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Trump Doubles Down Obliterated Iran Nuclear Sites Claim; Trump Stands By NATO Allies; Kenya Commemorates One Year of Anti-Government Protests Through Violent Actions. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired June 26, 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]

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POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to "CNN Newsroom", I'm Polo Sandoval coming to you live from New York. Ahead in the next hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: We've also spoken to people who have seen the site and the site is obliterated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: President Donald Trump doubling down on his claim that Iran's nuclear sites were obliterated in the U.S. strikes. What Israel has to say about this assertion?

And after years of attacking NATO, President Trump embracing the alliance, pledging to stand by its member nations.

And tensions flaring in Nairobi as thousands march on the anniversary of anti-government protests.

Let's begin in Washington, where the Trump administration is going all out to defend the success of its strikes on Iran's nuclear sites.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will hold a news conference in the day ahead. President Trump, just back from the NATO meeting in the Netherlands, continues to insist, more forcefully this time, that the strikes completely obliterated Iran's nuclear program.

New assessments from Israel now concluding that Iranian sites suffered systemic damage and that the program has been set back by several years. In fact, even Iran's foreign ministry is weighing in. A spokesperson there saying that the nuclear installations were, as they put it, badly damaged after repeated attacks by the U.S. and Israel.

President Trump in the Netherlands lashed out at the media for its reporting on this very real report, this intelligence assessment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Earlier, you said U.S. intelligence was inconclusive. Are you relying on Israeli intelligence for your assessment of the impact of the strikes?

TRUMP: No, this is also Iran made the statement. And it's also, if you read the document that was given, that Pete can talk about if you'd like, the document said it could be very severe damage, but they didn't take that.

They said it could be limited or it could be very severe. They really didn't know, other than to say it could be limited or it could be very, very severe. And you didn't choose to put that because it was very early after.

Since then, we've collected additional intelligence. We've also spoken to people, have seen the site and the site, the site is obliterated. And we think everything nuclear is down there, they didn't take it out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: Let's bring in CNN's Paula Hancocks, who joins us live from Abu Dhabi. We've had so many different sources weigh in now, Paula, from the CIA to the Iranian government and the President. But still, are we any closer to perhaps learning more about the state of Iran's nuclear program?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Polo, it's worth pointing out that there will quite often be these subtle differences in intelligence assessments in the first 24, 48 hours with something like this.

We have just heard, though, from Rafael Grossi, he's the head of the IAEA, the U.N. nuclear watchdog. He was speaking to French radio, giving his impression of what has happened.

He said that he is basing this now on satellite images, he says the IAEA has to get back to look at the damage itself, which, of course, is up in the air, whether Iran would allow them to do that.

But he did say that it is no longer an operational installation, talking about the nuclear program. He says, though, that is based on satellite images. He spoke about Fordow as well, one of those sites that the U.S. targeted, saying that the centrifuges are no longer operational.

And he said that he believes that simply because of the vibrations that these kind of ordnance would create. He said it's a tunnel -- a network of tunnels underground at that facility. So he said that it is quite a reliable assessment that it is out of operation.

We are hearing differing opinions, though. As you played there, we heard the U.S. President saying it has been completely obliterated. We're hearing from the CIA Director saying that they have new intelligence suggesting that it is very severely damaged by the recent targeted strikes, a similar assessment from Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence.

So even the U.S. intelligence is saying severely damaged. They're not going as far as the U.S. President.

[03:05:03]

But it does appear now to be an overwhelming assessment that there has been significant damage.

What we're hearing from the IAEA, though, is that they need to physically investigate. They need to see with their own eyes exactly what has happened. That is looking less likely, as on Wednesday the parliament in Iran actually voted to stop cooperating with the IAEA.

They had been very critical of them during the conflict between Israel and Iran. They accused them of giving information publicly which was helping Israel and the U.S. strikes, which of course the IAEA has rejected.

But there is a possibility that they will not be allowed back in to make those inspections. Now that decision has to be ratified by the Supreme Court, which it hasn't been at this point.

But certainly there is a concern that the final assessment, which some U.S. officials say could take days or weeks, may not be able to be done simply because there will be no access to these sites. It's highly unlikely U.S. officials would ever be able to go and look at the sites and now there is concern that the IAEA is going to be blocked as well, Polo.

SANDOVAL: Yes. They're removing another potential avenue to independently confirm the state of Iran's nuclear program. Paula Hancocks, as always, I appreciate your reporting from the region.

Well joining me now from London is Sanam Vakil. She's the director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House. It is so good to have you, Sanam, thank you for joining us.

SANAM VAKIL, DIRECTOR OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA PROGRAM, CHATHAM HOUSE: Thank you for having me.

SANDOVAL: Yes, of course. Clearly, this is not about semantics. We've heard it described as damaged, obliterated, this is ultimately about the trust that people may have in the Trump administration's ability to be transparent about the situation in Iran. In your view, though, whether it's obliterated or damaged, do you believe that their regime will try to resume nuclear activities?

VAKIL: I think the regime right now is very much focused on its internal security and recovery after what has been a truly unprecedented war that it never imagined it would face. Not just against Israel, but that it would be struck by the United States.

There are calls inside Iran that started before this war that started in 2024 about the value of Iran's nuclear program, the need to weaponize. And I think those voices will get louder, but it will be very hard for Iran to assemble what it has left. And we're still waiting.

It's going to take, I think, months to really verify the state of Iran's nuclear program. We have to remember that Iran is being monitored by satellites, being monitored by Israel, being monitored by the United States.

And I think that if Iran moves too far to the right or the left, there could be renewed strikes against it. And so right now, the biggest card Iran has to play is getting back to that negotiating table and trying to arrive at a deal that will somehow give it rights to enrich and maintain a civilian nuclear program, but at the same time, of course, commit to never weaponize or never expand its nuclear program to dangerous levels where it was before this war began.

SANDOVAL: And I'm glad you lay out these two potential scenarios. Let's talk about a potential third, which is maybe Iran simply preparing for a prolonged standoff. If that's the way it decides to go, what could that look like, especially for the Middle East at large?

VAKIL: Well, the standoff is Iran's general posture. I think that the mindset of the leadership is that Iran has been in a four decade standoff with the United States.

That would mean that sanctions would remain on the Iranian economy. Iran would remain isolated and contained in the Middle East, doesn't have natural allies, it has, of course, ties with China and Russia and some of its neighbors, but it isn't warmly embraced in the region.

And so the regime would maintain a siege mentality. And we might see a protracted conflict, a quote unquote "war of attrition," where Israel might at any time resume strikes. And this war could very easily kick back off.

[03:10:01]

Maybe not at the intense levels we saw over that 12 day period, but at a lower level. And that would be an effort to keep Iran contained from the Israeli side. But Iran would look to respond and show that it is still resilient, but very dangerous for the Middle East, because ultimately this war, but also the war in Gaza that remains ongoing, broadly destabilizes the region.

SANDOVAL: And I wonder if you could leave us with a final thought here in terms of how hopeful you are, or you may be, when it comes to next week's meeting with Iran. We heard from President Trump, he said he really doesn't care if a deal is reached. What's your assessment in terms of what may or may not come out of this expected meeting between the President, Donald Trump, and Iran next week?

VAKIL: Well, I do think the President is looking for a deal, because in all of the conflicts that he is trying to mediate, he hasn't yet delivered that deal and he is the dealmaker-in-chief.

But of course, the United States doesn't have as much stake in the negotiations as Iran does. I am not as confident that a quick deal can be reached. And that's what's problematic here.

President Trump is impatient. He's shown us that he's also impulsive, willing to take risks, as he did on June 22nd, when he struck Iran in a very strong way.

And there's no trust, obviously, between the two countries. So this might take a bit more time.

And I would appeal to the negotiators to try and do their best in a short window of time. But this is certainly, I think, going to drag, and we're just going to have to wait and see.

SANDOVAL: Yes. We certainly hope that that appeal makes it all the way to the folks who will be approaching that table. Sanam Vakil, thank you so much, as always, for your perspective and your expert analysis.

You heard her mention the other conflict that continues to rage in the Middle East, Palestinian and Israeli authorities now saying that several people were killed in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. But they have differing accounts of exactly what happened.

On the Palestinian side, they say that at least three Palestinians were killed and seven wounded during a series of attacks by Israeli settlers. The Israeli military, for its part, would only say that several people died without specifying whether they were Palestinian or Israeli.

The IDF saying that their forces arrived at their Israeli civilians set fire to some properties. Social media video geolocated by CNN shows a home and a vehicle in flames. The IDF saying that they returned fire after being met with gunfire and rocks, adding that five Israelis were arrested.

President Trump says that he is with NATO all the way after the alliance agreed to increase its defense spending during its summit in the Netherlands. Trump said that it was very big news. He put it that NATO members, with some exceptions, pledged to raise their spending goals to five percent of their GDP, and that's up from two percent, which, by the way, has been a very long time goal of President Trump.

And he also reaffirmed his support for NATO's collective defense pact, known as Article Five, basically the linchpin of this alliance. President Trump said that he would not have attended the summit if he did not believe in Article Five. Thing is, a day earlier, he hedged on his answer about that article, saying that it depends on your definition. But as he departed the summit, the President suggested that he is leaving with a more positive impression of NATO.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I came here because it was something I'm supposed to be doing. But I left here a little bit differently. I said, I watched the heads of these countries get up, and the love and the passion that they showed for their country was unbelievable.

I've never seen quite anything like it. They want to protect their country, and they need the United States. And without the United States, it's not going to be the same.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANDOVAL: And President Trump also said that it's possible Russian leader Vladimir Putin could have territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine. Mr. Trump meeting with the Ukrainian President for almost an hour on the sidelines of the NATO summit on Wednesday, his first meeting since April together. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it was a long, substantive meeting that covered a range of what he called truly important issues.

President Trump says that the U.S. is considering providing Patriot missile systems to Ukraine. But he cautioned that there could be supply constraints as the systems are currently in high demand and also currently being supplied to Israel as well.

President Trump said that he would speak with Vladimir Putin soon after ending Russia's war on Ukraine.

[03:15:04]

If this doesn't happen, NATO Secretary General says that the alliance will continue to support Ukraine and what he described as its irreversible path to NATO membership.

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz live in London with the very latest on what we saw the last couple of days. Salma?

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, let's begin with that NATO summit, because that was an extraordinary win, of course, for President Trump, who has been pushing for this five percent spending in this meeting was very much catered to President Trump. The intention was to make him happy, and that seems to have resulted.

You played that soundbite earlier of President Trump saying he's walked away with a different sense of NATO after this meeting. But Mark Rutte, the NATO Secretary General, did draw some criticism for his very kowtowing language at one point, calling President Donald Trump daddy in reference to his resolution of the conflict between Iran and Israel. And for President Zelenskyy, of course, who was at this meeting, he was trying to gain that focus, to refocus these leaders on his conflict back home.

Of course, when the headlines have been focused on Iran, it must have been concerning to President Zelenskyy that the final statement issued after the NATO summit did not mention Ukraine. But still, of course, there were rhetorical overtures and promises of commitment to Ukraine. Take a listen to what the NATO Secretary General said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK RUTTE, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: I think the message that comes out of this summit is clear. NATO's commitment to Ukraine endures. And it's now in the summit declaration with a clear link to the money.

And I think that is important for the next five to 10 years, not that we expect the fight to take so long, but that whatever is necessary, we will keep you in the fight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: But President Zelenskyy did, of course, get a couple of wins from this NATO summit. Key among them was the meeting with President Trump, a 50-minute meeting which he described as long and substantive. And President Trump walked away saying it was nice, which is, of course, a positive sign considering the tensions between those two leaders earlier this year.

Now, we will be hearing from President Zelenskyy yet again today. He's going to be speaking via video link to the European Council summit. He's going to be signing a deal there about a special tribunal.

And you're going to hear him emphasize and try to draw focus back on the Ukraine conflict there on the ground. Russia appears to be ramping up its attacks. Just in the 48-hour period before the NATO summit, dozens of Ukrainians were killed by Russian firepower. So he needs that European support, and he needs it now.

SANDOVAL: And as well, the support from the United States. Salma Abdelaziz reporting from London. Thank you for that.

And still ahead here on "CNN Newsroom," President Trump's deadline drawing closer for lawmakers to approve his massive domestic spending bill, but a major issue that's still blocking its progress. We'll tell you what it is.

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SANDOVAL: Welcome back. You're watching "CNN Newsroom."

Let's take you to Washington now, where in the coming hours, President Trump is set to host what the White House is describing as One Big, Beautiful event. You see the administration right now trying to rally support for Donald Trump's sweeping domestic policy agenda, but some Senate Republicans still not really sold on what's in the bill, and they're facing a deadline of July 4th.

Here's CNN's Manu Raju.

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MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: President Donald Trump is demanding that Republicans fall in line and push through his massive domestic agenda within days, but there are still significant divisions in the Senate and in the House to get the bill over the finish line. This bill is sweeping in nature, a multi-trillion dollar overhaul of the United States tax code. It'll pump hundreds of billions of dollars into new programs for defense and for border security projects. It would provide a call for new energy drilling across the country and

new work requirements on social safety net programs, but it is those deep spending cuts in particular that have divided Republicans, both in the Senate and in the House, and over a number of issues, but namely on the issue of Medicaid. That is the huge entitlement program for the disabled and for low-income individuals, and there are concerns from Republicans that the cuts that are being called for could lead to many losing their health insurance in their states and in their districts, and particularly the concerns over the Senate's plan's impacts on rural hospitals.

That is a huge issue that is now dividing Republicans in the Senate, and it's unclear how they'll ultimately resolve that, get those members in line without alienating the more conservative members who are worried about the budget deficit impacts of this bill and actually pushing for even deeper cuts.

But one key Republican Senator, Tom Tillis, who is up for re-election in North Carolina next year, told me that that plan needs to change in dealing with how far to cut in Medicaid, or he could vote against it.

SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): I think that the Medicaid cuts are directionally right, but I think very difficult for the states to absorb, and we've just got to figure out a way to achieve what we're trying to do, bend the curve.

RAJU: But right now, this could have a big negative impact on North Carolina, on the Medicaid cuts.

TILLIS: Current estimates are about $38 billion over 10 years, that's a big impact. I don't think anybody believes that the current tax is final, so I don't believe anybody would vote for it in its current form. We've got a lot of things that we're working on.

RAJU: But beyond Medicaid, there are other issues that are dividing Republicans, including how to deal with tax breaks, state and local tax deductions. That is something that has been pushed by particularly New York Republicans, who are trying to increase the amount that taxpayers can deduct from the local levies that they face every year.

But there are many Republicans, particularly in the Senate, who say that it's too expensive and they will not go along with the deal that was cut by those New York Republicans and the Speaker of the House to get their plan across the finish line by a single vote before Memorial Day. That is one of those complicated sticking points that they still have to figure out in order to get this through both chambers and into law.

[03:25:06]

But how this ultimately gets resolved is unclear. Whether they'll actually have the votes to even begin the debate, which could occur as soon as Friday, that key procedural vote, how that gets there is still an open question at this moment.

But there are so many other major issues that are part of this bill, including a $5 trillion increase to the national debt limit. That is something that has deficit hawks, including Senator Rand Paul, threatening to vote against it, showing that the Republican leaders and Donald Trump have very little margin for error to get his major agenda bill across the finish line.

Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: All right, let's talk about a local race that is not going unnoticed by Democrats across the country.

A 33-year-old state assemblyman in New York delivered a political earthquake on Tuesday in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary. Zoran Mamdani, a lot of people know him now, he is on the brink of victory after his top challenger, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, conceded the race.

Here's CNN's Gloria Pazmino, who's been closely following that race.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A political stunner in the Democratic Party. Zoran Mamdani, on a path to clinch the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City, poised to beat out former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The 33-year-old Ugandan immigrant served three terms in the state assembly. If Mamdani goes on to win in November, he will be one of the youngest and the city's first Muslim mayor.

ZORAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK MAYORAL CANDIDATE: I must thank those who brought me into this world.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Mamdani's mother is Meera Nair, a successful Indian-American filmmaker whose credits include "Mississippi Masala."

MAMDANI: I will fight for a city that works for you, that is affordable for you.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Mamdani is on the brink of a come-from-behind win, which would send shockwaves through a Democratic Party struggling with how to run candidates in the age of Trump.

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), U.S. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: What's clear is that the relentless focus on affordability had great appeal.

PAZMINO (voice-over): The Republican Party already weaponizing the Democratic Socialists' likely win. As Democratic leaders extended congratulations to Mamdani. Mamdani's campaign focused on affordability and spoke to working-class New Yorkers, often in their own language.

MAMDANI (translated): I'm going to make the city affordable.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Mamdani's ground game was matched by a relentless social media campaign that captured the attention of the city's youngest voters.

MAMDANI: I'm freezing your rent as the next mayor of New York City. Let's plunge into the details.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Powered by an army of volunteers.

MAMDANI: We can knock a million doors by Saturday.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Mamdani eclipsed Cuomo's universal name recognition, his pitch for experienced leadership, and a campaign that cast the city as being out of control.

ANDREW CUOMO (D), FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR: He put together a great campaign and he touched young people and inspired them.

PAZMINO (voice-over): The last days of the campaign were dominated by negative ads. Cuomo casting Mamdani as a threat to Jewish New Yorkers and public safety.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Zoran Mamdani, a risk New York can't afford.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Mamdani declining to condemn the phrase, Globalize the Intifada, during an interview, instead defending it as a cry for Palestinian rights and freedom.

MAMDANI: You have my word to reach further, to understand the perspectives of those with whom I disagree and to wrestle deeply with those disagreements.

PAZMINO (voice-over): Cuomo has left the door open for an independent run in the general election.

CUOMO: We're going to take a look. We'll make some decisions.

PAZMINO (voice-over): It would mean competing for votes with incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, also running as an independent.

PAZMINO: Now, the next phase in this election has already started. Mayor Eric Adams is expected to launch his reelection campaign on the steps of City Hall on Thursday. He has been attacking Mamdani as an inexperienced legislator with untenable ideas.

But the question will be whether Eric Adams can get enough supporters and run a similar ground game to the Mamdani campaign, and whether or not many of the voters who supported him in his first mayoral election will be willing to support him again.

Gloria Pazmino, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: We're going to get you back to our top story in a few moments, including the Trump administration that's now getting ready to brief Congress on the strikes in Iran. But they are planning to hold back some information during those briefings.

We'll tell you why, and also get some insight from a political expert in just a few moments. Don't go anywhere.

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SANDOVAL: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." I'm Polo Sandoval, in New York. Let's take a look at some of today's top stories.

U.S. President Donald Trump is back in the United States after his meeting in the Netherlands for the NATO summit, where he repeated his forceful defense of strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, saying once again that they were totally obliterated. Mr. Trump also announced that the U.S. and Iran will meet next week for nuclear talks.

Israel is offering a bleak new assessment of Iran's nuclear program. The country's military chief says that it suffered systemic damage and has been set back for years. Even a spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry admitted that its nuclear installations were badly damaged by U.S. and Israeli strikes.

And a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard now warning against any future attacks on Iran. In an address on Wednesday, Commander Mohammad Pakpour vowed to offer a firm and powerful response, as he put it, if enemies make a mistake. He also referenced Iran's repeated strikes on Israel during the conflict, he said Iran will not hesitate to defend itself.

Well two major events related to the strikes on Iran that are on the calendar today for the Pentagon briefing, along with members of the military. President Trump says that it will be interesting and irrefutable, he said.

And later, the administration will be holding the first classified briefing for members of Congress on those strikes, but it plans to limit what it shares after a preliminary intelligence assessment was apparently leaked, Democrats not happy about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: Trump even said today, still, that these have been obliterated. He keeps saying that.

SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA): I would like nothing more. But if that is not the truth, you know, this is not this is how you destroy trust with your friends and also with your foes.

[03:35:02]

If people are misrepresenting or lying about the effects of this attack, who's going to trust us going forward? And would we be lulled into a false sense of security if Iran still has these capabilities?

(END VIDEO CLIP) SANDOVAL: Joining me now from Colchester, England, Natasha Lindstaedt. She is a professor of government at the University of Essex. It's great to see you again, professor.

NATASHA LINDSTAEDT, PROF. OF GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX: Nice to see you.

SANDOVAL: So bearing in mind what we just heard right now about what we can expect for this briefing and in a story where there has been no shortage of skepticism, really. How do you think that will go over for the Trump administration to essentially hold back on a full disclosure of where it stands or what it believes happened to Iran's nuclear program?

LINDSTAEDT: So we can point to a recent CBS News poll that showed that over 60 percent of Americans did think that Trump needed congressional approval to go ahead with these strikes. And it was 91 percent of Democrats, though only 30 percent of Republicans. So it's pretty polarized on this issue, but at least there is a sizable, almost supermajority of Americans that felt that there needed to be more transparency, that there needed to be more involvement of Congress and that it needed to go through the proper channels.

And so, of course, there's concerns about what is Trump going to do. He's become much more bold in this second term and more unpredictable. And while let's just say in the short term this strike on Iranian nuclear sites looks to be a success, there's a ceasefire, there may be negotiations taking place, as had already been mentioned, there is a loss of trust as to what his plans are, how is he going to include people.

In fact, J.D. Vance was interviewed recently, and he said he didn't really even know when Trump had made the decision to attack Iran. So Trump seems to be personalizing his regime further, and that means that he's making more of these decisions seemingly in isolation, of course, thought is worrisome for any democracy.

SANDOVAL: And let's stay on what's been public reaction here, especially if we focus on his support. How much of his base, mainly MAGA Republicans, are supporting his latest approach to Iran? And do you think that Trump's approach and involvement in the Middle East will perhaps redefine, reshape the way that his supporters see his administration?

LINDSTAEDT: So that's a good question. I think it's important to first distinguish between MAGA voters, MAGA influencers and podcasters, and those that are MAGA Republican legislators. So there was some pushback and criticism coming from legislators like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who even went on Steve Bannon's podcast on Monday and was still critical of the strikes.

Of course, some of the podcasters were very critical. But if we look at the same CBS poll, looking at support from MAGA Republicans, self- described MAGA Republicans, do you support Trump's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities? And it was overwhelming support, 94 percent of MAGA Republicans

support it, another 85 percent of just general Republicans are in support. So his MAGA movement seems to remain very loyal to him. And maybe they are looking to see what he is going to do, maybe they are willing to follow along with what his foreign policy gambles are.

And he's able to sell this as if he had promised to annihilate Iran's nuclear program and that he's making due on that promise.

SANDOVAL: And I'm sure you were watching as the president spoke at that NATO summit, and he basically doubled down on him insisting that those strikes cost total obliteration.

Now, if the intelligence communities from multiple countries are able to prove otherwise, I'm curious what you think that may mean for Trump's credibility in the eyes of his base and also really in the eyes of all Americans.

LINDSTAEDT: So his base only believes him, so it almost doesn't matter. In terms of all Americans, of course, this poses credibility questions. And he's suffered from these kinds of issues before because he lies a lot. And on an issue as important as Iran's nuclear capabilities, this is really significant.

Of course, reports are coming out now that the initial leak that the intelligence community gave that the Iranian nuclear program was only set back months, now maybe years. That may prove to be correct.

But only time will tell here. And of course, with any attack on a nuclear program, what has happened before is that actually motivates these countries to continue with their nuclear programs rather than abandon it. So we'll have to see what happens with these negotiations, which are going to be really critical to Trump's presidency.

[03:40:06]

SANDOVAL: Do you think that there is hope for a diplomatic solution when they meet next week?

LINDSTAEDT: I mean, there is hope because this is the weakest Iran has ever been. I mean, they don't have control over Syria anymore. Hezbollah has been severely weakened, and their economy is in tatters.

And you have key members of their military that have been killed. And the nuclear program is definitely weaker, not in the same state as it had been before. And their arsenal of ballistic missiles, which used to be the largest in the Middle East, has been attacked seriously by Israel.

So they're in a corner. They don't have a lot of options. And I think their best option would be to pursue some kind of negotiation. Of course, Trump is going to sell this as a huge win for his administration.

SANDOVAL: Yes, we've heard from many experts. There's a lot of debate about the extent of the impact from the strikes from Israel and from the U.S., but there is a consensus when it comes to the state of Iran's regime. It certainly has been weakened in the last two weeks.

Natasha Lindstaedt, thank you so much for joining us, as always, for your insight on all these topics.

LINDSTAEDT: Thanks for having me.

SANDOVAL: Of course.

Iranian state media are now reporting that at least 627 people were killed in Iran during the 12-day conflict with Israel. And now, the ceasefire that's followed is being framed by the government in Iran as a victory for their country. And it's also sparking a show of solidarity on the streets.

CNN's Nada Bashir with more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A mark of celebration and triumph. Hundreds gathered in Iran's capital in a show of support for their country's military.

After almost two weeks of deadly attacks and now a fragile ceasefire, their message is clear.

Down with Israel, they chant, and down with the USA.

UNKNOWN (through translator): The united voice of the Iranian nation is this. Israel started the war, and ending it is up to us. We are not at all satisfied with this ceasefire, and we are fully prepared to sacrifice our lives if Ayatollah Khamenei gives us the order. For the destruction of Israel, no less.

BASHIR (voice-over): This was the moment Iran's state broadcaster announced that a ceasefire agreement had been reached early Tuesday morning. Iran's attacks and the unity and steadfastness of the Iranian people, the anchor says, force the enemy's hand. Trump requested the ceasefire, almost begging, the anchor goes on to say.

For the Iranian regime, the ceasefire has been framed as a victory over two nuclear powers.

Iran's Vice President saying, when Trump announced the ceasefire, it meant he had accepted defeat, especially after our operation.

Iran's newspapers have echoed the government's triumphant tone. "A Decisive Response to America," this headline reads.

On state television and in many Telegram channels, there is also no mention of President Trump's claim that Iran warned the U.S. before it targeted American military bases in Qatar. Throughout the deadly 12- day conflict, Iran's military only responded to attacks carried out by Israel and the U.S., but it responded powerfully.

Questions, however, continue to circle around the safety of Iran's supreme leader, one Iranian official telling local media that the Iranian people should pray for the Ayatollah.

UNKNOWN (through translator): Many people are worried about the health of the supreme leader. How is he doing?

UNKNOWN (through translator): This concern is a valuable one. We should all be prayerful. Those who are responsible for protecting and safeguarding the leader are certainly fulfilling their duties properly.

BASHIR (voice-over): The government has remained careful in its portrayal of the impact at home, showing the aftermath of Israeli airstrikes on civilian areas, which officials say left hundreds dead and many wounded, and downplaying the impact of the attacks on Iran's nuclear assets.

And while many in Iran have welcomed this moment of reprieve as a sign of hope and unity for the country, many also remain anxious over what lies ahead.

Nada Bashir, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: More violence in Kenya on the anniversary of deadly protests. Coming up, we're going to show you some of these chaotic scenes, taking you back to the streets of Nairobi, where the civil unrest continues at this hour.

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[03:45:00]

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SANDOVAL: A grim anniversary in Kenya was marked with even more deadly violence. Kenyan police fired tear gas and also water cannons at thousands of protesters, marking one year since dozens were killed, demonstrating against a controversial tax bill.

Amnesty International says at least eight people were killed on Wednesday, but CNN could not immediately verify that figure. But we have turned to police, to the police service for comment.

CNN's Larry Madowo showed us -- shows us those chaotic scenes on the streets of Nairobi.

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LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is what happens when the police come. People scatter and disappear. There are tear gas all around us.

Fabs, they're going to come that way. They're going to come that way (inaudible).

People are not seeing this in real time because the Kenyan government has banned local radio and T.V. stations from broadcasting this live. But it's a scene unlike any I've ever seen here.

A year ago, many protesters were killed here, and many of them have come back to honor their memories and to call out the government for not dealing with police brutality and also for not paying attention to their needs.

UNKNOWN: I'm here today to remember my fellow countrymen who lost their lives on these streets. But the police who killed the Gen Zs last year, today, like today, they haven't done anything about those police officers.

MADOWO: This is a major highway that's completely blocked out. There's stones everywhere. This road is important for another reason, it leads directly to President William Ruto's house, the state house.

And some protesters have threatened to go there and to depose him, to remove him from office. And the police are determined to make sure that does not happen.

UNKNOWN: We don't need Ruto as our president. Ruto is a corrupt leader and we don't need him in Kenya. We say Ruto must go, Ruto must go.

[03:50:00]

UNKNOWN: We all have only our phones. We are peaceful. Our hands are up, but we have been cornered and we are afraid for our lives.

MADOWO: This should be a busy street in Nairobi. It's in the heart of the city. Instead, it looks like this, with those explosions, those bangs that have been ringing out for hours.

A year after the deadliest day of protests in Kenya, these people are back to say that demands have not changed and the government has not changed, the two sides not speaking to each other.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Our thanks to CNN's Larry Madowo and his team for that report.

Let's bring you back to the United States now, where millions of Americans, they are sweltering under some type of heat alert or extreme heat risks that continue in this week. And this is a dangerous heat dome covers much of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic states. The scorching temperatures combined with humidity making it feel like 105 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or over 40 degrees Celsius in some areas.

Here in New York, still right now at night, it's still a humid 80 degrees Fahrenheit, 26 Celsius, very humid. The Northeast, hopefully going to start to see some lower temperatures today, but the Midwest and the South will stay hot to the end of the week.

And with that, we'll take a quick break and be right back.

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SANDOVAL: Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiance, former reporter Lauren Sanchez, you see them there merging from their luxury hotel in Venice on Wednesday evening ahead of what's going to likely be a lavish multi-million dollar affair. Their wedding, of course. They're expected to tie the knot on Saturday despite protests in Venice that some locals say is already swamped with tourists.

And this is without an Amazon wedding. Bezos and Sanchez, they are celebrating with A-listers from show business, politics, finance, all of them been flying into town on about 90 private jets so far. Protesters, including a self-described anonymous anti-capitalist who sent this mannequin of Bezos floating through Venice's Grand Canal on Tuesday.

If you look closely, you can see it's clutching what else? An Amazon box and fistfuls of money, fake money. Another group calling for a canal blockade near the reported wedding venue as well.

And the Axiom Space Mission 4 set to dock at the International Space Station in just a few hours with a first of its kind crew aboard. The historic private mission boasting the first crew with members from India, Poland, and Hungary to board the space station. Along with them is a former NASA astronaut, Peggy Whitson, now an employee of that space company.

The crew is expected to be in space for about two weeks and conduct roughly 60 experiments before returning to Earth. Their launch was delayed as the International Space Station crew attempts to fix a leak in one of its modules. Certainly need to fix that before proceeding.

And with these amazing pictures, I want to thank you for joining me the last hour, I'm Polo Sandoval in New York. Stay tuned, "CNN Newsroom" continues with Becky Anderson, next.

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