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Israel-Iran Conflict Enter Day Six with New Rounds of Attacks; Panthers Win Back-To-Back Stanley Cup Championships; Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki Erupts. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired June 18, 2025 - 03:00   ET

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

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNKNOWN (voice-over): This is CNN Breaking News

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Well, hello and welcome to our viewers joining us in the United States and around the world. I'm Becky Anderson, live from our Middle East Programming Headquarters in Abu Dhabi. It is 11:00 a.m. here, it is 10.30 in Tehran, it is 10 a.m. in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, the 18th of June.

Well, questions mounting over whether the U.S. will now get militarily involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran. On day six, from Tehran to Tel Aviv, sirens and explosions have been ringing out during waves of new attacks.

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Warning sirens have been wailing in Israel for incoming missiles from Iran. Most are intercepted by the Iron Dome, but some are getting through.

There's been damage to residential buildings and several fires have broken out. No casualties, though, have been reported recently. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says Iran has launched more than 400 missiles towards Israel since Israel's first strikes last Friday.

(VIDEO PLAYING)

And in Tehran, new explosions and missile interceptions overnight as Israel warns an entire district of the capital to evacuate. Many Iranians have been fleeing north.

While senior Israeli officials wait to find out whether the U.S. will help them attack Iran, the Israeli military says it sent a fleet of 50 fighter jets for carry-out attacks on Iranian missile and centrifuge production sites.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. EFFIE DEFRIN, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SPOKESPERSON: We've struck deep, hitting Iran's nuclear, ballistic and command capabilities. The Iranian regime has spent years getting closer to a nuclear weapon, they have spent billions building a ballistic missile program. Our mission is clear, to remove the threat at its source.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader posted a blunt warning on X, quote, "the battle begins."

U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding Iran's unconditional surrender in a post on social media. He also had a warning for the country's Supreme Leader, calling him an easy target, but saying that the U.S. won't take him out, at least for now.

CNN senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes with more.

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KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SR. WHITE HOU.S.E CORRESPONDENT: The White House confirming President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone on Tuesday. However, they would not give any indication of what the two leaders spoke about or when that call was.

The timing of that call is particularly important, particularly given the fact that Donald Trump sat down with his National Security Council, with his heads of cabinets, as well as top advisers for an hour in the Situation Room.

And what we were trying to glean from the White House, from sources familiar, was when the call with Netanyahu took place. Was it before or after? But they are not offering any information here to you to talk to these White House officials who say everything is just too sensitive.

Now, one of the things that we have been reporting is Donald Trump's shift away from this diplomatic avenue that he originally wanted to take. Donald Trump had been incredibly wary of getting the United States more involved in what was going on between Israel and Iran. But the President in recent days has started to shift towards this understanding, towards this posture, that the United States might need to be involved.

Now, one of the things that I've been told by administration officials that they are watching for is if Iran strikes any U.S. assets, any military bases, anything that has any place that houses American citizens, that would lead to an almost immediate retaliation. But what we're not quite sure of is, is the United States or has President Trump come to a place where he will agree to have the United States strike first, to be actually more participatory in this fight between Israel and Iran?

As we've said, there are so many factions within the Republican Party and within Donald Trump's closest advisers, some urging him, America first policy, do not get involved, others saying Israel can handle it themselves, and others still saying that it is the United States' duty to get involved and to protect Israel. One of the things I am told is a big consideration for the president

and for the White House is how long this would actually take to be done. Is this, if the United States did enter into this conflict, is this something that would be incredibly drawn out or could be concluded in a matter of days?

[03:05:01]

Donald Trump, President, he is insistent that anything that happens, whether he's involved or not involved, is a short runway. They do not want to be tangled up into something in the Middle East for years to come. One of the things, of course, he promised on the campaign trail was there would be no wars when he became president.

Kristen Holmes, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well I want to bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks, who is tracking these overnight developments. It's day six in this conflict. Let's just remind our viewers what has unfolded in the past few hours.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we have been seeing missiles and strikes on both sides in Iran and also in Israel. To start from what we've heard from the Israeli military, they say that they have been focusing on, at this point, 20 targets overnight, specifically centrifuge production centers. This is very key to the nuclear program that Iran has.

And this is something that Israeli fighter jets were focusing on specifically overnight. But, of course, also they've told us it is about the missile capability of Iran to retaliate for these strikes they're carrying out. They have been targeting the aerial defense missile capabilities, where they're producing these missiles, where they're launching them from.

And they believe that they have had significant success with this. This is what the military is telling us.

On the face of it, they could be right. I mean, Monday morning we saw hundreds of missiles fired from Iran into Israeli territory. We are not seeing anything like those numbers now.

We have heard also, though, just how many missiles have been fired.

This, again, is from the Israeli military side. This isn't from Iran. But they believe there have been more than 400 missiles fired from Iran to Israel since Friday.

So it's a significant number. Also, on top of that, you've got hundreds of drones, most of them have been intercepted. But as we know, some of them are still getting through.

Some of them are managing to overwhelm the aerial defense systems of Israel. But at this point, we are hearing from certainly the Israeli side that they believe they have aerial superiority. They believe that they are managing to dismantle some of the missile launching capabilities of Iran and certainly they believe that they are being successful in this.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you, Paula. Thank you.

Well U.S. intelligence officials believe that Israel's attacks have set back Iran's nuclear program then, but only by a matter of months. And the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities have been severely impacted but not completely wiped out.

Rafael Grossi did tell CNN, though, that one key site in particular has suffered significant damage.

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RAFAEL GROSSI, DIRECTOR GENERAL, INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY: The facility I would say that the one that has sustained the worst, I would say, damage is one which is called Natanz. The above ground facility was wiped out, was completely destroyed. And on top of that, the entire electrical power installation on which the whole compound operates was also taken out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, still to come, a perspective from a military analyst then, as Israel says it has struck key Iranian nuclear and military targets. The details on that are just ahead.

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ANDERSON: Well, more now on our breaking news this hour. Israel's military says it launched attacks on Iranian centrifuge missile production sites overnight. According to the Israel Defense Forces, more than 50 Air Force fighter jets carried out the operation.

This IDF video appears to show Israeli strikes on Iranian rocket launchers. Israel says its strike on the centrifuge production facility is intended to cripple what it calls the country's nuclear weapons development program.

Well warning sirens have been wailing in Israel for incoming missiles from Iran. Most are intercepted by the Iron Dome, authorities say, but some are getting through. Just how long Iran can continue launching strikes depends, of course, on the size of its arsenal, which in many ways remains a mystery.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, our international security editor, tells us what analysts believe Iran may have.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR (voice-over): The loudest clock ticking is how long this intensity of conflict can go on.

Iran, under greatest pressure, may reach a breaking point first.

They're estimated to have had a stockpile of up to 3000 missiles, between two and 1000 of them able to reach Israel.

BEHNAM BEN TALEBLU, SR. FELLOW, FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: The best asset that we have is (inaudible) calculation of anywhere between one to 2000 medium-range ballistic missiles.

PATON WALSH (voice-over): But those stockpiles were challenged before this phase of the conflict. Iran fired about 120 at Israel on the 13th of April 2024, and then another 200 on the 1st of October that year, and in the last five days have fired an estimated 380. 700 used in a year, and at very best 1300 left, others less optimistic.

EYAL PINKO, BEGIN SADAT CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES: Taking into consideration that they fired 400, 500 in the last four days and Israel destroyed some of the arsenal what they have.

[03:15:08]

I believe they stayed now with 800, 700 and more.

PATON WALSH (voice-over): But Israel has claimed success in hitting the missile's launchers, releasing this graphic of targets, including at least a third, they say, of Iran's surface-to-surface launchers.

PINKO: Israel is trying now not only to hit or to defend the missiles in the air, to intercept them, but also to destroy the vehicles before launching, because this is the weakest part of the chain.

PATON WALSH (voice-over): Israel has claimed Iran could make 300 ballistic missiles a month, like this Fattah-1 apparently used in the recent attacks. But on October 26th, three waves of retaliatory strikes by Israel hit Iran's air defense and missile production, in which the U.K. defense chief said only 100 bombs took down nearly the entirety of Iran's air defense system. It has destroyed Iran's ability to produce ballistic missiles for a year, he said.

BEN TALEBLU: I don't even think they want to go below four digits, but it's certainly a bind that the regime finds themselves in. You know, for the Islamic Republic, quantity has a quality of its own, and having to expend these ballistic missiles during a time of war rather than a time of crisis precisely puts it in this bind.

PATON WALSH (voice-over): The mystery number of how many missiles Iran has left dictating its actions and the outcome of this defining conflict.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE) ANDERSON: Well, I'm joined now by retired Major General Mick Ryan, who served in the Australian Army. He is now a senior fellow for military studies at the Lowy Institute, the author of "The War for Ukraine: Strategy and Adaptation Under Fire."

Mick, good to have you. Let's talk capacity of both sides here.

Iran just unleashed the Fattah-1, which Tehran certainly describes as a hypersonic missile. Is that an accurate description to your mind? And how long do you believe at this point Tehran can keep that arsenal up at this pace?

MAJ. GEN. MICK RYAN (RET.), SR. FELLOW FOR MILITARY STUDIES, LOWY INSTITUTE: Well, good to be with you. It certainly is a very high speed and maneuverable missile, which makes targeting it more difficult. But all these ballistic missiles in their final phase, basically a hypersonic missiles anyway, which complicates targeting.

The real race now will be to see who can preserve their missiles better than the other side. For the Israelis, it's about preserving interceptor missiles. For the Iranians, it's about preserving their ballistic missile arsenal for as long as possible.

ANDERSON: A similar question for Israel. This is the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. on what they are getting, for example, from the U.S. right now.

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YECHIEL LEITER, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: We've asked the United States for a defensive posture. And we are full of gratitude and thanks for the defensive systems that the United States has put in play, the THAAD missile defense systems, the Aegis missile defense systems. And I can say with authority that they have saved hundreds, perhaps thousands of lives over the past four days since Iran has been firing these ballistic missiles into our population centers.

So that's our ask. And that's what the United States has been providing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The U.S. holds back from jumping into the fight that Israel is taking to Iran. How long do you believe Israel's stockpile of offensive weapons can last?

RYAN: Well, it probably has a stockpile to last at least a couple of weeks. It's been planning this for many years. So it will have been stockpiling weapons just for this contingency.

So it has sufficient weapons to strike and restrike targets. I think when it comes to defensive weapons, the Israelis are certainly on much surer ground. The U.S. has shown before and is showing now that the U.S. Navy, Army and Air Force are willing to kick in and help defend Israel. ANDERSON: An Israeli official telling CNN they are optimistic about the possibility of U.S. involvement. And that, of course, would most likely be help in targeting the most fortified nuclear facilities.

Let's talk about Fordow and the bunker busting capabilities that we are told the U.S. has. Everyone's saying that the U.S. is the only one with capability, even though if they decided to join in the fight. How could they be sure that the bomb actually took out a facility that deeply fortified?

RYAN: Yes, I mean, there's some question over the United States actually being willing to do that. It doesn't have a huge stock of these weapons.

[03:20:01]

But these massive ordnance penetrators were designed about 15 years ago as a non-nuclear way of targeting what are called hardened and deeply buried targets, some 200 meters or deeper underneath the earth.

They would be measuring the impact of that through a sophisticated network of acoustic sensors. You know, the kind of things we measure earthquakes with can be used to measure the success of these kind of missions as well. But it's not certain yet the United States will be willing to expend these weapons on these targets.

ANDERSON: On the nuclear infrastructure, how worried should we be regionally and globally about the possibility of radiation? The IAEA has been asked about that multiple times. What's your perspective, Mick?

RYAN: Well, there may be some contained radiation and there's some indications that there are increased levels of radiation at a couple of sites, but it appears to be contained. It's when it's no longer contained and radioactive particles get into the atmosphere that we should be concerned.

There's no indication of that occurring yet, but I think we can be almost certain that many countries are undertaking monitoring to pick that up as soon as possible if it does happen.

ANDERSON: Finally, you will have seen reports of the U.S. military moving assets into the region. What do you make of what you are seeing at this point?

RYAN: Well, I think there's several reasons. First and foremost, this is the U.S. trying to deter Iran from expanding the conflict from how it's being conducted at the moment just against Israel. It doesn't want to see targeting against other countries in the region.

But it also gives the President of the United States an array of different options if he does want to help Israel. It could well be for intelligence collection, post-damage assessment, or the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities. We'll see how that goes.

ANDERSON: Good to have you, Mick. I appreciate it, thank you very much indeed.

You're watching CNN. Just ahead, we are getting new information about what Israel targeted in its latest overnight strikes on Iran. You're watching breaking news coverage right here on CNN, back after this.

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[03:25:00]

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ANDERSON: Let's get you up to date on our breaking news. Israel says more than 50 aircraft have carried out strikes on military sites in and around Tehran. The IDF reports striking a centrifuge production facility overnight, as well as missile manufacturing sites.

Meanwhile, a semi-official Iranian news agency reports Iran has fired hypersonic Fattah missiles, as they are known, towards Israel. CNN hasn't been able to verify that claim. Sources tell CNN President Donald Trump is considering U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear targets.

But as this conflict has quickly intensified, and we are on day six since those initial Israeli strikes on Iran Friday, much of the focus is now on the fate of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He has warned that Iran will show no mercy in this battle. He has said the battle begins.

But whether he can follow through on that promise, and whether the Iranian people will stand with him, of course, remain open questions, as CNN's Melissa Bell now reports.

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MELISSA BELL, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For over 35 years, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei, has ruled with an iron grip, delivering a blunt message to the West.

AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER (through translator): We in no way are willing to start an all-out war with the United States. But if it so happens, we will inevitably put up a very strong defense.

BELL (voice-over): Five days into an all-out conflict with Israel, the question now is how firm Ayatollah Khamenei's grip remains. Regional proxies like Hezbollah and Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime are on the sidelines, leaving Iran to fight back alone.

UNKNOWN: It's led by an 85-year-old Supreme Leader who doesn't really have the physical or cognitive acumen to be fighting this very high- tech war. So, you know, this is, as other guests have said, probably the most vulnerable the Iranian regime has been in many years.

BELL (voice-over): It was the 1989 death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khamenei, the father of Iran's Islamic revolution, that brought Khamenei to power. Since then, he's brutally suppressed internal dissent. First in 2009, when the Greek movement protested what it claimed were

rigged election results.

KHAMENEI (through translator): If they don't stop this, then the consequences and the writing, everything, they will be held accountable for all this.

BELL (voice-over): Then again in 2022, the death in police custody of a young Kurdish Iranian woman, Massa Amini, sparked months of nationwide protests, met once again with violent repression.

[03:30:09]

Israeli attacks have now eliminated several key regime figures, targeting not only nuclear facilities, but also Iran's state broadcaster. Israel's Prime Minister has even addressed what he believes would happen if Khamenei himself were targeted.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: It's not going to escalate the conflict, it's going to end the conflict.

BELL (voice-over): For now, an American opposition appears to be holding back Israel's plan to strike Khamenei directly. But the Supreme Leader has vowed to fight on.

KHAMENEI (through translator): We must give a strong response. God willing, we will respond with strength and we will show them no mercy.

BELL (voice-over): The question now, whether Iranians themselves will stand with the leader they've so often opposed.

Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, joining me now from Tehran is Hamed Mousavi, who is associate professor of international relations at the University of Tehran. So thank you for joining us.

Clearly in Iran, the regime has its supporters and those who vehemently oppose it, with strikes on targets very specifically in Tehran overnight and in the last six days. What is the mood in the city of nearly 10 million people?

HAMED MOUSAVI, ASSOCIATE PROF. OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, UNIVERSITY OF TEHRAN: Let's just start there with a personal perspective, if you will. Well, in Tehran, I mean, especially at night, there's a lot of noise.

You can hear explosions. It's very difficult to tell exactly what's going on, though. So even myself, I'm checking the news because even though I'm hearing the noises, I can't really understand what is going on.

But it is scary, especially for kids. My eldest daughter, who's 10, there's a lot of trauma there and I'm trying to explain to her that this is all going to end soon. So it is a very difficult situation.

ANDERSON: The question is, we know where it started. We have no idea at this point how it will end. Let's just get your perspective, please, if you will.

MOUSAVI: I think from the Iranian perspective, there is a real desire for things to calm down and maybe even reach a ceasefire, although it might be difficult with Israel. However, the big question now is whether the Americans will enter the war. If Donald Trump decides to enter the war, then I think it will be a very serious escalation of the conflict, and it will be very complicated for all sides to reach a ceasefire.

Up to now, Iran has been very careful not to target American assets and American bases in the region. However, that might all change if Donald Trump decides to bomb the Fordow nuclear power plant.

ANDERSON: And Donald Trump has called overnight Tehran time in a Truth Social post for complete surrender. And CNN sources are suggesting that he is warming to the idea of involvement and is less interested in a diplomatic off-ramp here, one that he has been pursuing at least in principle over the past 60 days. We do not know at this point, and we must be very clear about this, what his decision will be.

We do understand some of what the Iranian regime's position is. The Supreme Leader posting, in the name of the noble Haida, the battle begins. Just explain what he means by that and how committed he has to be to this fight.

MOUSAVI: Regarding the first part of your question, I think Donald Trump did start the diplomatic path with Iran. However, I think he was very impatient --

(TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES)

ANDERSON: Hamed Mousavi with me here from Tehran. Apologies, we seem to have lost that shot for the time being. An important perspective, we'll try and get him back.

Meantime, let's get you to Tel Aviv. Alon Pinkas is the former Israeli Consul General in New York, living through what is going on right now in Israel and around this region.

There is a very basic question facing Donald Trump right now. When he was in the Situation Room Tuesday, the question, one must assume, was what was the advice that he was being given about what the U.S.' next move might be?

[03:35:06]

And is that closer to all-out war or is there still a chance for diplomacy? Which of those moves is more likely to your mind, Alon, at this moment?

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL IN NEW YORK: Good morning, Becky. I think he hasn't made up his mind himself. I think he's oscillating

between the two options. Obviously, U.S. involvement, if it only focuses on those bunker buster bombs in the enrichment facility in Bordeaux, just south of Tehran, that's one thing.

By the way, that's not without consequences. There could be radioactive fallout. Who knows?

But if the U.S. involvement is limited to that, supposedly I can see how he's warming up to the idea, as you said that.

But on the other hand, the Iranians are going to try and retaliate. Now, they have limited ways of doing so, but they can block the Straits of Hormuz and they can cause or precipitate a steep rise in the price of oil, and that could escalate.

And there's, you know, there's always the possibility that they would expand this and attack Arab Gulf states, although I think that's unlikely and counterintuitive and counterproductive to their own interests.

On the other hand, Mr. Trump can make an offer to the Iranians, a so- called off ramp, as everyone likes to roll over their tongues these days, and lure them back into negotiations. That would probably end the war.

Now, if Trump decides against American active involvement in the war, then for all intents and purposes the Israeli military campaign exhausted its usefulness. You know, one more day, two more days, three more days, but that's about it. So the big question now is whether or not he will intervene militarily.

And one more thing, Becky. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, and honestly I'm not sure he understands the full significance of what he's saying, Trump, that is, he's talking about unconditional surrender. Unconditional surrender is something that you saw in 1945 Germany and 1945 Japan, someone needs to govern and manage that unconditional surrender.

Who's going to do that? And so, you know, there are a lot of ideas, half-baked ideas flying all over the place. Right now it's all about yes, no military involvement from the U.S.

ANDERSON: Alon, CNN's Oren Liebermann, bureau chief in Jerusalem, reported that Mossad is operating in Iran like it's their, quote, "backyard." Is that going to become more difficult as Iran becomes more suspicious of potential operatives? I just wonder how you think Iran is countering the intelligence gathering operation at the moment.

PINKAS: Yes, I mean, twice, Becky. First time in October 2024 when there was an exchange, a salvo, you know, a kinetic ping-pong, as they call it, between Israel and Iran. And more forcefully and more emphatically now, Iran has been exposed and its vulnerabilities glaringly clear in terms of intelligence infiltration.

Obviously, assuming there's no regime change, quote-unquote, "in the making in the next few weeks or months," they will be extraordinarily suspicious. And, you know, I could see them panic and, you know, try and somehow stem that tide.

But the more important thing, I'm not saying that the intelligence is not important, it's critical, but the more important thing is that Israel secured in the last six days free aerial, free and almost unlimited aerial superiority, which means that even if the war stops now and assuming that Iran cannot replenish its air defenses within weeks, Israel has the freedom to operate even without that intelligence that you're talking about.

But there's no question that the regime's vulnerability and amenability to infiltration has been exposed and weakens them considerably.

ANDERSON: Alon, it's always good to have you. Your perspective is extremely important as we continue to cover this conflict now in day six, certainly of this iteration, which is the most significant. Back now to Tehran, thank you.

[03:40:00]

Hamed Mousavi is associate professor of international relations at the University of Tehran.

And so we lost you earlier on. I'm glad we've got you back. I spoke to a regional analyst yesterday who pointed out that Iran's leadership is more willing to face Israeli bombs than to surrender to American terms.

And Alon and I have just been discussing the use of the term complete surrender, which is what the U.S. President used on his social posting last night in terms of what he expects Iran to do next from his point of view.

Do you agree with that? Why would it be difficult for Iran's leader to return to the negotiation table in this moment in terms of their own domestic pressures? I mean, for instance, we've seen protests in the first days of this conflict calling for a robust response to Israel.

MOUSAVI: First of all, I'd like to apologize. The Internet connection right now in Iran is very unstable.

I think -- your question, I think, Donald Trump initiated negotiations with Iran, as you mentioned, for 60 days. However, he was very impatient. The original nuclear deal in 2015 with the Obama administration took two years to negotiate.

I think if the negotiation path continues, then there is a real chance for an agreement. Nevertheless, I think if the Trump administration goes for a policy of unconditional surrender, that's going to make it very difficult for Iran to agree on those terms.

That's similar to what was demanded of Japan in World War II. And I think the Iranian leadership is very proud, I don't think they see the war, at least in this stage, unfavorably. I think they think that they can manage it vis-a-vis Israel.

If the U.S., of course, enters, that's going to make it much more complicated. Nevertheless, I think if Trump really wants a ceasefire and goes towards negotiation only on the nuclear issue, then there is a real chance for success and for a ceasefire.

ANDERSON: Were that not to happen, and it is clear that both in terms of Israel and the U.S., the supreme leader and the regime is a target at this point, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah of Iran, from outside of the country, of course, has spoken about using him to transition to what he describes as credible democracy.

He says, and I quote, "Do not fear the day after the fall of the Islamic regime -- or the Islamic Republic. Iran will not descend into civil war or instability. We have a plan for Iran's future and it's flourishing.

We are prepared for the first hundred days after the fall for the transitional period and for the establishment of a national and democratic government by the Iranian people and for the Iranian people."

Two questions to you. Firstly, what do you make of his, quote, "plan for transition"? How would he be accepted by the people of Iran, many of whom inside of Iran have voiced their dissent and have suffered for it? This is somebody from the outside who will be, I assume, seen by many as rolling in on the back of Israeli tanks.

What do you make of his statement? And at this stage, it is important to consider what the day after this administration in Iran might look like. Your thoughts.

MOUSAVI: Our experience in the Middle East has been that military intervention rarely leads to democratization. I mean, look at the experience of Iraq and Afghanistan.

I mean, there was large-scale military intervention by the U.S., but both countries were unstable for many years. It led to the death of many people. And even in the end, I mean, in Afghanistan, the Taliban came back.

In Iraq, you have a very weak government, maybe semi-democratic, but not fully democratic in any way. I think it's the same situation in Iran, and perhaps Iran is even more complicated than those two countries. It's much larger, it has a population of 90 million with different ethnicities, different languages.

I really don't see how military intervention can lead to a political solution, especially if the party that is intervening is Israel, which is not very favorably viewed within Iran.

Iranians, of course, have very diverse opinions. I mean, some people support the government, some people oppose it. Some people support the Pahlavi dynasty, there's no real pose of how much support Pahlavi has.

[03:45:01] But, I mean, he's the son of the overthrown Shah, and he himself was never elected by any Iranian. So I don't see how he coming into power would lead to democratization. So far, though, we have to point out that we haven't really seen any large-scale protests in Iran.

And, of course, at this stage, we also don't know whether Donald Trump would actually go after regime change.

ANDERSON: Hamed, good to have you out of Tehran for us today. Thank you for joining us.

I'm Becky Anderson, I'll be back at the top of the hour.

Coming up, John Vause, my colleague, has the day's other stories, including the outcome of the G7 summit and what kind of consensus was possible on Ukraine without Donald Trump. That is after this.

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[03:50:00]

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JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm John Vause with today's top stories.

The conflict between Israel and Iran now heading into day six with both countries trading airstrikes. According to the Israeli military, more than 50 Israeli fighter jets carried out overnight strikes on Iranian centrifuge and missile production sites. Israel says more than 400 missiles have been fired from Iran since Friday.

Sources tell CNN President Trump is warming to the possibility of direct U.S. support for Israel and its offensive on Iran's nuclear program. Trump spoke by phone with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. The White House, though, did not release details. On social media, though, Trump demanded Iran's unconditional surrender.

For the second year in a row, the Florida Panthers are kings of the National Hockey League. They won this year's Stanley Cup after crushing the Edmonton Oilers 5-1, game six of the finals on Tuesday. Panthers star Sam Reinhart scored four goals, the first player to do that in a Stanley Cup final game since 1957.

The G7 summit in Canada has ended without reaching agreement on a number of key issues, without issuing a final joint communique, and without the U.S. President, who left a day earlier. CNN's Paula Newton reports from Alberta on what was actually achieved at the summit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The G7 summit here in Canada proved to be an underwhelming and awkward meeting, upended, in fact, by President Donald Trump when he had to leave in order to deal with the Middle East conflict. Now, Canadian Prime Minister, the host of this meeting, pushed back on

that, saying this was a productive summit. But you don't have to look any further than President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who came here on the second day really hoping to have that one-on-one meeting with President Trump.

That did not happen. He was, in fact, a leader, stood up, as were others that attended this meeting on the second day. Still, Prime Minister Carney pushed back, saying that the leaders, including Donald Trump, did agree on some significant issues when it came to Ukraine.

Listen.

MARK CARNEY, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: The recognition of the importance of the initiative of President Trump to achieve a lasting peace, absolutely agreed.

That we are resolute in pursuing all options to maximize pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions, agreed. That we recognize that Ukraine alone has committed to a national ceasefire, agreed. And that we all agreed that Russia must do the same.

NEWTON: This summit, though, did show the limitations of this kind of forum, especially when the United States so many times stands apart from the other leaders. The G6, those remaining leaders, will have to step up their game in the coming months and years, both in economic issues and in defense issues, as President Trump on so many issues decides to go it alone.

Paula Newton, CNN, at the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada.

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VAUSE: North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has met with the Secretary of Russia's Security Council, Sergei Shoigu, to mark one year since both countries agreed to their strategic partnership, which has seen Pyongyang sending troops to Ukraine to bolster Russian forces on the front line. According to Russian state media, Shoigu promised to build memorials in honor of North Korean soldiers killed in Ukraine, while Kim Jong-un will reportedly send engineers and crews to remove landmines and help rebuild Russia's Kursk region.

In Gaza, the Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 51 people were killed by Israeli forces Tuesday while waiting for aid deliveries in Khan Younis; more than 200 others were wounded. If this is confirmed, it would be one of the deadliest such attacks in recent weeks. The Israeli military says the incident is now under review.

Meantime, the World Health Organization says the U.N. must be allowed to distribute aid in Gaza.

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DR. ATHANASIOS GARGAVANIS, WHO TRAUMA SURGEON AND EMERGENCY OFFICER: We have all to be aware that the recent food distribution initiatives by non-U.N. actors every time result in mass casualty incidents. The United Nations know what has to be done in Gaza.

We know how to deliver care. We know how to support partners, we know how to do our job. But to make the very best of our presence here, we have to be allowed and facilitated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: International aid agencies have criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private aid distributor backed by the U.S. and Israel, for setting up distribution sites in active combat zones.

Well flights to Indonesia's resort island of Bali are facing delays and cancellations because of eruptions from Mount Lewotobi Laki, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes.

[03:55:09]

So far, no reports of any casualties, but officials have raised the volcano alert system to its highest level. Lewotobi Laki has been rumbling off and on for months now, killing at least 10 people, that was back in November. We'll keep an eye on the volcano, Laki Laki.

Thank you for watching, I'm John Vause. Our breaking news coverage continues here on CNN after a very short break, thanks for watching.

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