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New Attacks As Donald Trump Addresses The American People; Oil Prices Spike After Donald Trump Vows To Continue War; Four Astronauts Begin 10-Day Mission Around The Moon; Four Astronauts Begin 10-day Mission Around the Moon; Iran Warns Foes of Lasting Regret and Ultimate Surrender; Trump Says U.S. Objectives in Iran Are Nearing Completion; Trump Suggests U.S. Is Considering Leaving NATO; Macron Heading to South Korea After Visiting Japan; Ukraine Seeking Help as War With Iran Grips the World; Red and Orange Haze Engulfs Crete After Strong Dust Storm; Iraq Clinches World Cup Spot for First Time in 40 Years; Mexican Forces Train for Threats Against World Cup. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired April 02, 2026 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:40]

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world. I'm Lynda Kinkade.

Just ahead, Donald Trump vows to hit a run extremely hard over the next few weeks, sending it, "Back to the Stone Age." But he also signals U.S. forces are nearing completion of their core objectives.

Oil prices spike after the president's speech, with many around the world wondering, how long will this drag on? And:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Godspeed Artemis II, let's go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four, three, two, one, booster ignition and liftoff Artemis II now bound for the moon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: A historic mission now underway with NASA's spacecraft orbiting Earth at this hour before heading to the moon.

ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Lynda Kinkade.

KINKADE: The war could get worse before it ends. That's the signal from the U.S. president after a national address where he vowed to escalate attacks on Iran while insisting that the U.S. is close to achieving its goals.

American and Israeli forces strike targets in Iran. Well, Tehran responds with missiles and drones that as President Trump tries to sell Operation Epic Fury to a skeptical audience, he has offered no clear exit strategy as the conflict enters its sixth week.

Well, CNN has geo located video posted on social media near the Iranian city of Isfahan. Now, it shows a large explosion in the past few hours with bright orange flashes and billowing black smoke. It's not clear what was targeted.

You can hear air raid sirens there sounding across Tel Aviv as debris falls from the sky during an apparent Iranian missile attack. There's no word there on damage or casualties.

Now, these strikes come as U.S. President Trump delivered a prime time address to the American people, hoping to convince them of the war's success. He says, the U.S. military has destroyed Iran's navy, air force and nuclear weapons capability.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are on track to complete all of America's military objectives shortly, very shortly. We're going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks, we're going to bring them back to the stone ages where they belong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Well, the president repeated his threats to strike Iran's energy sites and oil facilities if they don't agree to a peace deal, and he claimed that Iran can no longer threaten the U.S.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: They were also rapidly building a vast stockpile of conventional ballistic missiles, and would soon have had missiles that could reach the American homeland, Europe and virtually any other place on earth. Iran's strategy was so obvious, they wanted to produce as many missiles as possible, and they did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Officials in Abu Dhabi say air defense systems intercepted a missile near an industrial hub. CNN's Paula Hancocks joins us now live from the city. Good to have you with us, Paula.

So, I want to start first with Trump's speech. He suggested that he has plans to escalate aggressive strikes on Iran in the coming weeks, while also saying that military operations and nearing completion. From what you're seeing on the ground, what reaction is that?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we've seen so far, in a military sense, is there are reports of explosions in a number of different areas across Iran. You mentioned there, Lynda, Isfahan, this is a city that has had several strikes against it in recent days.

Once again, it was struck overnight. The U.S. and Israel have consistently said that they are trying to downgrade the stockpile of weapons that Iran has. And from this video, you can see bright orange flashes which are

consistent with munitions exploding. Isfahan, of course, is also the home of a nuclear site where much of the highly enriched uranium is believed to be stored at this point.

[02:05:11]

When it comes to the reaction from the region and further afield, we're waiting for much of the Gulf nations to respond. It's likely they may not even in Europe, as there's not always an upside to countering what the U.S. president said.

We did hear, though, from the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and he said that he believed that the Air Force, the Navy and the military have been severely degraded, but also asks now these objectives have been realized. It's not clear what more needs to be achieved, so questioning that two to three weeks of needing to have these hitting Iran extremely hard.

Now, just before Trump made his speech, we did hear from the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, he wrote an open letter to the American people, also questioning the motives of President Trump and the United States. I'll read you a couple of quotes of what he said. He said, "Exactly which of the American people's interests are truly being served by this war, is America First truly among the priorities of the U.S. government today?"

Now, he also said that what Tehran was doing was legitimate self- defense, even pointing out what it was doing to its neighboring countries as well, Lynda.

KINKADE: And Paula, Iran's Revolutionary Guards say they've got full control of the Strait of Hormuz, but we did hear from Trump tonight saying that as soon as this war ends, the Strait will effectively go back to normal. What's your sense of the ground as to how realistic that expectation is?

HANCOCKS: Well, leaders here in the Gulf nation would not want there to be a cease fire without more work being done to try and open up the Strait of Hormuz. The situation that Tehran finds itself in at the moment is that it is effectively that the gatekeeper of the Strait of Hormuz, it can make money out of charging different countries to allow their ships through. There's no reason to believe that it would naturally go back to where it was.

We've heard officials here in the UAE, for example, saying that they don't want a simple cease fire. They want to make sure that that Iran has its capability degraded now that they're speaking obviously, of drones and missiles that have been terrorizing the Gulf nations and Iran's neighbors.

But also, it would not be a situation that they would accept to just wait and see and hope that the Iranians decide to open up the Strait of Hormuz, the economic lifeline of many of these Gulf nations.

And we saw overnight that there were further interceptions in Bahrain, Kuwait. Both had to intercept missiles and drones from Iran, and here in the UAE as well. At about 4:30 this morning, we saw and heard more interceptions. We understand that the industrial zone at Khalifa Economic Zone had some damage. There was no injuries, according to authorities. But there really isn't an expectation that if the U.S. walks away, then Iran will, on its own, decide to rectify things to how they were before, Lynda.

KINKADE: All right. Paula Hancocks for us covering all bases. Thanks so much.

Cedric Leighton is a CNN military analyst and a retired Air Force Colonel, and joins us now from New York. Good to have you with us.

COL. CEDRIC LEIGHTON (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: It's good to be with you, Lynda, thanks so much for having me.

KINKADE: Colonel Leighton, Donald Trump delivered this nationwide address claiming that he would send Iran back to the stone ages in the coming weeks, and now the White House says it achieved its goal of highlighting the successes of this war. From a military perspective, how realistic is that assessment of what his plan is in the next couple of weeks to end this war?

LEIGHTON: Well, one thing that's really difficult to do is to actually bomb somebody back into the stone age. So, Lynda, this is one of those areas where there is not only a lot of rhetoric, but then you meet the limitations of what air power can actually do.

Air power can be very destructive, and it's very true that they've been able to destroy the Iranian Navy, basically render the Iranian Air Force useless and in terms of being a combat effective force.

But those forces were not really the primary focus of the Iranian military effort. They are the real area that they work in is really the asymmetric area, and that is where they can do things that, you know, we're using special operations techniques, implanting improvised explosive devices, lobbing missiles against the Gulf states, and launching cyber-attacks, and, of course, drone attacks. Those are the kinds of things that the Iranians are very good at.

[02:10:08]

And the metric of damaging the Navy and destroying the Navy and the Air Force, that's one particular thing, but it does not really include these other capabilities.

And so, one of the things that I think happened with the president's speech is that he really didn't differentiate between those metrics, or even take make, you know, a real reference to these other areas. And that, I think, is something where it could end up surprising the American public if the Iranians continue to put up a fight.

KINKADE: Yes, which it certainly seems like they are planning to do just that. Donald Trump, of course, did not consult with European allies before launching this war, and he's since pressured them to get involved. And tonight, he told those allies this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: So, to those countries that can't get fuel, many of which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, we had to do it ourselves. I have a suggestion. Number one, buy oil from the United States of America. We have plenty. We have so much. And number two, build up some delayed courage. Should have done it before. Should have done it with us, as we asked, go to the Strait and just take it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Just take the Strait. Isn't that easy, and if it is, why doesn't the U.S. just take it?

LEIGHTON: Yes, well, it is not easy. First of all, the Strait of Hormuz being a very narrow area, narrow geographic area, but on the Iranian side, it is very mountainous terrain once you get past the coastline.

And so, the key thing with that is it's a very difficult terrain. And if you don't have all of the forces in place, really, a major invasion force would be necessary to actually take a lot of the area that is near that coastline, and especially to limit missile launches and drone launches.

If you were to take just islands in the Persian Gulf, especially in the strait itself, that could be done with a much smaller force. But it's not an easy thing to do, and the amphibious capabilities, such as those that you find in the U.S. Marine Corps, those are capabilities that very few of our allies actually possess, especially the NATO allies.

Great Britain does have that capability. Australia would have that capability to some extent, but it is not something that most of the NATO countries actually have, they could potentially put something like that together, but it would take a lot of time, a lot of planning, and it would upend some of the basic force structures that they currently have.

Should they change those force structures? That, of course, is a different question, but for the purposes that those militaries were designed for, it is not something that they have budgeted for and planned for, and so it would take some time to get to that point.

KINKADE: Yes, and right now, Iran seems to have full control of that Strait. Before this war, some 20 percent of the world's oil traveled through the Strait of Hormuz. Very few tankers are going through it now, but Donald Trump suggested this, if he decides that this operation is over in the next couple of weeks, he said this is what's going to happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: And in any event, when this conflict is over, the Strait will open up naturally. It will just open up naturally. They're going to want to be able to sell oil, because that's all they have to try and rebuild. It will resume the flowing and the gas prices will rapidly come back down. Stock prices will rapidly go back up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Colonel, can you give us a reality check on that?

LEIGHTON: Yes, Lynda, the -- it's not going to happen naturally. You know, when it comes to opening up the Strait of Hormuz, that is not going to be something that will actually occur of its own accord.

Now, yes, it is in Iran's interest to actually sell their oil and to make money off of that, and, you know, to evade sanctions as much as they possibly can. And to do that, they have to have Strait of Hormuz open to their traffic. But what they're going to do is they're probably going to try to charge tolls or some other kind of -- some other kind of mechanism of controlling who goes in and out of the Strait of Hormuz.

And if they can get away with that, they will actually have won this conflict. And that is something that neither the United States nor the Arab states along the Persian Gulf, I really would want to see.

KINKADE: Colonel Cedric Leighton, as always, great to get your analysis and perspective. Thank you.

LEIGHTON: You bet, Lynda, thanks so much for having me.

KINKADE: Well, in the hours ahead, the U.K. will host a virtual summit to discuss options for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Now, for weeks, NATO allies have rebuffed the U.S. president's cause to help regain control of the key waterway.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: NATO is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen. Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise I'm going to act in the British national interest, in all the decisions that I make. And that's why I've been absolutely clear that this is not our war or we're not going to get dragged into it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:15:20]

KINKADE: A lack of support for the U.S. and the Israeli led war with Iran has Donald Trump, once again threatening to leave NATO. The Telegraph asked if he would really withdraw from the alliance, and he said, oh yes, it's beyond reconsideration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We've had some very bad allies in NATO. And you know, we spend trillions of dollars on NATO, and when we need them, which we never do, we didn't need them here either.

To be honest, I was really asking because I wanted to see what they do. We didn't need them. We blasted the hell out of out of Iran, and the last thing I needed was NATO stepping in our way, because they're not they're a paper tiger.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Reminder, the U.S. did indeed need NATO after the 9/11 attacks and NATO came through. The U.S. is the only country to have invoked the alliance's mutual defense clause, which declares an attack on one member is an attack on all. The head of NATO is set to visit the U.S. next week.

It appears Donald Trump's address on Iran did little to come energy markets following his speech, the price of oil actually climbed higher, and at this hour, this is where Brent crude stands at $107 a barrel.

Well, soaring oil prices are also pushing gas prices higher around the globe. In Europe, some Germans are now crossing the border into Poland in the search of cheaper fuel as prices at home remain high.

Well, CNN's Eleni Giokos is joining us now live for the latest. Eleni, great to have you with us.

So, just ahead of Trump's speech, you know, it was thought that he may come out and say that the war is ending sooner, and as a result, you know, oil prices were falling in the hopes of that news. But instead, we've seen the opposite.

You know, as soon as he said that there was a chance that he was going to escalate increased aggression on Iran, those oil prices have spiked. Take us through it.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. I mean, so it's been a case of whiplash once again. Frankly, we've seen this numerous times throughout this 34-day period since the war began, where President Trump sort of allays fears. You know, things are going to calm down, and then markets responding positively, and then a reality check once again.

And I think the reality check was this war is going to continue for two to three weeks, no concrete plan in terms of what it's going to look like, apart from the continued bombing of Iran and then again, the messaging about the Strait of Hormuz opening up naturally.

Brent crude prices responding aggressively after that speech, they were up five percent. And as you can see now, Brent crude much higher than that.

Asian markets are looking very dismal today after fantastic gains in yesterday's session. U.S. Futures also coming under pressure, so too our European Futures as well.

I just want to focus quickly on the Strait of Hormuz, because Oxford Economics came up with some really interesting scenarios. Because now you've got experts modeling what this is going to look like. They say that oil prices are going to increase to $150 a barrel, and they believe that the Strait of Hormuz is going to be completely closed until the end of April, that perhaps that if the conflict does come to an end, you're starting an uptick in the months of May and June, but still expect much higher oil prices.

Lynda, that is going to feed into global inflation, and that's going to, of course, affect economic growth globally.

KINKADE: Yes, and so many people are right around the world are feeling the pain right now, and governments are trying to address it. Some cutting fuel excise taxes. Others are providing emergency financial relief. Australia, my home country, is doing both, right? Just explain what the plan is.

GIOKOS: Yes, so it's interesting because you mentioned a lot of people going through to Poland to buy cheaper fuel. Poland, of course, trying to put a cap on fuel prices, and a lot of countries are taking these measures to try and ensure that they tap into their fiscal capabilities to ensure that the consumer doesn't feel the effects of the war that's going on here in the Gulf, and you're seeing this in many other Asian countries.

And then, importantly, you've also seen fuel shortages that are now a reality, specifically on refined products. I also want you to listen to the Australian Prime Minister who's not only removing taxes on fuel, but also importantly, trying to put in some kind of stimulus package to help businesses work through what is very uncertain period, because again, we don't know how long this will last. Take a listen to Anthony Albanese.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY ALBANESE, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: Today, I announce under our economic resilience program, we will make available $1 billion in interest free loans for manufacturing and fuel businesses dealing with the economic costs of this conflict, truckies, freight companies and fuel and fertilizer producers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:20:20]

GIOKOS: Fertilizer producers under pressure as well. We heard from the farming sector in Australia, because of the fertilizer shortages, because so much of the fertilizer actually comes through the Strait of Hormuz that they're now making, you know, taking very tough decisions, Lynda, in terms of how much crop they're going to be planting during the season.

So, this is the ultimate effect. So, we're not talking just about a short-term impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. You're talking about a medium to longer term impact that could even affect fuel food supply.

Importantly, Oxford Economics is also talking about the inflationary impact on economies like Australia, and that's going to cause demand destruction, so people having less money to spend on various things. And I'm going to focus on this again, because the International Energy

Agency has consistently said we have to focus on the demand scenario right now, because supply is being squeezed, that people around the world really need to think about how much they're relying and using fossil fuels.

And this is a message for everyone in the world and where you are in the United States, we've spoken about gas prices increasing. So, again, we don't know what it's going to do to inflation, but the longer this lasts for the bigger the pain.

KINKADE: Exactly, the chance that inflation rises around the world, the greater the chance of recession. Eleni Giokos in Dubai, thanks so much.

Well now to a developing story, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is warning that Iraqi terrorist groups aligned with Iran may carry out a tax in the city in the next 24 to 48 hours. It's urging all U.S. citizens to leave immediately.

There are no further details right now, but we will bring you updates as soon as we get them. And it's also worth noting that this warning comes two days after American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad.

Now, sources told CNN that Kittleson had been warned about the threat of being abducted or killed by an Iranian proxy. She had also been repeatedly warned about the need to leave Iraq multiple times in recent weeks. Again, we'll be following any developments from the Iraqi capital in the hours ahead.

The Artemis II begins its historic journey to the moon after a successful lift off. When we return, an update on where the spacecraft is right now and what the crew has been dealing with since leaving Earth.

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[02:27:10]

KINKADE: There you go, four astronauts heading to the far side of the moon in a historic undertaking that we haven't seen in more than 50 years. The Artemis II crew is now settling in for a 10-day mission after blasting off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center Wednesday evening.

CNN's Ed Lavandera looks at what lies ahead for these brave astronauts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Booster ignition and lift off.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After a successful launch, the four astronauts on Artemis II are now on a risky journey to the far side of the moon. They're expected to travel farther into deep space than any humans have ever gone before. The crew will travel inside the Orion capsule and orbit the Earth twice before traveling about 250,000 miles from Earth, circling the moon before returning.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take about four days once they leave Earth's gravity to get to the moon.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The test flight to circumnavigate the moon is part of the Artemis Lunar Exploration Program. It's a test mission designed to prepare future Artemis missions to land on the Moon by 2028.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The diverse crew on the Orion spacecraft includes the first woman and the first black person to set off on a lunar mission. NASA's mission commander, 50-year-old Reid Wiseman is a Navy test pilot and a single father of two girls. His wife died of cancer in 2020.

REID WISEMAN, ARTEMIS II COMMANDER: The moon to me, it's the thing that connects me together with all the other humans in my life.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Victor Glover, also a naval test pilot, is the first Black person to venture into deep space. He's a father of four kids.

Engineer Christina Koch is the first woman to make the voyage to the moon.

CHRISTINA KOCH, ARTEMIS II MISSION SPECIALIST: I'm drawn to exploring. I'm drawn to challenges.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): She holds the record for the longest space flight by a female astronaut, at 328 days on board the International Space Station.

And Jeremy Hansen, a fighter pilot, is the first Canadian and non-NASA astronaut to head on a lunar mission. It's his first space flight.

The crew spent the morning prepping for their mission. The NASA tradition a lighthearted moment, playing cards with their chief. The 10 day roughly 685,000 mile journey around the moon and back carries dangerous risks. The Orion spacecraft, roughly the size of a cargo van, will face extreme temperatures, high levels of radiation and incredible feats of physics.

When the four astronauts fly by the far side of the moon, they will lose all communication with Earth for about 30 to 45 minutes, they will see the Earth rise over the moon, like the image first captured by Apollo astronauts and that Christina Koch had in her room as a child.

JEREMY HANSEN, ARTEMIS II MISSION SPECIALIST: We spent a lot of time figuring out, what are we going to do if we're having trouble with the spacecraft? What are the bare basics to give us a fighting chance? Obviously, I've had that conversation with my wife and my children.

[02:30:00]

LAVANDERA: Why is this so important?

REID WISEMAN, ARTEMIS II Commander: I spoke with all four members of this crew three years ago, when they were first assigned to the mission. It was clear then they fully understood the magnitude of this mission.

VICTOR GLOVER, ARTEMIS II PILOT: One aspect of human space exploration is that it unites, it lifts people up, and it pushes you to do things that seem impossible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA (on camera): Now that the Artemis II crew is in outer space, the focus shifts here to Houston and mission control at Johnson Space Center, which will continue maintaining communications with this crew. And this is all the first step toward eventually building a base on the moon that will then transport crews in the future to explore Mars. That is the ultimate goal here.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston, Texas.

LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWSROOM": Exciting times. I want to bring in former NASA Astronaut, David Wolf. He is joining us from Houston, Texas. Great to have you with us. I'm glad you got your cup of coffee.

DAVID WOLF, FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT: Honored to be here, Lynda. Thank you.

(LAUGH)

KINKADE: This is the first time humans have returned to deep space since the Apollo era, more than 50 years ago. What is the feeling in the space community right now?

WOLF: I think it's elating. Business is good. Traveling in space at over 18,000 miles an hour is what we do, and we're doing it right now and rather well.

KINKADE: It was interesting listening to some of those astronauts just in that piece talk about the risks and how they explain it to their kids. You, of course, have experienced some pretty dangerous situations in space firsthand, from fire to collisions. How do you evaluate the risk management and safety when you're up in space?

WOLF: Well, you're a lot more worried about making mistakes, and you're keeping your mind on your job, and your training really does carry you through a lot farther than you might expect. You wouldn't think you could train for some of these, like overheating excessively in a spacesuit, but the training gets you through it. You can go a lot deeper. You learn how far you can go. KINKADE: And so given that you've flown long-duration missions in orbit yourself, this Artemis crew will be in space for just two days. What do you see as the biggest psychological or operational challenge for them?

WOLF: Well, I think they got 10 days, at least, out of it. But psychological challenge, these crews are so good together now, and they have really mastered team operations. There's not going to be a psychological challenge here. Each has their own story, you know, missing a wife or a problem health-wise, some family member. Everyone has something going on, and you just learn to compartmentalize that and get on with the job, try to enjoy it, and you just got to. It's your job.

KINKADE: What was your biggest challenge in space?

WOLF: Well, in one case, it was language. I went five months on a mission that had essentially no English, including during spacewalks and power failures and trapped outside and major problems with computers and navigation. So the language, it was a tough one, but that's just several years of prep. I love space. I don't consider it a challenge.

I love the man and the human and the woman, the person and the machine integration. And space is just an incredible human factors factory for doing that.

KINKADE: And of course, this is a test flight, essentially. The crew won't be landing on the moon. Just explain for us what specifically they're testing and how critical those tests will be for future missions.

WOLF: Well, they're orbiting the moon, at least looping it on a highly elliptical orbit. So that type of orbit is what will be used in the future. Going there with much more payload, with the intent to stay there and use the resources, so the experiments and the tests are very different. This isn't putting boot prints.

This is bringing equipment that will later build nuclear reactors in space for power, create fuel and water from the ice at the poles. This is going to the moon to make it a part of our living space.

KINKADE: So exciting. And it was so great to watch that liftoff.

WOLF: Isn't it?

KINKADE: Yeah, it's amazing. I watched that liftoff with my girls this afternoon, and it was just so exciting.

WOLF: It's kind of like being on a football punted into orbit. It's really a kick in the pants.

(LAUGH)

[02:35:00]

KINKADE: OK. David Wolf, great to have you on and great to get your perspective. Thanks so much.

WOLF: Anytime. Thank you.

KINKADE: Still ahead, French President, Emmanuel Macron continues his tour of Asia. We'll have the latest on what he discussed with Japan's Prime Minister and where he's set to go next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:40:00]

KINKADE: Welcome back. I'm Lynda Kinkade. Tehran is now responding directly to U.S. President, Donald Trump's primetime address about the ongoing war with Iran. In a statement reported by state media, a spokesperson for the Iranian military said the war will continue until the U.S. and Israel face, "humiliation, disgrace, lasting regret, and ultimate surrender."

The statement also dismissed President Trump's claims that the Iranian military has been severely weakened, saying the U.S. knows nothing about our vast and strategic capabilities. Donald Trump says the U.S. will bomb Iran back to the Stone Age if it doesn't agree to a deal to end the war in the next two to three weeks. The president insists that the U.S. is nearing completion of its objectives, but not everyone is convinced.

CNN's Jim Sciutto reports from Tel Aviv.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF U.S. SECURITY ANALYST: Well, I said before the speech that what folks in Israel will be listening for is his answers on Iran's missile capabilities and on its nuclear program. And we got those answers.

On the missile capabilities, he said that they've been dramatically curtailed. And while that may be true, it's cold comfort to people here who, myself included, spent a good part of their day in bomb shelters at the start of the Passover holiday, I should note, as Iranian missiles continue to rain down on Israel.

On the nuclear program, his answer is that the U.S. is going to monitor it from satellites. And if they make a move, he says, the U.S. will take action. That has not been Israel's goal at the start of this war. I've been told by multiple Israeli officials that they would not consider the war a victory unless that 400 kilos of enriched uranium was controlled in some way. That does not appear to be the president's goal here, even as the war continues.

Finally, just regarding Iran and the nuclear deal, he says that he terminated Barack Obama's nuclear deal in part because of the money that it sent Iran. We should note that by lifting sanctions on Iranian oil ships, Iran has gained many billions of dollars in oil sales just in the last several weeks. It's worth mentioning.

A final point, if I can, on NATO. Trump's views on NATO began long before this war. We should note that just weeks ago, and I've been speaking to European officials throughout it, that his attempt to take Greenland from NATO-ally Denmark very nearly broke the alliance then. And in the wake of it, many European officials told me that the trust had been broken.

So he's had a long-term view of NATO, not much interest in it, not much commitment to it, that began long before this war, and his upset over NATO allies not joining the war.

KINKADE: Our thanks to Jim Sciutto there.

Will President Trump's speech be enough to change public opinion on the war? In a new CNN polling ahead of his address on Wednesday, 43 percent said they strongly disapprove of the U.S. decision to take military action in Iran. That number is up since the start of the war. Only 15 percent of those polled said they strongly approve.

French President, Emmanuel Macron is set to arrive soon in South Korea. He was last in Japan where he met with the Prime Minister there, Sanae Takaichi. France and Japan agreed to coordinate on talks to end the war with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Japanese leader also spoke to the hopes of continued partnership with France going forward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANAE TAKAICHI, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): In an increasingly severe international security environment, cooperation with like-minded countries, including France, which also holds the G7 presidency, has become more important. We aim to firmly strengthen strategic collaboration in areas such as security and defense as well as economic security.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KINKADE: Balancing the business of the day with a bit of fun, the two leaders struck a pose from the famous Japanese anime, Dragon Ball, at the end of the news conference. France is the biggest importer of the Japanese graphic novel form.

Well, still ahead, concerns out of Ukraine that its calls for help against Russia are falling on deaf ears, with much of the world now focused on the war with Iran. Stay with us, we'll be right back.

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KINKADE: Well, there are no real winners in the war, but Russia is certainly benefiting from the U.S. and Israel war with Iran. That's due in part to a temporary suspension of oil sanctions and U.S. pressure on Ukraine not to hit Russia's energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he had a positive conversation with U.S. and NATO officials on Wednesday.

The talks focused on security guarantees, strengthening diplomacy, and greater European involvement in the peace process. Mr. Zelenskyy says his government proposed an Easter holiday ceasefire, but Russia responded with drone attacks, killing four people.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): This is the Russians response to our proposal for a ceasefire for the Easter holidays. Ukraine openly made such a proposal to Russia. Russia responds with Shaheds and continues its terrorist operations against our energy system and against our infrastructure.

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KINKADE: Well, sources tell CNN that diplomats from NATO countries are cautious but not overly concerned about President Trump's threats to pull the U.S. out of the NATO alliance.

[02:50:00]

The former foreign minister of Ukraine says the country's calls for help are falling on deaf ears, especially now with the U.S. at war with Iran. Dmytro Kuleba spoke with our Christiane Amanpour. He says the war in the Middle East is taking a toll on Ukraine's fight against Russia.

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DMYTRO KULEBA, FORMER UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: We are exactly in the same position as we were a month or two months ago before this war started, in terms of the fighting. Regular air attacks, frontline engagements, thousands, hundreds of them per day. Two points have changed and unfortunately, both of them are crucial. The first one is access of Ukraine to Patriot interceptors has been, I would say, suspended because of the war in Iran.

And secondly, Russia is making money on selling its oil again. So these two elements are detrimental. But as for now, Ukraine is demonstrating resilience, strengths, and we hold on.

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KINKADE: Kuleba also said he is concerned that President Trump's threat to pull the U.S. out of NATO could hinder the alliance's ability to respond to a possible Russian attack and make it unable to help Ukraine.

Well, Mexico's security forces are not leaving anything to chance as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup. Still ahead, how they're training with real-life scenarios to keep the tournament safe.

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KINKADE: Take a look at the popular Greek tourist island of Crete which was engulfed in a red and orange haze after a strong Mediterranean storm blue dust from Africa onto the island on Wednesday. Weather experts say gusty winds at Crete's airport stirred up the dust and caused extreme low visibility. It led to very unhealthy air quality and the eerie looking sight was created after the dust filtered out all the colors of sunlight except for red and orange.

Well, Iraq has clinched the final qualifying spot in the World Cup which gets underway in a little more than two months.

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KINKADE: Iraqi football fans went wild after their team beat Bolivia 2-1 in the final playoff match. This will be Iraq's first World Cup participation in 40 years. And Bosnia Herzegovina, its ecstatic fans jammed pack -- were jam-packed in the streets of the capital, Sarajevo, after the national team's nail-biter over Italy in their qualifier.

[02:55:00]

Bosnians won on penalty kicks, securing a place in the tournament for only the second time ever. Italy will sit out its third consecutive World Cup.

Well, security is a big concern in Mexico, one of the three countries that will co-host the tournament. And that's partially because of the recent killing of a drug lord by Mexico's military in Jalisco State. That's where some matches will be played. The killing unleashed days of violence there.

Valeria Leon explains how security forces are preparing to keep safe.

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VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A military exercise, but one that strikes close to home. In this scenario, members of a cartel hijack a bus carrying soccer players. Mexican security forces move in fast, freeing the hostages. All of it in preparation for the World Cup, which Mexico will co-host along with the U.S. and Canada this summer. Mexico's security is getting set for all sorts of emergencies.

LEON: Somebody trapped inside this car. But this is actually a simulation. Mexican forces are running a high-intensity drill, preparing for everything from explosives to fires as the country gears up to host World Cup crowds.

LEON (voice-over): At this military base outside Mexico City, units are deployed in the air and on the ground. Here, Mexican Special Forces are trained to search for and disarm explosives and other devices.

CESAR VILLANUEVA, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS LIEUTENANT (through translator): We're preparing for chemical and biological emergencies, and to handle hazardous materials.

LEON (voice-over): But this is not just about security threats. These troops are also training for medical emergencies. And if disaster strikes, search and rescue teams dig through rubble, racing against the clock.

MARLENE GAITAN, EMERGENCY BATTALION (through translator): We're focused on improving response times, so we can act as fast as possible during the World Cup.

LEON (voice-over): With more than five million visitors expected, authorities plan to set up command centers near each of Mexico's three host stadiums.

HECTOR FLORES, MEDICAL LIEUTENANT: We'll be monitoring operations at all times with coordinated deployment from the Army, Air Force and National Guard.

LEON (voice-over): For U.S. and international visitors worried of cartel violence, security remains a key question ahead of the tournament. Mexican officials say these exercises are meant to send a clear message. They're ready for an event where the whole world will be watching.

Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KINKADE: Well, thanks so much for joining us. That does it for this edition of "CNN Newsroom." I'm Lynda Kinkade. I'll be back with much more news in just a moment.

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