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Iraqi Parliament to Hold Emergency Session; Iran Promises Revenge on U.S. for Assassination of General Soleimani; Russian FM: Soleimani Killing a Violation of International Law; Iranians Mourn the Death of Qasem Soleimani; Devastating Australian Bushfires Turn the Sky Red; Iranian Americans React to Death of Qasem Soleimani. Aired 3- 4a ET
Aired January 05, 2020 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hello, everyone, I'm Michael Holmes.
Iran is observing a period of mourning as the body of Qasem Soleimani has been returned for burial. Now the scenes that you can see there are from the southwestern city of Ahvaz. That's where the plane carrying the military commander's remains first touched down.
Soleimani's funeral procession saw the streets filled with mourners for a man considered by many in Iran as a hero. Meanwhile, threats by Tehran echoing harsh revenge echoing all the way to the United States.
CNN has been told the Trump administration has privately warned members of Congress that Iran will retaliate against the U.S. within weeks. Trump issuing his own very public warning to Iran, tweeting the U.S. has identified 52 Iranian sites for attack if Iran strikes, quote, "any Americans or American assets."
Back in Baghdad, where the airstrike took place, the Iraqi parliament is going to have an emergency session in about two hours. The Iraqi capital is where we find Jomana Karadsheh, who joins us.
You have Iran and the U.S. swapping rhetoric via tweet. One thing that gets lost in this is that the killing of Soleimani happened on sovereign Iraqi soil without government permission.
What does that do to U.S.-Iraqi relations, especially as some lawmakers want to kick the U.S. out of the country?
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michael, you can't overstate how damaging that strike has been for U.S.-Iraqi relations, perhaps the most defining moment in the relationship between these two countries since the U.S.-led invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein back in 2003.
Even before the U.S. carried out that strike, there had been calls for Iraq to end the presence of U.S. forces. We heard this from Iranian proxies here on the ground tensions have been rising between them. Some confrontations with U.S. forces in recent weeks.
If you look at Kataib Hezbollah, the group whose leader was killed in the U.S. strike, that group was protesting their, supporters were protesting outside the U.S. embassy. The had an attack on the embassy here in Baghdad. The only way that standoff ended, was with the understanding and the promise that lawmakers here, the political leadership was going to be working on a way to end the presence of U.S. forces through legislation.
But they have made it clear they are ready to fight, they are ready to force, to try and force the U.S. troops out of their country. On the other hand, even those who are opposed to the presence and influence of Iran in this country, their interference in their country, they are also furious with the U.S.' actions.
They are unhappy about how that all unfolded. They see it as the United States using the country to settle a score with other countries. So many people will tell you that this was very disrespectful to Iraq, it was carried out with such disregard for Iraq's sovereignty, its stability, a lot of concerns about the future.
So you are hearing more and more calls over the past 48 hours for the Iraqi leadership here to reassess its relationship with the United States, to reassess its security agreement between both countries and the presence of U.S. forces.
That is expected to be the main issue that will be debated in parliament in the coming hours, as you mentioned, we'll see what comes out of that -- Michael.
HOLMES: A critical moment. Good to have you there, Jomana Karadsheh in Baghdad.
Right now, images out of Iran, you see them there, convey that sense of mourning in that country, but as we saw in Iraq yesterday there is also anger there, over the death of a revered national military commander.
That is spilling out into the streets. Funeral processions for Soleimani and others killed in the attack. CNN's Fred Pleitgen is in the Iranian capital.
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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Iran continues to be in a state of mourning.
[03:05:00]
PLEITGEN (voice-over): But at the same time it is vowing retaliation and revenge against the United States after the killing of Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force.
The president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, actually visited Soleimani's family on Saturday and was asked by Soleimani's daughter, who is going to take revenge for the killing of my father?
He said, everyone will take revenge. Don't worry.
Obviously some sort of retaliation will take place. It's interesting because the head of the Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said there would be strategic retaliation against the United States and that strategic retaliation would spell the end of America's presence in this region.
He said that the strategic retaliation would happen in a vast geography and over a period of time. Those are two very key points.
We know the Iranians control a lot of proxy forces in many neighboring countries in the greater Middle Eastern region. At the same time, the Iranians have also said they believe time is on their side.
In fact, senior Iranian military officials said on Saturday the Iranians don't need to be rushed into anything. They will do all this on their own terms and they will do it in their own time as well -- Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
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HOLMES: The United States gearing up for any potential retaliation by Tehran over the killing of Soleimani. They've got video that members of the 82nd Airborne out of North Carolina preparing to travel to the Middle East as tensions continue to rise.
Just in the last week more than 3,000 U.S. soldiers have been deployed to the region to add to the many thousands already there. CNN's Dianne Gallagher is in Washington to talk about what is expected to happen in the coming weeks.
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DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The debate right now between U.S. officials is not if but when and where Iran will retaliate for the killing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani.
The Trump administration has warned members of Congress that Iran is expected to retaliate within weeks. They're in tense discussions in U.S. intelligence and defense agencies about whether Iran is preparing retaliatory strikes in the next few days or if they're more likely to wait this out, play the long game if you will.
A U.S. official with direct knowledge of the situation has said there are conflicting views of timing but that military defenses are ready. Close to 3,500 service members have been deployed to the area just this week and are ready to respond if retaliation were to occur.
A source familiar with the latest intelligence tells CNN that it showed vehicle mounted rockets known as Grad trucks and other weaponry moving closer to the U.S. interests, particularly the al-Asad air base in Iraq. Other targets of concern, a U.S. air base in Qatar and U.S. interests in Kuwait. But it is important to point out that the source notes that these
threats have existed for several months. The intelligence did express a growing urgency. There's also indications Iran has ramped up its short- and medium-range ballistic missiles in Iran just since the death of Soleimani.
However, that does not mean that a strike is imminent; it's just something that they are watching carefully at this point. The Department of Homeland Security issued a national terrorism advisory system bulletin on Saturday, warning Americans about the potential for cyber attacks from Iran, with DHS officials holding a call, actually briefing city and local governments, telecoms, banks, other companies like that and several embassies around the Gulf region have put security alerts out.
The embassy in Baghdad has told Americans to get out right now for their own safety. Meanwhile, the debate in Washington right now over whether the U.S. strike that killed Soleimani should have even happened in the first place is starting to play out.
The president did not inform Democrats before the strike was ordered. A Defense official tells CNN that the U.S. military is comfortable calling the threat that Soleimani was planning imminent. It's something that's backed by the Joint Chiefs chairman General Mark Milley.
However, his definition of imminent could range from days to months and some Democrats are saying what little information they've been given has not justified the decision.
Not that it seems that there was any sort of threat any more imminent than what is already happening in the region. Late Saturday, the White House formally sent over a War Powers Act Notification, classified.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called it "highly unusual," said it raised more questions than answers and called for the full Congress to be fully briefed -- Diane Gallagher, CNN, Washington.
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HOLMES: All right let's bring in a frequent contributor when we need to make sense of times like this. Fawaz Gerges is a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics.
Always good to see you, sir.
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HOLMES: Also the author of "Making the Arab World," joining us now from Kuwait City.
The Trump administration has been talking about de-escalation after really escalating things. A few hours ago, you had the president tweeting threats again. I just want to read this to people. He says, "The United States just spent $2 trillion on military
equipment. We are the biggest and by far the best in the world! If Iran attacks any American base or any American, we will be sending some of that brand-new beautiful equipment their way and without hesitation."
Iran is almost obligated to retaliate, given the status of Soleimani. They cannot ignore it or risk looking weak.
What do you make of this U.S. strategy?
FAWAZ GERGES, DIR. MIDDLE EAST CENTER, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: I think it is reckless. I think it is dangerous. I think it is foolish. I think it does not take into account the long-term consequences.
It puts gasoline on a raging fire. It is a preemptive action. The Trump administration could have escalated gradually in a measured instead of going into a preemptive attack. I do not think the administration of Trump is ready and prepared for what is going to happen in the region in the next one or two or three or four or 10 years.
Americans, I'm sad to say, what are you hear in Washington is mainly all about tactics. This is not truly how you approach a nation like Iran. Regardless of what you think of General Soleimani, this is really the long term, the strategic patience.
What is going to happen not just in the next two days or the next few weeks, what is going to happen in the next five or 10 years, this is really what a strategic mind and view would take into account.
Here, Michael, my simple question is, why did President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama had opposed the killing of Soleimani?
Because they feared that killing the second most powerful man in Iran would have major consequences on American strategy in the Middle East and also would also really set up to get a bigger conflict in the region.
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HOLMES: I was just going to say, given all of that, are there still, in your view, opportunities for de-escalation?
What would a diplomatic off-ramp look like?
GERGES: I think, Michael, there has always been and there is always a way out, a path out. But what Donald Trump has done is to really have Iran's back to the wall.
By killing -- I mean, again, imagine if Iran had killed the national security adviser for the president or the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States. Just imagine.
What would the United States do? And President Trump, since the killing of Soleimani, has been taunting Iran, has been defying Iran and saying how dare you respond. So in a way, Iran will have no choice, sadly and tragically, except to respond.
My take on it is that, given what we know about Iran, given the mindset of the Iranian leaders, given the history of Iran, this particular retaliation will be -- of course, Iran will take its time -- but it will be a multifaceted retaliation, given the position and the prestige of Soleimani, not just in the Iranian leadership but throughout the region itself, that he was the architect of Iran's expansion in Iraq and Syria and Lebanon and elsewhere.
HOLMES: I wanted to touch on this and we were just talking about it with Jomana. It is an important point. It does get a bit lost.
Carrying this attack out on Iraqi soil puts a major strain on U.S.- Iraqi relations at a time when there are already those who want U.S. troops out of the country altogether.
What would that mean in terms of U.S. regional influence?
It would just solidify Iran's grip on Iraq, wouldn't it?
GERGES: You are absolutely correct. I wish I could see a way out of this particular deadly embrace. Now there is a cycle, a vicious cycle of escalation and de-escalation and further escalation that will lead to miscalculation and a regionwide war.
Iraqi leaders view the American attacks as an attack against Iraqi sovereignty. The U.S. is basically undermining the security of the state itself. My take on it is that the American military footprint in Iraq is untenable. American bases are extremely vulnerable not just now but in the next few months.
[03:15:00]
GERGES: Given now that you're at war between the pro-Iranian group militia and the United States.
And final point on this particular, it is not just about Iraq, it is about the fact that President Trump did not take into account that he could freely escalate in a measured way. The Iranians would have been fine with it because the Iranians play this game very well.
Now sadly and tragically, both powers, the United States and Iran, are really locked in a spiraling escalation. And I do not see a way for de-escalation at this particular point before Iran gets his revenge. And Iranian leaders have made it very clear they will exact revenge for the killing of Soleimani.
HOLMES: A sober analysis. Fawaz Gerges in Kuwait, thank you so much, Professor. We appreciate it.
GERGES: Thank you. HOLMES: For a number of U.S. allies, putting some distance between themselves and the strike that took out Soleimani, hw the killing is sparking global concerns and appeals for calm. That is next.
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HOLMES: Welcome back.
Huge crowds in Iran on hand to mourn the military commander Qasem Soleimani. The ceremony has been going on since his body returned to the country. That was a few hours ago now and you can see the size of the crowds that have turned out.
Soleimani was killed on Friday in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, in Iraq on Iraqi soil. The fallout from that operation resonating well beyond the region. Germany raising its threat level in response to vows of, quote, harsh revenge" from leaders in Tehran. It's joining France and China in a plea to Iran not to violate the nuclear deal reached back in 2015.
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HOLMES: The U.S. of course infamously pulled out of that agreement into 2018.
Nic Robertson joins me from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Matthew Chance is there in Moscow.
Nic Robertson, let's start with you. The diplomacy, the U.S. said they wanted de-escalation. It's not looking like that from the president's tweets.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: It isn't; he's talking about retaliatory strikes, there is no consensus internationally in the Gulf or in Europe or further abroad, with U.S. allies for that type of strike.
What U.S. allies are really perturbed about are two things. Number one is that over a period of time, the distancing of U.S. strategic policy towards Iran from their own and the immediacy of the attack on Soleimani, that they didn't have a heads-up about it.
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ROBERTSON (voice-over): Even before the burial of Qasem Soleimani, rancor between the U.S. and some allies is breaking out. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo dismissive of European allies.
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Frankly, the Europeans haven't been as helpful as I wish that they could be, the Brits, the French, the Germans all need to understand that what we did, what the Americans did, saved lives in Europe as well. ROBERTSON (voice-over): The reality is, killing Soleimani is deepening divisions that began during Trump's presidency, isolating the U.S. from valuable support. France describing the current tensions as that the U.S. is making.
AMELIE DE MONTCHALIN, FRENCH MINISTER OF STATE FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS (through translator): It's the next step in an escalation which has been going on for months. What is happening is what we feared: tensions between the United States and Iran are increasing.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Germany is saying the situation is pushed to crisis point.
ULRIKE DEMMER, GERMAN GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON (through translator): We stand before a dangerous escalation. Now it is crucial to contribute to a de-escalation in a cautious and considerate manner.
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Even the U.K.'s hawkish foreign minister calling for calm, saying, "We urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is in none of our interests."
His predecessor outrightly critical.
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JEREMY HUNT, BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER: It's an incredibly dangerous game of chicken that is going on at the moment because both sides have calculated that the other side cannot afford and doesn't want to go to war.
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ROBERTSON (voice-over): None of the rancor bodes well for handling Iran's inevitable reprisal. Gaps began growing a year and a half ago when Trump pulled out of the multinational Iran nuclear deal and doubled down on sanctions as Europeans stuck to the deal and created financial workarounds to keep business with Iran going.
Last summer, only the Brits bent to Trump's will, following Iranian aggression in the Strait of Hormuz and joined a handful of allies beefing maritime security. Soleimani's killing threatens to strain already awkward E.U., U.S. and fractious NATO-U.S. relations further.
NATO announced Saturday that it was suspending U.S. desired training for Iraqi forces. Allies as far away as Australia are unhappy that their regional staff are unreasonably exposed to danger.
SCOTT MORRISON, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: The United States took this action based off their own information and they took that action without discussing it with partners.
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ROBERTSON: You can absolutely expect Iran to exploit any and all of those divisions as it seeks to get that revenge on the United States -- Michael. HOLMES: Nic Robertson in Saudi Arabia, thanks so much. Let's go to Moscow now, where we find Matthew Chance.
Russia offering condolences to Iran.
What is Russia's stake in this and its potential for influence?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's interesting watching that report by Nic Robertson because it seems that the Europeans are on the same side as Russia when it comes to this targeted killing of Qasem Soleimani, one of Iran's most important and influential generals in the Middle East region.
The Russians, too, are condemning it, they say it's a move that is fraught with great consequences as far as security around the world. The Russian defense ministry has issued a statement as well, saying, this was a short-sighted act and has serious negative consequences for the entire international security system.
Russia is perhaps best friends on the international stage that Iran has, it provides diplomatic support for the Islamic republic venues, like the U.N. Security Council, where it has a veto. It often protects Iran from censure (ph) in that environment. It has an economic relationship and it provides military equipment to the country.
And of course, it fights side by side with Iran on the ground in Syria.
[03:25:00]
CHANCE: Where both countries, Russia and Iran, have been fighting to support their joint ally, Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, with some success. They also knew hear in Moscow Qasem Soleimani quite well. He'd been here a couple of times to speak about foreign policy, weapons procurement.
So inevitably, the Russians are very concerned and very critical about this American action.
HOLMES: Matthew Chance in Moscow, appreciate it, Matthew, thank you.
All right we'll take a short break. When we come back, Iran in mourning as the body of that military leader Qasem Soleimani returns to the country and behind the tears, outrage towards the U.S.
Also the skies look like a scene from a doomsday movie. Look at that, no filter there, thousands trying to flee Australia's deadly bush fires. See what it's like in one town as the fires approach. We will be right back.
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(MUSIC PLAYING) UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): This is CNN breaking news.
HOLMES: Welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. Our breaking news coverage continues.
And Iran in mourning as the body of general Qasem Soleimani is now back in the country. We have been seeing images of his supporters in grief since the news of his death broke.
[03:30:00]
HOLMES: It is likely to continue until Tuesday. That is when it is expected that he will be buried in his hometown. The anger directed towards the U.S. and the airstrike that killed him.
In Iraq, there is outrage, too, uniting both anti-Iran and pro-Iran groups. Both in agreement that the U.S. needs to leave the region. Some even vowing revenge. Arwa Damon has that from Baghdad.
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ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A quiet intensity takes over as the morning procession in Baghdad disperses.
DAMON: The mood is very somber. It almost feels like as if it is masking the anger that lies underneath. But when you talk to any number of these people moving through, once they say that they have been able to overcome their initial shock, the main feeling that they had was a desire for revenge but also anger, anger at the United States.
ABU HUSSEIN, IRAQI MOURNER: (Speaking foreign language).
DAMON (voice-over): "They will be more mutilated than what they did to Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis," Abu Hussein swears. "And the coming days will show that."
It is not just Iran that is vowing to retaliate; so, too, are its proxies in Iraq, proxies that have already proven their ability to kill during the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq.
ASIA ABBAS, IRAQI MOURNER: (Speaking foreign language).
DAMON (voice-over): "America just dug its grave in Iraq," Asia vows.
Her husband and two sons are all part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, mostly made up of former Shia militias, whose second-in- command was killed along with Qasem Soleimani.
"They will be a thorn in America's eye, just like it was at the start," she says.
This unprecedented American attack is potentially as transformative as the toppling of Saddam Hussein.
FAWZI AKRAM, FORMER IRAQI MP: (Speaking foreign language).
DAMON (voice-over): "The map of Iraq has changed," Fawzi Akram, a former member of parliament says
"The map of the new Iraq will be drawn in the blood of these martyrs."
It is hard to find anyone who supports the U.S. in a country that, for decades, has paid a high price for American foreign policy. In Baghdad's Tahrir Square, where anti government protesters have been demonstrating for months against their leaders and outside interference, there is little love for Iran.
But right now, there is even less for the United States and the American troops stationed here.
The crowd grows, arguing about who bears the bigger blame for Iraq's bloodshed, Iran or United States. But there is an agreement on one point: both need to get out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Speaking foreign language).
DAMON (voice-over): "Iran get out. America get out," this man passionately pleads.
"We are Iraqis. We want to be governed by an Iraqi. It is our beloved Iraq, please understand us."
But that is not part of the calculus for Iran or the U.S. This country is an arena to settle scores -- Arwa Damon, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Sam Kiley joins us now in Abu Dhabi.
Sam, good to see you. When we look at this killing, give us the sense of how much Iran has lost or benefited versus the U.S. when it comes to the death of Soleimani.
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That is in reverse order. Where the benefit lies in the immediate tactical sense is that all of the demonstrations that we're now seeing on the Iraqi and Iranian streets are anti American, pro Soleimani by extension, pro Tehran.
This is in stark contrast to what we have seen over the previous many weeks, particularly in Iraq but also in Iran, in which there were predominantly Shia protesters, protesting against the Shia domination of the Iraqi government and the domination of that Iraqi government by the Iranians.
So in a tactical sense, this has completely switched the whole dynamic of the politics on the ground back into the hands of Tehran. In the longer term, particularly following the tweets coming out from Donald Trump today, threatening to hit 52 targets in Iran if there were revenge attacks, it is going to be difficult to see what strategic advantage the Iranians might be able to get from the death of Soleimani.
It is certainly increasing tensions. It certainly means they could face retaliation, if they take revenge. But it is very difficult to assess strategically at the moment, Michael.
HOLMES: When you talk of tactical satisfaction versus strategic failure, it is a fascinating thing. Explain that further.
[03:35:00]
KILEY: Well, essentially, the idea is that if right now the killing of Soleimani has driven a wedge to some degree between the United States and its allies in the West, even in the Gulf. I am in the Emirates, people are extremely anxious about what the consequences could be.
That does not suit the United States although they get tactical satisfaction out of killing a well-known leader of a terrorist organization that has killed a lot of Americans and American allies around the world for many decades.
He was no doubt continuing to plan to do so, since that was his everyday activity. There is a tactical advantage to getting rid of him as well as a tactical satisfaction.
In the longer term, how this plays out to the best interests of either the United States or the Iranians is much harder to see because it could result in a strengthening of regional ideas even in the Gulf and Saudi Arabia, long term allies that the U.S., having gone from being unreliable to unpredictable. They need to kind of shoulder away American influence and make their own local deals, Michael.
HOLMES: Great analysis, important stuff. Nervousness where you are and around the world at the moment. Good to see you see, Sam Kiley in Abu Dhabi.
Developing now, we want to bring you this. Kenya's military says an attack on an airstrip near a U.S. Naval base it shares with Kenya has been repulsed. We are getting details of this dribbling in at the moment. Al Qaeda affiliate Al-Shabaab earlier claimed it attacked a U.S. Naval base that is shared with Kenya.
Now Kenya's military says the bodies of four terrorists have been found on that site. Authorities say the airstrip is safe. The attempted breach, we are told, was that the Manda airstrip in Lamu County, which hosts military personnel from various country. It is also a popular tourist destination, by the way. The terror group claims U.S. equipment has been destroyed at Camp Simba, near the border near Somalia but it provided no evidence.
Still gathering details on this. We will bring them to you as they come in. All right, we are going to take a break. When we come back Australia is facing an unprecedented crisis. We will have more on the massive evacuations taking place as bush fires barrel toward several towns. It is a massive situation for Australia. We will be right back. (MUSIC PLAYING)
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MEAGHAN WEGG, EVACUEE: (INAUDIBLE) shelter. It's 2:00 in the afternoon and this is what we're in (INAUDIBLE) inside and waiting for the next air evac.
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HOLMES: Terrifying, isn't it?
That was a woman stranded in Southern Australia as ferocious bush fires continue to eat their way through the landscape. Skies have turned a haunting orange, streets are deserted as thousands of people flee.
Just look at those images there. At least 24 people have been killed, others are missing, by the way. Authorities in New South Wales saying about 2,300 firefighters are battling nearly 150 fires. Not only are they trying to save lives, that firefighter there can be seen hand feeding a kangaroo some bottled water in a scorched field.
This is interesting, NASA has released images to show just how much the fires have affected the region. This photo taken in July, luscious in green. Let's take a look at this photograph taken on Wednesday, the same area completely covered in smoke.
CNN's Anna Coren is near the fire lines in the town of Eden in New South Wales.
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ANNA COREN, CNN ANCHOR: Michael, Eden on the south coast of New South Wales, it has been under threat from the fire and the sky is extremely eerie. We've had this orange and red glow throughout the day.
Many residents have come here to the harbor; this is where they feel it's safer to be. Police have come and told residents they needed to leave, they were not in a position to protect them if winds are picking up and have pushed the fires several kilometers in that direction towards the township.
But many residents are staying put, they're here at the wharf, at the harbor, they're even seeking refuge on the boats. Out there on tugboats, fishing trawlers, they feel that's the safest place to be.
Joining me now is Greta Strianovic (ph). Her family has a business here in Eden.
How are you feeling?
GRETA STRIANOVIC (PH), EVACUEE: It's up and down. So I'm feeling a lot more optimistic than I was a few hours ago. It's been very harrowing the past 24 to 48 hours. It's been horrible.
COREN: More optimistic because of the rain and the wind has died down?
STRIANOVIC (PH): Just the change in the color of the sky, kind of gives you a bit of change in psyche. It's not right when the sky is that red all day and it just doesn't change, you can't sense time and there's a lot of uncertainty in the air.
COREN: But the threat is still there as we know.
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STRIANOVIC (PH): Absolutely.
COREN: The winds have picked up in the fire and it is not very far from the town of Eden.
STRIANOVIC (PH): It's very close. It's about a few minutes' drive out of town, which is too close for anyone's (INAUDIBLE). And so we're stuck where we are. So it's -- yes.
COREN: How is the community holding up?
STRIANOVIC (PH): We're all just trying to get through this, we're trying to stay calm, trying to stick to our plan and what happens when we find out that embers are blowing, we have a little bit of a process that we will follow, but we're just trying to keep each other calm and happy right now.
COREN: Greta, I know this is a very tight-knit community and you're doing a marvelous job, helping everybody, keeping your cafe open, thank you.
Michael, it is a very tight-knit community; locals are angry, they feel the government hasn't done enough to help them.
But according to the military, the HMS Adelaide is out there somewhere, it's Australia's largest naval vessel. It will be bringing troops and helping in evacuations in the coming days. Michael, back to you.
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HOLMES: Anna Coren, our thanks to you.
I cannot get over the color of the sky.
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HOLMES: All right, this is important, too. If you want to help, my own daughter texted me today and said, how can I help?
You can go to cnn.com/impact. A lot of good organizations there have been vetted if you want to give a hand to some of those people down there fighting the fires.
We'll be right back.
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HOLMES: Protesters in Iran expressing grief and anger at the U.S. airstrike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the military commander being remembered there as a hero, as someone who helped spread Iranian influence through the region and faced enemies like ISIS head on. But as Nick Watt reports, it can be a very different story when you speak to Iranian Americans.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, citizenship: fill out this form.
NICK WATT, CNN REPORTER (voice over): At a citizenship seminar for Iranian immigrants here in LA, no one would talk to us on camera. No one wanted their face shown.
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PEYMAN MALAZ, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PARS EQUALITY CENTER: A lot of Iranians still have families over there. Their relatives live over there. The chances of their security to be in danger is high.
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WATT (voice over): Many emigres we spoke to say they watched on TV the brutal repression of anti-government protests that swept Iran back in November. Human rights organizations say at least 400 protesters were killed.
Here in LA, Qasem Soleimani is not mourned.
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WATT: What's your first reaction?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy.
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WATT (voice over): We're in Westwood, AKA Tehrangeles, there is some jubilation among the older generations who fled here after Iran's Islamic revolution of 1979.
[03:55:00] WATT (voice-over): Again, they declined to speak on camera even in death, even thousands of miles away, Soleimani's shadow still haunts.
Eeman, born and raised here preferred we not use his last name.
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EEMAN, LOS ANGELES RESIDENT: There is definitely a huge shock just because of the magnitude of who Qasem Soleimani is.
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WATT (voice over): For those who long for regime change back home, there is now more hope.
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TODD KHODADAI, LOS ANGELES RESIDENT: I'm sure this is the first step for freedom probably. We are just looking for hope.
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WATT (voice over): But despite the U.S. president's words --
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TRUMP: We did not take action to start a war.
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WATT (voice over): Now, a real fear of war.
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MALAZ: So many Iranians have a -- have memory from war and the memory from the war is still alive.
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WATT (voice over): In the 1980s, Iran and Iraq fought a brutal protracted conflict that killed more than half a million.
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EEMAN: I think a lot of us know what Iran is capable of and we don't want Iran to have a chance to show the world what that is.
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WATT (voice over): Nick Watt, CNN, Los Angeles.
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HOLMES: Thank you for spending part of your day with me. I am Michael Holmes. Stick around, though; there will be more of our breaking news coverage coming up after this short break.
