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Oil Prices Rose Anew Over Trump's Announcement on Extended U.S. Blockade on Iranian Ports; Former FBI Director Surrenders to Virginia Authorities Following his Indictment. Aired 3-3:45a ET

Aired April 30, 2026 - 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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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church, just ahead.

New threats from the White House over the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. An adviser to Israel's Prime Minister claims Hezbollah is violating their ceasefire.

Plus James Comey heads to court. What we know about the new charges against the former FBI director.

And the latest on King Charles and Queen Camilla's American tour, which just took them to New York.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. We begin with breaking news on the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran.

Oil prices have jumped yet again after reports that President Donald Trump is considering an extended blockade of Iranian ports. Brent Crude, the global benchmark, surged above $125 a barrel just a short time ago, its highest price since 2022. You can see it's there now at $122.24 there.

Sources say President Trump believes the blockade may stifle Tehran's economy and bring it back to the negotiating table. Iran's Parliamentary Speaker and top negotiator says President Trump is trying to divide Iranians and force Tehran to surrender through the blockade.

There's growing evidence that Iran's economy is already in trouble. Iran's national currency has hit a record low against the U.S. dollar. And the country's oil minister is urging the public to cut energy consumption.

Well CNN is covering all the angles of the Iran war. Eleni Giokos is standing by for us in Dubai, but we begin with Paula Hancocks in Abu Dhabi. So, Paula, what is the latest on where things stand with the war in Iran, when Tehran will provide a revised peace proposal and, of course, other efforts to bring this conflict to an end?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, we have been hearing from sources close to the mediation that there could be an updated proposal from Tehran today, so this Friday.

Now, we heard from Pakistan's Prime Minister, Pakistan, of course, being the mediator in this process, telling his cabinet that the Iranian foreign minister had, quote, "assured me that he would give me an answer." So they're certainly expecting some kind of revised proposal.

It is a proposal in its previous iteration that President Trump had signaled he would not be accepting the fact that it was going to look at having a peace deal and opening the Strait of Hormuz while tabling the thorny issues of the nuclear program until later.

Now, we've heard from the U.S. President that these negotiations are ongoing at this point and they are ongoing by telephone. Let's listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I always like face to face, you know, I consider it better. But when you have to fly 18 hours every time you want to have a meeting and you know what the meeting is all about and you know they're going to give you a piece of paper that you don't like before you even leave, it's ridiculous.

They've come a long way. The question is whether or not they're going to go far enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: So the naval blockade is very much in focus from Tehran's point of view. We did see that there was a meeting with President Trump and his top aides in the White House on Wednesday. Also, oil and energy executives were there, it was hosted by the Treasury secretary.

And according to White House officials, the discussion was how to extend this naval blockade, how to lessen the damage, the economic impact on the American public if this blockade on Iranian ports and Iranian vessels were to be extended.

Now, we've heard from U.S. Central Command that some 42 vessels at this point have been redirected as part of this blockade. They believe this is a successful military strategy and we have had a response from Iran as well.

[03:04:55]

We've heard from a top military adviser to the supreme leader this through state media saying that Iran will not tolerate an extension of this U.S. naval blockade, saying, quote, "if the blockade continues, Iran will respond." So certainly it appears as though this is having an impact. But of course, not only is it having an economic impact on Iran, it's having an impact on the rest of the world as well. So there is a sense of both sides waiting to see if the other is going

to blink when it comes to this economic pain. But certainly what we're hearing from sources is that there is intense diplomacy behind the scenes at this point. And potentially we could hear something as early as today. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Thank you for that, Paula. And Eleni, we've seen oil prices surge. Tell us more about that and what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we're seeing now is basically a wartime high on Brent crude, which, of course, is just very indicative of the fact that you've got the standoff between Iran and the United States when it comes to the Strait of Hormuz. You've got two sides with two maximalist approaches.

And the collateral damage, frankly, is the global economy. Brent crude's sitting at just below $123 a barrel, WTI at $108.

And Rosemary, I mean, the question becomes who's going to buckle first? You know, the Iranians believe that they're exerting so much pressure on the global economy that it's going to become untenable for the U.S. And then they're hoping that the U.S. is going to remove that naval blockade.

And U.S. CENTCOM also saying there are 41 tankers right now with 69 million barrels of oil at an estimated value of $6 billion-plus, from which Iran's leadership cannot financially benefit. And they're trying to show that the U.S. naval blockade is having an impact on Iran's economy.

And you mentioned this. I mean, we've got an issue with the currency in Iran. You have major concerns about storage capabilities there. That could force them to switch off the taps on oil fields, and that is not easily turned back on.

I also want to quickly take a look at what U.S. gas prices are doing, because it's definitely feeding through into the average price. According to AAA right now, U.S. gas prices per gallon are sitting at $4.23. And it's, you know, very sort of focused on what is happening in the global economy that is feeding through into the U.S. economy as well, some states having much higher prices than others. But the national average is far higher than many had anticipated.

You know, Ghalibaf, which is the parliamentary speaker in Iran, he posted this. He says "That was the kind of junk advice the U.S. administration gets from people like Bessent," he's referring to the Treasury Secretary," who also pushed the blockade theory and cranked up oil to $120 a barrel.

He says "Next stop is $140. The issue isn't theory, it's the mindset."

In the meantime, President Trump, in an interview to Axios, said this, "They are choking like a stuffed pig and it is going to be worse for them. They cannot have a nuclear weapon." And basically referring to, you know, the storage capabilities in Iran

and importantly that the Iranians want to discuss the Strait of Hormuz first and then the nuclear option much later. So when are they going to see eye to eye?

In the meantime, this is happening very publicly. It's happening on social media where we're seeing exchange of words. The question is what is happening behind the scenes to try and temper the rise in oil prices now that there's a clear message, we don't know what the timeline is in terms of ending the war specifically after President Trump says that perhaps ending the war in Ukraine and ending this war in Iran perhaps are on the same tide table.

When that happens, we just don't know.

CHURCH: Exactly. Eleni Giokos and Paula Hancocks, many thanks to you both for those live reports. I appreciate it.

Well, earlier I spoke with Mehran Kamrava, a professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, and I asked him how he believes the Iran conflict will end. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEHRAN KAMRAVA, PROF. OF GOVERNMENT, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY IN QATAR: Neither side is willing to look as if they're giving in on their maximalist demands. And it is not inconceivable for them to come up with win-win scenarios.

Unfortunately, there are two factors at work here. One is the fact that both the Iranians and the Americans appear to have very different conceptions about mediation.

The Americans want something quick and swift and decisive. The Iranians want a prolonged negotiation. The other is the fact that they're negotiating in public as opposed to behind closed doors.

And so the fact that they are putting so much of their reputation on the line globally before the global public opinion really hampers the ability to move forward on substantive issues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: New video into CNN shows Israeli forces intercepting an aid flotilla heading to Gaza. And you can see armed security forces boarding one of the boats in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast. Israeli military are jamming communications and aggressively detaining civilians.

[03:10:08]

Israel's foreign ministry called the flotilla a P.R. stunt and alleged that condoms and drugs were found on board the vessels, a claim the flotilla spokesperson denies.

The foreign policy adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is blaming Hezbollah for renewed fighting, accusing the Iran-backed group of breaching the ceasefire. Video on Wednesday showed Israeli military vehicles driving along Israel's northern border with southern Lebanon, where new strikes were reported. The Lebanese national news agency says Israeli strikes in the south of the country killed at least five people, including a family of three.

The comments from Benjamin Netanyahu's adviser came during an interview with CNN's Jim Sciutto. And here's more of what he had to say about the ongoing fighting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OPHIR FALK, FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER TO NETANYAHU: Hezbollah is breaching the ceasefire. That's not surprising and we're hitting them back. We're hitting them back very hard.

In essence, we had a ceasefire in November 24, and Hezbollah breached the ceasefire. And that's why we had to go back to war. We've taken out 6000 Hezbollah terrorists, and we want to forge peace with Lebanon.

We have a mutual interest of having peace. Lebanon and Israel have a mutual interest of dismantling Hezbollah and to forge peace.

Now, what's changed since November 24? The main thing that's changed is that Hezbollah has been degraded. We've degraded Hezbollah significantly, the IDF has.

And that will enable, hopefully, that will hopefully enable the Lebanese government and Lebanon to step up to the plate and to take their country back and to take out Hezbollah and to, it's about time to have their country back.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Okay. It sounds like you're saying that Israel and Hezbollah are still at war, so that would seem to indicate there is no ceasefire.

FALK: Hezbollah breached the ceasefire. They're shooting missiles into our city centers, cluster bombs against civilians, and we're hitting them back. We're hitting the terrorists.

Hezbollah, which is a terrorist organization, a proxy of Iran, has taken Lebanon hostage for the past decade or so, the past couple of decades, actually. And they target civilians, and we target Hezbollah terrorists. That's the main difference between us.

And we have to dismantle them. That's the mutual interest of the Lebanese government and of Israel and that's going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Police have released bodycam footage showing the aftermath of a stabbing of two Jewish men in London. In the video, officers confront and tase the suspect shortly after Wednesday's attack.

Police say the suspect has a history of violence and mental health issues. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Police say both victims are in stable condition.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the stabbing an utterly appalling anti-Semitic attack. It's the latest in a string of attacks targeting London's Jewish community.

Former FBI Director James Comey makes his first court appearance as President Trump reacts to Comey's indictment for allegedly threatening him with a message spelled out in seashells.

Plus, the end of an era for Jerome Powell, he's stepping down as Federal Reserve Chair next month. But he won't be going far. What he said in his final press conference, that's next.

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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.

Another big blow to America's landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. In a 6- 3 ruling, the Supreme Court scrapped Louisiana's contested congressional map, which added a second black Democratic lawmaker to the state's overwhelmingly white Republican delegation. The court called the 2024 map an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

The decision upholds a lower court's ruling that Louisiana's mapmakers relied too heavily on race to create that second majority black district. The court's three liberal justices filed a long dissent accusing their conservative colleagues of destroying the Voting Rights Act and setting back racial equality in elections. The first black woman elected to Congress from Alabama also slammed the ruling.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TERI SEWELL (D-AL): The Supreme Court has opened the door to a coordinated attack on black voters across this country. This is an outright power grab.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Barack Obama agrees this will weaken the voting power of racial minorities. The former U.S. President adding that the decision, quote, "serves as just one more example of how a majority of the current court seems intent on abandoning its vital role in ensuring equal participation in our democracy and protecting the rights of minority groups against majority overreach."

President Trump did not seem familiar with the case. This was his reaction.

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TRUMP: When did it come out just now?

REPORTER: No, it came out this morning, but basically very much narrows the Voting Rights Act.

TRUMP: Was he considered a win for--

REPORTER: A win for the Republicans.

TRUMP: I love it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Former FBI Director James Comey is free without conditions for now after his initial court appearance. He surrendered to law enforcement in Virginia on Wednesday after an indictment accusing him of threatening President Trump.

[03:20:09]

Last year, Comey posted, then removed, a photo on Instagram of seashells spelling out 86-47. The Justice Department claims that's a threat to kill Donald Trump, the 47th President.

On Wednesday, Trump said he believes his life was probably in danger.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: 86, you know, it's a mob term for kill him. You ever see the movies? 86 him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Comey's attorneys say they will file motions accusing the Justice Department of vindictive prosecution. Democrats and even some Republicans called the charges against Comey a stretch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. THOM TILLIS (R-NC): I searched to the end of the Internet last night. I can't find one example where the number 86 had anything to do with any violent threat. So hopefully there's more to it than just the picture in the sand.

Otherwise, I just think it's another example of where we're going to regret this because we're setting a fairly low bar and political physics, like I've said around here for years, is what it is. For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Joining me now to talk more about this is Areva Martin, civil rights attorney and legal affairs commentator. Good to have you with us.

AREVA MARTIN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY AND LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Thank you for having me.

CHURCH: So former FBI Director James Comey surrendered to authorities and appeared in federal court Wednesday after a second indictment was issued by President Trump's Department of Justice, this time over an alleged threat to kill the President, when he posted a photo of seashells on a beach showing the numbers 86-47. For now, he is free without conditions. So how do you think this will hold up in court?

MARTIN: The reality is the First Amendment protection for symbolic speech is robust, even if the speech is considered offensive speech. The government has to prove that this was a true threat.

And there's case law clearly that will be precedent and will be the authority in this case that the prosecution has to prove that James Comey intended to communicate a serious threat of violence to the President. And the arrangement of seashells in numeric ways, the reposting of this on social media does not meet that standard.

CHURCH: And when President Trump was asked directly on Wednesday whether that image of 86-47 written with seashells was a threat to his life, he said, probably, I don't know. And he then defended the Comey indictment by saying 86 is a mob term for kill him. How would that stand up in court?

MARTIN: Well, first of all, 86 is a slang term that's used in a lot of different contexts. It can be used in a restaurant. It can be used to say throw that out.

You can imagine in a restaurant the soup is old or the meal of the day is old, and some manager says 86 that soup, meaning get rid of that soup. So I take exception with the President's characterization of 86 as being some kind of mob term or some kind of term meant to kill.

I don't think that's clearly established at all. And that term can be subjectively interpreted by lots of different people in lots of different ways.

CHURCH: But Comey's attorneys plan to accuse the Justice Department of vindictive prosecution to punish Comey for criticizing the President. That's the same argument they raised last year after Comey was indicted in a separate case that was later thrown out. How might this argument go this time around?

MARTIN: I think, again, the Comey defense to this case is strong. It was strong before, and I think it remains to be strong. There is, again, precedent.

Nixon v. Fitzgerald, a case about vindictive prosecution. When the government targets its political enemies, and we know that Trump considers James Comey an enemy, when they target those enemies with novel legal theories like the one in this case, there is a precedent for those cases failing.

And I believe even if this case reaches the Supreme Court, even with a conservative majority, even with a court that has been favorable to Trump, I cannot see any scenario under which James Comey will be held accountable for exercising his First Amendment rights.

CHURCH: And you mentioned intent. What proof does the DOJ have of Comey's intent to threaten the President, besides a photo of seashells? And what does happen next, do you think?

MARTIN: At this point, we've not heard of any additional evidence other than that photograph, other than the seashells arranged in numbers.

[03:24:59]

Now, there may be some additional evidence that the prosecution comes forward with. Maybe they try to establish that Comey had a history of criticizing Donald Trump. Maybe they try to establish that he had some other social media posts, and their reactions to that post, or the way people interpreted the post, again, is somehow threatening.

They may try to introduce expert testimony on what 86 means, again, trying to give some violent meaning to it. But at this point, Rosemary, we don't have any evidence that the DOJ has anything beyond the photo. So it's very likely that there's very little else out there to support this prosecution.

CHURCH: Areva Martin, thank you so much for joining us. I appreciate it.

MARTIN: Thank you.

CHURCH: The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady during Jerome Powell's final meeting as chair. Speaking after Wednesday's meeting, Powell said he will step aside when his term ends on May 15th, but he'll remain on the Central Bank's board for now at least.

He emphasized the uncertainties around the Iran war and the growing division within the Fed's rate-setting committee. And he warned about continued political attacks on the Fed's independence. Powell also said the decision about his future was based on the possibility that the Justice Department could reopen an investigation into him and testimony he gave to Congress last year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: Do you need more assurance from the Justice Department before stepping down? Is that what you're waiting for or what else is going to affect your decision?

JEROME POWELL, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: I'm waiting for the investigation to be well and truly over with finality and transparency. And I'm waiting for that. And I will leave when I think it's appropriate to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: President Trump's nominee to succeed Powell, Kevin Warsh, is expected to advance to the broader Senate chamber for a final vote.

Still to come, King Charles and Queen Camilla prepare for the final day of their events on their trip to the U.S. We will show you how the Royals spent a busy day in New York. Back with that and more in just a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom," I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check today's top stories for you.

Brent crude oil prices, the global benchmark, briefly surged above $125 a barrel earlier today, this comes as President Donald Trump mulls an extended blockade of Iranian ports. Sources say the strategy is to tighten the grip on Iran's economy to force Tehran back to the negotiating table.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is urging his U.S. counterpart not to resume strikes on Iran. According to Moscow, Putin told President Trump that the entire world will pay the price if the fighting returns. The two leaders held a 90-minute phone call on Wednesday.

Former FBI Director James Comey is free without conditions after his first court appearance. The Justice Department charged him on Tuesday with threatening President Trump in a social media post of seashells spelling out 86-47. Comey's attorneys call the case a vindictive prosecution.

In the coming hours, King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to wrap up their visit to the U.S. with a final day of events. The royals spend Wednesday in New York with a packed schedule of appearances. CNN's Max Foster has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: After all the pomp and pageantry of Washington, the King and Queen headed to New York. It started in a somber tone, in a memorial for 9/11 victims and laying wreaths in their memory, meeting family members of the victims and first responders.

Many thousands died in that attack and the King was keen yesterday to emphasize how Britain stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States in the response to the attack in the war in Afghanistan.

They then went their separate ways. The Queen to a literacy event, there were some pretty big names there. The actress Sarah Jessica Parker, former "Vogue" editor Anna Wintour.

There was a tribute there to Winnie the Pooh, which of course is a great British export showing how much the U.K. contributed to New York culture, broadly to American culture, again reflecting many of the themes in the King's speech to Congress on Tuesday.

The King headed to Harlem for a community project, help kids feed some chickens. He's all about healthy food, wanted to promote that. Also about the environment, organic farming for example, and there was an opportunity for him to do that in Harlem whilst meeting members of the community.

So this is the part of the state visit which is about meeting the American people. It's not just about appealing to Congress and to President Trump, it's about showing that these are two cultures, the British and the American, where we come from similar roots and those bonds endure.

Despite all the political ups and downs in the U.K.-American relationship in recent times, on Thursday they'll head to Virginia to meet small-town America, if you like, Main Street, where they can again connect with local communities.

Max Foster, CNN, Washington D.C.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And we'll be right back.

[03:35:10]

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CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom." These are your business headlines.

[03:40:03]

Elon Musk is expected to finish testifying today against OpenAI after a combative cross-examination on Wednesday. Musk insists the company betrayed its initial non-profit mission and also him by creating a for-profit subsidiary. But OpenAI says it was Musk who pushed for profits and that he left because he couldn't have total control over the company.

The world's largest electric car company BYD tells CNN it doesn't need the U.S. to stay on top. Chinese automakers remain largely shut out of the U.S. market due to tariffs and national security concerns. BYD says it doesn't rely on American sales to be the market leader, but added that President Trump's expected visit to China next month could change the dynamics.

The "Wall Street Journal" reports Saudi Arabia is expected to pull its funding for the upstart LIV Golf League. The journal cites people familiar with the matter, saying that Liv planned to inform players and staff by Thursday that its backing is expected to be withdrawn at the end of the season. Saudi Arabia is reportedly rethinking its investment as the Iran war disrupts global oil markets.

The world's most decorated Olympic gymnast says it's still up in the air whether she'll compete at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. You may remember, of course, Biles withdrew from some Tokyo Olympic events in 2021 after suffering a mental block known as the twisties. Biles opened up about her mental health journey with our Amanda Davies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: As time has gone on with a bit of space and distance from what happened in Tokyo, how do you view it now?

SIMON BILES, 11-TIME OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: Well, I think it was very good globally to have that conversation on the topic of mental health. But other than that, I feel like it showed the realness to me because everyone thought I was a robot.

She's not real, but it's like down to the core. I'm just like you guys, I am real. There's rawness to it.

But most importantly, it got me the therapy that I deserved and I'm still currently in therapy. And now I look at it as being courageous and not so much a weakness, which before that was not the case.

DAVIES: How hard in that moment was it to find the strength to say what you needed to say and do what you needed to do?

BILES: I would say it was really difficult because we're not somebody or gymnasts aren't viewed as people who have weaknesses. And that was the first time that weakness was displayed on a global stage like that.

DAVIES: But is it a weakness?

BILES: I mean, I guess I would say vulnerable then. But I had a lot of help. And my group -- my core group was really helpful in letting me know that it's okay.

People go through this and you're just human.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: She is incredible.

Thank you so much for your company, I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "World Sport" is coming up next.

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