heidi, is the Methodist University in Tennessee says that Mr. Jobs has received a liver transplant, but they don't say why.
People get liver transplants for a whole variety of reasons, everything from cirrhosis to cystic fibrosis. We do know that in 2004, Mr. Jobs had pancreatic cancer. It is possible that that cancer then spread to his liver.
We also know that about six months ago he lost a lot of weight and he said it was because of a, quote, unquote, "hormone imbalance," and that that could be easily fixed. They didn't really give any more details about that. But the doctors at Methodist said that he got through the transplant very well and that he is recovering nicely and has an excellent prognosis.
COLLINS: So, apparently, there are these questions out there, though, about whether or not Jobs' wealth may have helped him get the transplant.
COHEN: Yes, I think those questions always come up...
COLLINS: Yes.
COHEN: ... when someone who's wealthy or prominent gets a -- gets an organ transplant because everyone knows there are these long waits. So let's take a look at what Methodist Hospital had to say.
They said, "Mr. Jobs received a liver transplant because he was the patient with the highest MELD score," and I'll explain that in a minute, "of his blood type and therefore the sickest patient on the waiting list at the time a donor organ became available."
Basically, when a donor organ becomes available, you have to give it to someone in the right blood type sort of family.
COLLINS: Right.
COHEN: And you basically give it to the sickest person. And the MELD score basically scores who needs it the most. So they say all the rules were followed and the folks at the United Network for Organ Sharing also saying that all the rules were followed.
COLLINS: OK. Very good, sure do appreciate that. Our senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen. Elizabeth, thanks so much.
COHEN: Thanks.
COLLINS: And we are going to be taking a quick check of the markets coming up in just a moment right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi Collins.
COLLINS: On Wall Street, it's Fed day. The central bank set to make a decision on interest rates.
For a look at what stocks are doing ahead of that announcement, let's go straight to Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. Just about ready for the opening bell.
Hi, Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi. And stocks set to open with solid gains.
COLLINS: OK. We'll take that.
LISOVICZ: Haven't said that in a while. That's right. And this is a big day. Well, we have an IPO, first of all. We don't see too many of them, or haven't. There's only about a handful this year. And we have a decision from the central bank.
Widely expected to hold rates near zero. And since the outlook for the economy remains uncertain, investors will be paying close attention to what the Federal Reserve says in its policy statement today.
Some Fed watchers say Chairman Ben Bernanke may soon want to spell out his exit strategy to unwind the potential for inflation from the stimulus package. Remember, the Fed's low interest rates are blamed for helping to create the credit bubble.
In the meantime, we have a new report showing durable goods orders rose nearly 2 percent last month. That's a whole lot better than expected. It's the third increase in the last four months. But big ticket items shows demand for manufactured goods is picking up.
Despite that, General Motors is planning to cut more jobs. This time 4,000 salaried workers by October. About 600 more than announced earlier.
Software giant Oracle, meanwhile, reporting lower sales and profits, results hurt by a stronger dollar. So many of these companies do a lot of business. Overseas, Oracle shares right now are up five percent. And the markets are doing pretty well in the first minute of trading.
Heidi, I'm wearing a power suit today. We don't often talk about that, because I'm going to a power lunch in a couple of hours.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Really?
LISOVICZ: Yes, I am.
COLLINS: And who will you be dining with at that power lunch?
LISOVICZ: Well, I won't be dining, but Warren Buffett will be dining on stake.
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: He's not going to let you eat?
LISOVICZ: No. No, because I didn't bid $2.1 million for the privilege. That was bid by a Chinese businessman who's allowed to bring seven guests. I'm not one of those guests. But I will have the opportunity to speak to the Oracle shortly before that lunch so submit your questions now.
COLLINS: Very cool.
LISOVICZ: And I'll get back to you, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. You're going to bring him some coffee or something, too?
LISOVICZ: Anything I need to get some wisdom from the Oracle.
COLLINS: All right. Well, you make sure you let us know how that goes.
LISOVICZ: Will do. COLLINS: Susan Lisovicz, thank you. Good luck.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
Thank you.
COLLINS: He is a powerful insider at the upper levels of Iran's government. So why so quiet on the election and the protests? We'll look at the role of former Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Tension in Tehran today with opposition protestors planning a rally, and Iran's government blaming other nations for post-election unrest.
CNN's Ivan Watson following all of today's developments from our Iran desk this morning.
So, Ivan, catch us up on what we know and what we're getting this morning.
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he is saying that the results of this election, they still stand. And he is repeating a declaration he's made before that he will not give in to any kind of pressure, Heidi.
Meanwhile, Iranian state TV continues to blame the turmoil on Western governments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Iran's intelligence ministry says it has arrested several foreign nationals in connection with the recent post- election riots. The Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie says some detainees have British passports. Ejeie adds some people with links to Western countries and Israel had planned a series of bombings across Iran in the lead-up to the June 12th presidential election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Now, as for the opposition leaders, the three opposition candidates, we haven't really seen any sign of them particularly of Mir Hossein Mousavi, according to official results, the second-place candidate.
However, one prominent Iranian cinematographer and activist speaking on his behalf this week to journalists in Paris. He claims that Mir Hossein Mousavi is under 24-hour surveillance by secret police. He has to watch what he has to say. Another opposition candidate Mehdi Karubi has issued public letters, but we haven't seen these men since last week.
COLLINS: Yes. WATSON: It makes it very difficult to organize any kind of an opposition movement when there is this kind of threat and intimidation under way.
Heidi?
COLLINS: Yes. No question about that. And I'm wondering about how the people feel by way of their comfort level and fear obviously, too.
Ivan Watson watching all of it for us from our Iran desk.
Thank you, Ivan.
She may be a symbol of today's opposition movement. But Neda is also just one of many Iranian women who have taken their places in the forefront of the struggle for freedom.
We'll take a closer look now at what one Iranian author calls "The canaries in the mine."
We'll get to that shortly.
Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader has come out strongly against the protests and a presidential revote, but there is another influential figure inside Iran's government we haven't heard from. He is Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
And here now to talk about his role is Mohsen Milani. He's a professor of politics at the University of South Florida.
Thanks for being with us this morning. I really do think this is a very interesting, sort of facet to all of this, because this individual Rafsanjani has actually had a very interesting political history. He was the president of the country for a while.
MOHSEN MILANI, POLITICS PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA: Greetings to you.
Yes, he was president of the Islamic Republic of Iran for eight years. And prior to that he was the powerful speaker of the Iranian parliament. And prior to that, he was one of the closest confidants of Ayatollah Khomeini. Therefore, he is one of the main pillars, one of the major products of Iran's Islamic revolution and one of the major players in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
COLLINS: Which is so interesting, because he has recently been a very strong critic of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which is a little bit surprising in the history of all. That would show he would have been kind of more closely aligned with that side of things than the Mousavi side of what is happening during this election process.
So how closely is he linked in to all of this, and why is he so important right now?
MILANI: Well, first of all, he lost the presidential election to Ahmadinejad in the second round of the election. And in this latest presidential election, he provided organizational support to Mr. Mousavi.
Mr. Mousavi himself does not have a social base of support, nor does he have any nationwide organization. Now Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani does have quite a bit of organizational support. And more importantly, he has a massive network of supporters that have penetrated all organs of command within the Islamic Republic of Iran.
COLLINS: Yes. In fact, this is -- he's described as one of Iran's wealthiest and most powerful men.
MILANI: One of the most powerful men, for sure he is. And he, as you know, has been quite silent after he wrote that famous letter of his to Ayatollah Khamenei three days before the election. And predicted that Iran is going to have it close.
COLLINS: But where is he now?
MILANI: I believe, if you look at the background and the temperament of Mr. Rafsanjani, you will see that this is a man who knows when to interfere, when to intervene.
I think he is waiting to see where the center of gravity is. I think he is trying to become a kingmaker, a bridge builder. If there is one man who can have reconciliation between the opposition and Ayatollah Khamenei, that man is Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, not only because of his temperament, but also because he occupies two very important and strategic institutions in the Islamic Republic. The Expediency Council, which was designed to resolve constitutional conflict, and more importantly, the council of experts for leadership which can in fact remove Ayatollah Khamenei and have a new replacement for him.
COLLINS: Yes. They really -- the assembly of experts is what you're talking about. They really have that power? They could really do that?
MILANI: Constitutionally, they do have that power, and then Ayatollah Khomeini died, it took the assembly of experts a few hours to decide who is going to replace him. And it is very important to remember that Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani played a critical role in convincing the assembly of experts to appoint Ayatollah Khamenei as Iran's supreme leader.
COLLINS: Supreme leader.
Right. Well, I guess here in the United States we just wonder, no matter who's going to come out in the end as the winner here, if in fact this does will continue, what will relations be like with the United States and Iran. Because we have to remember, Rafsanjani back in 1994. I mean, he's still under indictment for this -- for ordering the bombing of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires, and that was when he was president.
MILANI: Yes. Iran's strategic decision and Iran's foreign policy toward the United States has always been determined by Ayatollah Khamenei. And I think the result of this election, whether Mousavi wins or Ahmadinejad stays in power, which is the most likely scenario, it is the supreme leader who makes the supreme decision about the strategic direction of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
COLLINS: All right. Well, we're going to have to continue to watch and see how it all plays out. We sure do appreciate your perspective today.
Mohsen Milani, University of South Florida.
Thanks so much.
MILANI: Thank you very much for having me.
COLLINS: You bet.
Cell phones and Blackberries. A lot of protestors in Iran have them and are using them to let us know what's going on.
Our Josh Levs is getting ready to share a few of those with you coming up in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Despite all the restrictions imposed by Iran's government, we are still able to get you the story with the help of people there.
Our Josh Levs is busy scanning iReports and more messages on Twitter.
So what strikes you today, Josh?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I'll tell you, Heidi. We are getting some really important, significant and sometimes moving images on iReport.
Let's zoom in on the screen for a second. I want to show everyone how it's been working and encourage you to go there at iReport.com.
This is our main page at CNN covering the election. You can get to that. Now, when you're there, just go to iReport.com. You're going to see some iReports from around the country, from around the world and some, like this one, from inside Iran.
Let's go straight to a poll that we have for you. A couple of pictures I want to show you.
We're not going to be giving away details about the person's name. But we have two shots that we're told were taken yesterday. And we're told that it was a day in this particular area where there weren't all that many demonstrations but according to the person who was there and taking pictures, this person saw some beatings and apparently saw some shootings as well by Basij, which are the paramilitary forces that answer to the government.
Let's have a couple more there. Yes. You can see, you know, in some places that the security forces are out there in full force. We have one more that we're told was taken Saturday, which seems to show a man who was beaten. And according to the person who submitted this, that is what had happened. He had been beaten by Basij in a situation there. Obviously, we cannot confirm every detail, but we do go through these before showing them to you here.
Now, I also have the latest video that iReport can show you right now. This is a demonstration that was taking place two days ago in Shiraz, Iran.
Let's listen to the sound for just a moment.
(VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: And, Heidi, again, we're not going to be naming the person who submitted this. But we're told that in this area people were honking their horns and gathering and chanting and yelling some things, all as a protest over the death of Neda who we've been speaking about so many times.
And we are told this is a form of protest. And we have also seen traffic, on iReport and also some other social media networks, telling us that some people feel safer being inside their cars as a form of protest, sooner than being more vulnerable out on the street. So that's a couple of places where we're seeing that.
COLLINS: Yes.
LEVS: As you mentioned, I'm also following Twitter. Let me show you one quote that I think is a good example of the kind of things some people are saying. "What we're fighting for, we just want the world to go out and protest."
And, again, Heidi, we're not using names of twitterers because we're trying to help protect their security.
COLLINS: Yes. Sure.
You're also hearing from our viewers, though, sounding off on Iran.
What are they saying now?
LEVS: Yes. They're all over it. I mean, by far, the majority of the traffic that you're seeing on Twitter and social media networks. This people weighing in with their feelings on what's going on.
Let's go to two more tweets I'm going to show you here. Even though these aren't inside Iran, we're still not using names because some people get concerned when we use any names that we might mistakenly use some from Iran. So this one says, "The only way that Iranians like me living away from home can participate in this historic Iranian movement." That's a Twitterer referring to taking part in tweets and sending this out.
Another one, "Those who expect moments of change to be comfortable and free of conflict have not learned their history."
Let me show you a graphic where you can weight in. You got our CNN NEWSROOM blog. We also have conversation going on at my Facebook and Twitter pages. Each case, slash, joshlevscnn.
We certainly look forward to hearing from you.
And, Heidi, next hour -- in fact in a matter of minutes from now, I'm going to be showing you iReport photos from protests all over the country and all over the world. Some really stunning images there.
COLLINS: All right. Very good. We'll be watching.
Josh, thank you. We'll check back a little later on.
LEVS: You got it.
COLLINS: I want to head back over to Rob Marciano now standing by in the very, very boiling hot...
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Boiling hot.
COLLINS:...severe weather center.
MARCIANO: I know you're a blogger.
Are you a tweeter, too?
Do you do the whole tweet thing?
COLLINS: No.
MARCIANO: No, come on!
COLLINS: Don't tell them.
MARCIANO: All right.
COLLINS: I don't like to -- I mean, you know --
(CROSSTALK)
MARCIANO: Sixth floor is going to be down here. You got to be on tweeter.
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: I'm doing this, and then I'm going to go do that, and then I'm -- who cares what I'm doing. MARCIANO: No, you don't have to do that. You can get some valuable information. I'm giving out valuable information about humidity and dew point right now. And trust me, it's cool.
Actually, if I'm on it, you know, it's not cool anymore.
COLLINS: Exactly.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: Oh, that is painful.
All right. Everybody, careful out there, obviously.
Rob Marciano, thank you.
MARCIANO: OK.
COLLINS: She may be a symbol of today's opposition movement, but Neda is also just one of many Iranian women who have taken their places in the forefront of the struggle for freedom. Closer look at what one Iranian author calls the "Canaries in the mine."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Time now for some headlines from The Hill. This morning, lawmakers are taking a close look at your health care. Specifically, the sweeping changes being pushed by the White House.
Right now, the House Ways and Means Committee is hearing from health experts. You see those pictures there.
Also, just minutes ago, a similar hearing got under way elsewhere on The Hill. This afternoon, President Obama meets with a bipartisan group of governors. They're going to be sharing the feedback they receive at forums held earlier this year.
An awful lot going on this morning. They sure want to bring it to you. Our CNN crews are in place. Let's go ahead and get a sneak peak now, beginning with Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.
Interesting report here, Barbara. Good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Heidi. Classified new rules for soldiers in combat in Afghanistan. We'll have more at the top of the hour.
LISOVICZ: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange, where in just a few minutes, we're expecting a report to show new home sales jumped last month. It's one of the last major economic reports before the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates this afternoon.
Heidi, I'll have more in both in the next hour.
MARCIANO: I'm Rob Marciano on the CNN severe weather center. Severe weather across Florida yesterday and record breaking heat. It was 83 degrees. The dew point was 83 in Little Rock. That's nasty.
We'll tell you what that means and how it feels at the top of the hour.
Heidi?
COLLINS: OK, guys, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
Also, a number of plans in the works to pump up health care and a number of price tags attached, too. We'll look at some of those hidden costs in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: The death of a female protester named Neda has galvanized Iran's opposition. But as our Candy Crowley reports, Iranian woman have long played a prominent roles in progressive movement.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The death of JFK, the moon landing, Tiananmen Square -- sometimes a single picture tells the story of a span in history.
Now the grainy cell phone pictures of the death of Neda Soltan. Will her story burn itself into history? Certainly, it cannot be ignored in the present.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking. And I think that anybody who sees it knows that there's something fundamentally unjust about that.
CROWLEY: Author Azar Nafisi, herself a warrior for the rights of Iranian women, believes Neda will be part of history even as history is part of her.
AZAR NAFISI, AUTHOR, "READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN": We are not just looking to the West when we ask for freedom of choice. We are looking to our own mothers and grandmothers and great grandmothers. We are looking to our past. Neda is the voice of Iran's present, Iran's future and Iran's past.
CROWLEY: Emerging pictures of Neda in earlier days stand starkly against the brutality of her death, underscoring the risk, putting a face to a movement dominated by Iranian women, still demanding a voice, being heard, being seen.
OBAMA: We've seen courageous women stand up to the brutality and threats and we have experienced the searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets. While this loss is raw and extraordinarily painful we also know this, those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history.
CROWLEY: That so many women are a part of this history surprises much of the world. Those who know Iran say women have been at the forefront of the struggle for freedom for decades.
NAFISI: The Iranian women have been wearing their weapons of mass destruction, which is showing a little bit of hair, their lipstick, openly, but not through violent protest, openly defying the regime and disobeying the laws.
CROWLEY: They are on the streets again now, some protesting in prohibited clothing, looking for the right to have their say in everything from their government to their wardrobe.
In the early '80s, Nafisi protested a government mandate that women be veiled. She lost her job as a professor at the University of Tehran. Iran has been slow to change. Maybe it won't come now, but she knows it's coming, just as Neda wanted.
NAFISI: Iranian women are the canaries in the mine. You want to know what direction this country is going, look at its women.
CROWLEY: And the world is looking.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
