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Trump: U.S. Strikes On Iran A "Spectacular Military Success"; IDF: Iran Fires First Missiles At Israel Since U.S. Strikes; U.S. Used "Bunker Buster" Bombs In Iran Nuclear Facility Strikes; Iran FM: U.S. Strikes Will Have "Everlasting Consequences". U.S. Strikes Iran; Defense Secretary Speaks on Iran Strikes; Iranian FM Says U.S. Strikes Will Have "Everlasting Consequences". Aired 7-8a ET

Aired June 22, 2025 - 07:00   ET

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

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[07:01:04]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN HOST: Good morning to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm John Berman in New York. This is CNN special coverage.

We are standing by as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Joint Chiefs of Staff will soon brief reporters at the Pentagon for the first time since the strikes on Iran. Just minutes ago, Iran's foreign minister says it is his country's right to defend itself.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

ABBAS ARAGHCHI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: The U.S. administration holds sole and full responsibility for the consequences of its actions, including the Islamic Republic of Iran's right to self- defense under the principles of the United Charter. In accordance with the U.N. Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its security interests and people.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

BERMAN: For the first time ever, the United States utilized 30,000- pound bunker-busting bombs, a dozen of them, on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. This is some imagery about how these devices work. And we have satellite images showing the aftermath at Fordo. President Trump says he will do it again if necessary.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

BERMAN: The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the president for this action.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: President Trump and I often say, peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.

President Trump, I thank you.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

BERMAN: Now, in the aftermath, Iran did launch fresh strikes on Israel, hitting Tel Aviv and other areas. We're hearing now at least 86 people were hurt.

We have team coverage this morning on this breaking news from Washington to the Middle East. Let's start in Israel now, the site of some of these attacks, the Iranian response. Jeremy Diamond is there. Jeremy, what are you seeing and hearing this morning?

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, this morning, John, we saw Iran's first response to those U.S. strikes on several nuclear facilities. A barrage of more than 20 ballistic missiles was fired towards Israel. We saw that there were several impact sites. It's not clear exactly how many, but certainly one of them was extraordinarily clear to us. And that was in the northern part of Tel Aviv, where you saw residential buildings that were partially destroyed by the power of that ballistic missile, a scene that we have seen repeated time and again over the course of the last week.

But now, of course, it comes with greater implications and questions about how much more will we see from Iran in terms of retaliation for those strikes on its nuclear facilities overnight. This may just be the beginning, of course, of that Iranian response. At least 86 people were injured in those Iranian strikes that came this morning.

No fatalities thus far as people are heeding the instructions of Israel's home front command and heading into bomb shelters as those air raid sirens do indeed sound. But there's no question that people here are at a heightened state of alert.

[07:05:07]

Schools and workplaces have been closed for the day as people are told to remain near to shelters and be prepared for additional missiles to be fired. Ultimately, the question as well, though, in this region is, will there be direct Iranian retaliation towards the United States and its military personnel and assets in the region?

We know that there are some 40,000 American troops who are stationed in the Middle East, some of them just dozens of miles away from Iranian territory in Iraq, in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and in Qatar. Those sites, much easier for Iran to strike using conventional missiles, not necessarily needing those ballistic missiles that they have been firing at Israel, which is much further away than those Gulf countries where we have thousands of U.S. troops that are indeed stationed.

The Iranians at this stage, they are saying that they are not sure how much room there is for diplomacy following those U.S. strikes. But, of course, we know that President Trump has said Iran needs to come to the table, they need to make a deal in the wake of these strikes, and they need to do so quickly to avert further U.S. strikes in Iran. John?

BERMAN: Jeremy Diamond for us in Tel Aviv with the latest from there. We saw some of the pictures of the whole facade ripped off an Israeli apartment building.

Jeremy, we'll come back to you in a little bit.

We heard from President Trump who called the attack on the Iranian nuclear sites a spectacular military success. We are standing by for a briefing at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the chair of the Joint Chiefs.

Let's go to the White House. CNN Senior White House Reporter Betsy Klein is with us this morning. Betsy, the mood behind you, what are you hearing this morning?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, so far it's quiet here at the White House, but President Trump has no public events on his schedule today, but they are closely monitoring Iran's next moves for all of the reasons that Jeremy Diamond just laid out. And we heard just a few moments ago from the FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino who said in a post to social media that here in the U.S. assets are, quote, "fully engaged".

Now, the president has spent the last several days with his team really deliberating over whether to move forward with U.S. involvement in this conflict. He was hearing from a wide range of allies and advisers that were divided by the more MAGA isolationist side of his party advocating amid concerns about the possibility of this spiraling into a more prolonged conflict as well as the more conservative hawkish voices who were advocating for U.S. intervention here.

Ultimately, sources say that President Trump decided to move forward when it became clear that diplomatic efforts were stalled. The president hailing these strikes as a spectacular military success. Of course, we'll see in the coming hours and days if that is indeed the case. The president now calling for Iran to come back to the negotiating table and warning of more attacks if they do not do so.

But the president all along has said he does not want Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. He laid out some more of his rationale last night. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

TRUMP: For 40 years, Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over a thousand people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate.

In particular, so many were killed by their general, Qasem Soleimani. I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

KLEIN: We have learned that the president and his team informed top congressional Republicans prior to these strikes. They did not, however, tell top Democrats beforehand. We are also awaiting that press conference at the Pentagon just moments from now, John.

BERMAN: Standing by for that. Betsy Klein up early at the White House for us this morning. Thank you very much.

Of course, these U.S. B-2 bombers dropped several 30,000-pound bombs known as these bunker-busters on two Iranian nuclear sites. This is the first known instance of these weapons being used in conflict.

With us now, CNN National Security Correspondent Natasha Bertrand standing by for us at the Pentagon where we are about to hear this briefing, I should say. What are you learning about how this attack was carried out?

NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, according to officials, the U.S. deployed six B-2 bombers all the way starting at their main base here in Missouri, at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. And they traveled about 37 hours to their target in Iran, where they then dropped at least 12 bunker-buster bombs on just one facility, Fordo facility, as well as bombing the two other nuclear facilities inside Iran as well.

[07:10:03]

And that is a massive amount of ordinance. That is over 300,000 pounds worth of explosives that were dropped on Fordo alone. And it really also demonstrates here the fact that the U.S. can get these bombers really anywhere in the world within a matter of hours.

Now, we had seen yesterday that there were some bombers that were going westward over the Pacific. That appears to have been somewhat of a diversion. In fact, the whole time there appeared to have been these B-2 bombers that were coming from the United States, and that hit Iranian targets at about 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time yesterday.

And so right now what we're expecting is for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as well as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, to give reporters more details about how this operation unfolded, just how many U.S. servicemembers, of course, were involved in this, the planning that went into it. This is going to be the first time, actually, since Secretary of Defense Hegseth came into office that he is going to be briefing reporters. And, of course, it's amid this major military operation.

Now, of course, another question that reporters are going to have here is the risks to U.S. servicemembers in the region. There are about 40,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East right now. There are a number of bases that Iran and its proxies can still reach with its missiles.

And so we have seen these proxies carry out attacks against U.S. forces before, most notably last year in January of 2024 when Iranian proxies attacked a U.S. base on the border of Jordan and Syria and killed three U.S. servicemembers. So those attacks have proven to be lethal. It remains unclear whether Iran is going to move forward with that. But, of course, it's one of the main concerns that the U.S. military is going to have now, protecting its many, many troops in the region, John.

BERMAN: Natasha Bertrand for us at the Pentagon this morning, where, again, we are standing by for this briefing a few minutes from now. The first time we'll hear from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth since the attacks. And, as Natasha points out, the first time we'll hear from him briefing at the Pentagon at all since he became defense secretary.

Now, speaking just a short time ago, Iran's foreign minister condemned the attacks and called on the U.N. Security Council to convene an emergency session. He also said Iran is left with no choice but to respond.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

ARAGHCHI: My country has been under attack, under aggression, and we have to respond based on our legitimate drive of self-defense. And we will do that as long as needed and necessary.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

BERMAN: You heard him say, we have to respond. The question is, but how?

With us now, CNN Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour. We have to respond, he says. And that is one of the big questions this morning. How will Iran respond? What do you think about this?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, I mean, honestly, that is the big question because you just started with the report from Israel. This is par for the course. It's been going on between Israel and Iran for the last eight days. Israel hits, Iran hits back, and on and on and on.

But now the new element that's been introduced is exactly, as you say, will U.S. targets anywhere in that region or elsewhere be hit, as the foreign minister said, in retaliation and for self-defense? You know, they have short-range missiles, as Natasha was just saying, that can reach bases that U.S. have in that region.

They have ability in the Persian Gulf to disrupt oil and other transport through the Straits of Hormuz. They have that kind of ability. They do not have the kind of ability that could reach the United States. So that's not an issue. But there are other areas.

Not only that, you know, America's Gulf allies are host also to bases, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, et cetera, et cetera. And that would pose a big problem for the U.S., for those allies, and actually even for Iran, because they have just had, you know, better relations with those nations now in the last year or so, and they don't want to alienate those nations. So it's very, very difficult to see what exactly will happen and how extensive any retaliation will be.

What you also have -- what we all have to figure with is that Iran, for the entirety of the Iranian revolution and the Republic -- the Islamic Republic, has been most importantly focused on regime survival. So, sure, there's been a lot of regime targets taken out over the last eight days by Israel, notably military commanders, intelligence chiefs, domestic commanders who are used for domestic security and other control. There have been scientists, nuclear scientists taken out, and et cetera, et cetera.

So what the -- the regime is clearly feeling, you know, more vulnerable than it ever has, and it doesn't have a huge number of options, but it also wants to survive.

[07:15:09]

So this is going to be the thing that they're going to have to decide how to respond, whether to come back to the table, whether to respond, you know, militarily in any which way, and we'll see how that goes. It's impossible to know at this time, other than the words that you just heard from the foreign minister.

One last thing. He basically kept saying, and this has been, you know, from Iran ever since last Friday, that they have wanted to do diplomacy. They thought they were in a proper diplomatic event, if you like, with the United States. All the rounds that they've had with Steven Witkoff, the special envoy, they thought that was actually real.

And now they actually think it was a deception because of both times the strikes have happened, have been with the idea of diplomacy happening exactly that time as well. So that is, you know, going to be part of their calculations as well.

BERMAN: Christiane, I think all morning you've been correctly asking a question about the endgame here. What is the endgame now that the United States entered this conflict in a way it never has before, but not just what's the endgame for the United States, what's the endgame for Iran, and what's the endgame for Israel, and do these three align at all?

AMANPOUR: Well, as I said, Iran is for regime survival and wants to do what it can to make sure that happens. It had thought it was into a negotiated period with the United States. It never accepted that it had been told it had 60 days, and on day 61 it was going to, as was in the, you know, as was said last week, it was going to get bombed.

For Israel, clearly regime change is the ultimate goal of Israel, one way or another, to feel that they have eliminated any kind of nuclear threat. So that, I guess, is their ultimate goal. And for President Trump, it's unclear whether it is regime change, but clearly also it is to eliminate any nuclear threat.

Look, everybody says President Trump has made it clear that he would never accept a nuclear weapon. Everybody has made it clear that they would never accept an Iran with a nuclear weapon. That was the whole point of the diplomacy back in 2015, to finally try to get what the world thought was the biggest threat from Iran, which was, you know, if it decided to weaponize its nuclear program, and they came up with the JCPOA, which was the nuclear deal between the United States and Iran, and ratified by all members of the U.N. Security Council, which frankly never happens, as you know.

Russia, U.S., China, everybody, all voting in the same way to ratify that actual deal. Not ratified by the U.S. Senate, but by the international community. So that was then destroyed because of lobbying by Netanyahu and at the time some of the Gulf allies, and President Trump decided to pull out of it.

And in the interim, Iran has decided to show its capability and has been enriching uranium up to 60 percent. But U.S. intelligence and global intelligence, other than Israel, says that they have not seen any move towards either making a political decision to militarize, or indeed if it did so, it would take several years to actually be able to launch a conventional -- well not conventional, but a nuclear weapon.

They could do a dirty thing, you know, all sorts of sub-full nuclear weapons, but it is deemed impossible for the next several years. So the question is of the timing, and therefore the question is of the endgame, as you say. And we haven't really heard a full endgame. You know, we just don't know what the exit ramp is, what the exit strategy is.

And for Israel, it wants security in its whole region, but it at the moment can't get that from its key Arab, you know, players there, like Saudi Arabia, because of its war in Gaza. And that is something that's, you know, a big problem if you want to solve the entire situation there, because Saudi Arabia says it won't normalize until there's an end to the war in Gaza and a route for a Palestinian state. So it's a very, very big and complicated picture.

And these three people will be making their decisions, and Netanyahu, Trump, and Khamenei.

BERMAN: Let's focus on the last one for just a moment, because we have not heard from Iran's supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, yet since these attacks. What does that silence tell you? What do you expect we might hear from him? AMANPOUR: Unclear. I don't have a crystal ball or the intelligence, but it did take him a little bit to respond after the first wave of Israeli attacks last Friday. He did, but it was a taped message from wherever he might have been in a secure location. Then it was sent to the state TV.

[07:20:02]

In the interim, state TV has been bombed by Israel, but I think it's still somewhat operational, perhaps. In any event, they know how to get things out. But it's very difficult. Internet connectivity is down, by and large. But if they want to send a message, presumably they can.

I have been told by sources who have spoken to, you know, key people inside Iran that he's still there and he's still in charge of, quote unquote, "the defense of the nation," and he has named -- this is New York Times reporting now -- he has named all the commanders to replace all those that Israel took out, and he has also issued several names for the, you know, for the group to decide who will succeed him as so- called supreme leader if, in fact, he's taken out.

So there seems to be a lot of -- they're still in charge. The question is, what actually can they do? And I think that is really the big question right now.

BERMAN: And we are standing by to see what their response will be.

Christiane Amanpour, thank you.

And to the point that Christiane was just making, we did just get a statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard saying that the U.S. strikes will cause deep regret, adding, "Today's act of aggression by the terrorist American regime has granted the Islamic Republic of Iran the legitimate right to act in self-defense, including through options that go beyond the delusional calculations of the aggressor coalition." Again, that's a new statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the most bellicose we have heard yet since the U.S. attack on the nuclear reactors inside that country.

Our breaking news coverage continues. We are standing by for this press conference from the Pentagon. The first time we'll hear from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth since these attacks. CNN special coverage continues right after this.

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[07:26:40]

BERMAN: All right, the breaking news, the U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. We just got reaction from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Let me read you their statement. It said, "Today's act of aggression by the terrorist American regime has granted the Islamic Republic of Iran the legitimate right to act in self-defense, including through options that go beyond the delusional calculations of the aggressive -- the aggressor coalition." I want to bring in CNN Security Analyst David Sanger, CNN Military Analyst Major General James "Spider" Marks, retired from the U.S. Army. David Sanger, let me start with you. Of course, your reaction to that statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, the legitimate right to act in self-defense, including options that go beyond things that the United States might have thought about.

DAVID SANGER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, John, through the first 8 or 10 hours of this, I've actually been surprised at how mild the Iranian reaction has been. I mean, imagine the IRGC's embarrassment at this moment, because you had at least six, probably more B-2s fly into their airspace pretty much unopposed and hit targets, and this whole thing was pretty well telegraphed, right? I mean, they may not have known exactly when they were coming, but they knew they were coming.

That said, I think the IRGC is probably trying to figure out what capabilities it has left. It can shoot missiles, as you were just discussing before with Christiane, but in October, the Israelis took out the equipment that's needed to actually make new solid fuel for those missiles. So everyone they shoot off is an asset that they can't really replace. So I think they're going to be a little bit careful.

And I suspect that's going to take us to all of the asymmetric things they can do, cyber along the way, terrorism. I think that they're probably going to be looking for things where the U.S. cannot just put up the traditional defenses.

BERMAN: Spider, if we can put up on the map, the regional map here, so people can see in terms of a direct military response, there is some irony here in that U.S. assets are actually a lot closer to Iran than Israel is. Israel -- you know, Iran has been using some of its longer middle range and longer missiles to do, but the United States has forces, you can see right there in that map, you know, really close to Iran, whether it be in Kuwait or Bahrain or the UAE here. Talk to me about the threat that U.S. forces are under this morning.

MAJOR GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: As David indicated, Israel did a pretty good job of damaging Iran's capacity to launch its rather robust missile inventory. Several things have taken place over the course of Israel's campaign the last nine days or so. Primary among those is attacking the transporter erector launchers, those things that have to launch the missile.

You can have all the missiles in the world if you can't get them there. So that has been rather successful, and that will continue. I would anticipate that Israel will continue to go after that delivery capacity. And also the ability of the IRGC, albeit wounded, it still has some tremendous capacity. It has, I would say, sleeper agents. It has capabilities that are already within the region, and then outside the region, not just -- you know, we can focus in on the region, but we are vulnerable also in Europe and elsewhere around the world where the IRGC has either influence or can make things happen asymmetrically against those targets.

But again, we are -- we, the United States and our presence overseas, we are in a posture routinely that acknowledges, that prepares for that, and stays tuned and is in a position to not only respond, but to hopefully get ahead of that before any of those possibilities can be realized.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: David Sanger, Christiane Amanpour has been on with us all morning talking about questions about the U.S. end game here. And you've got a terrific piece that came out in The New York Times overnight. I don't know how you got it up so quickly. Discussing the gamble that the U.S. took here, the size of the gamble. Why is it such a gamble here? What are the possible outcomes, unforeseen outcomes the United States might be dealing with here?

DAVID SANGER, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, a few. I mean, first of all, when the previous presidents have chosen not to do this, they've tried diplomacy, they've tried the Stuxnet cyber-attack 15 years ago. They've tried sabotage with Israel. The Israelis, of course, have tried assassinating nuclear scientists over the years. The reason, John, that they haven't wanted to do a full-on attack is exactly what we're discussing this morning, that you didn't want to risk getting into a full regional war.

Now, President Trump made a different calculus, based on the fact that Iran is so weak at this moment. And so, while he's calling it a preemptive attack to stop them from getting a nuclear weapon, it's more what international lawyers would call preventative war. You know, you are weak, I'm strong, and that's considered to be in most -- in history and in international law, largely illegal.

But the second big gamble, I think along the way here, is how Iran will react. Maybe they'll fold up their nuclear program. But maybe they will come to the opposite conclusion, which is, you know, it's the North Koreans who had this, right. They raced for a bomb. No one's messing with them once they have the nuclear weapon. And so, they may rededicate themselves to this project. Obviously in different places. We don't know completely what they've hidden away. We do know that there are some deep underground locations they've been digging in recent years for the nuclear program that were not hit yesterday.

BERMAN: How will we know and when will we know, Spider, about how successful these attacks were and if the Iranians have the capability to do what David was just suggesting there, maybe take their nuclear program even deeper underground?

MARKS: I'm convinced Iran is not going to give up on this. Look, we've achieved a delaying action, a significant delaying action. And to your very specific question, the bomb damage assessment is going to take place over time. There will be space-based capabilities, there will be imagery that will be available. Also, you know, Israel has penetrated the nuclear development capacity of Iran. So, there will be human intelligence that will be extracted as well. So, we'll end up getting a clearer picture over the course of the next couple of days in terms of what really occurred.

But I think it's also fair to acknowledge there is a difference between gamble and risk. And I think what this administration did is they took a risk based on the fact that the conditions had been set. No air defense capability in Iran. No Hamas, no Hezbollah, no ability on the part of the lead, and a number of leaders within the IRGC and senior leadership have been taken off the board. And now, they're moving new folks up onto that target list, and they know that they're being elevated into a position of increased vulnerability. That's a risk.

A gamble on the other side, I would describe as taking a, you know, a swing, knowing that you may not be able to hit it at all. A risk allows you to moderate and have resources, capabilities to include time to respond.

BERMAN: General and David Sanger, thank you both so much for being with us this morning. Obviously, a lot going on. We are standing by here from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, his first briefing since the U.S. attacks on Iran. Our special coverage continues right after this.

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[07:35:00]

BERMAN: All right. Just in, for the first time we heard from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in reaction to the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, saying that the strikes will cause deep regret. The Revolutionary Guard also says the act of aggression by the terrorist American regime has granted the Islamic Republic the legitimate right to act in self-defense, including through options that go beyond the delusional calculations of the Aggressor Coalition. Again, that's the statement just in from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Back with us, CNN Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour. That statement came out since you and I last spoke. I think the most aggressive response we have heard yet from the Iranians, your take on it.

[07:40:00]

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Unsurprising. This is the -- you know, these are the soldiers that are, you know, tasked with preserving the regime inside and out. And I think also probably trying to make a point that they've taken out a top layer, but they're still there and they're still sending their responses.

What actually happens, we will remain and watch. And again, interesting they're the ones who put it out and Khamenei hasn't as of this moment, the supreme leader. But we will -- we'll wait to see if there's anything there. The Iranian foreign minister who happens to be in Istanbul did have his reaction on behalf of the regime. And it's interesting that both of them are using some words that Trump himself used, for instance, Trump called this the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world. He called Iran a bully.

Well, you heard the Revolutionary Guards called the U.S. now a terrorist regime. And perhaps you heard Araghchi say that the bully in the United States has now taken us to the law of the jungle. Their issue and their position is that they thought they were in proper legitimate diplomatic negotiations in order to resolve the issues over their nuclear program. And not once, but twice were they the recipient of strikes, first by Israel on the cusp of one of those meetings, and now by the United States as negotiations were apparently being given a chance.

Clearly, they hadn't come to a resolution, but the Iranians were saying that they still had things they wanted put on the table and that they still wanted to negotiate. So, they are weak as your other guests have said, as I have said, as is self-evident because of all the proxies that have been taken out, because of all the air defense systems and other military positions and leadership targets in the military that have been taken out.

But you've also seen that they continue to send missiles into Israel and respond to Israel for any missiles that Israel keeps sending in. And now, really the question is what happens with U.S. targets. I think, you know, it -- yes, I mean, look, for all these years, nothing really has been managed to try to get Iran to resolve nuclear questions other than diplomacy. Now, it's military. And we will see, and military hasn't really worked in the past. So, we'll see how this -- what is the result of all of this and what is, and I keep saying, everybody's exit strategy on -- and I mean everybody, what is everybody's exit strategy? What does Israel want, ultimately? What does the U.S. want, ultimately? And what ultimately does the -- this -- you know, the Islamic Republic want? Is survival the most important or what? And we will see.

BERMAN: It was notable that the Revolutionary Guard said explicitly, the response could be through options that go beyond the calculations of the Aggressor Coalition. Sort of an implication there that the reaction could be something other than direct military response. David Sanger was on with us just a second ago talking about Iran's cyber capabilities and obviously, the threat of terrorism that Iran has sponsored over the years there. How much capability does Iran have on those two fronts?

AMANPOUR: Well, quite a lot. Again, we don't know how much of that has been degraded and the -- in the terrorism file, a lot of the proponents of that or rather the foot soldiers were amongst the proxies, the Hezbollah, Hamas, or all the rest of it. So, those have been degraded. And it's not clear that even the remnants of Hezbollah want to be -- have anything to do with it.

There are militants or militias in Iraq that are still strong and are, you know, pro-Iranian militias. So -- and they're -- of course, the Houthis. And then, there's what they might be able to do in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. And as you mentioned, cyber. But this bit is going to be interesting because they have said, you heard the foreign industry say, we must retaliate under international law to defend ourselves and our sovereignty and our people. And by the way, there's been a lot of strikes that have gone into civilian areas in Iran. And as you know, by their count, they have hundreds of dead and more than a thousand wounded. So, they're also having to answer to their people at the moment.

The system has coalesced right now, the Revolutionary Guard, the -- all those people. There's no sign of any dissent and there's no sign of any popular uprising either at the moment. So, I think that's the situation right now. And the regime is going to probably feel under pressure to prove that they can defend their citizens and to prove that they are not just going to unconditionally surrender, as Trump have said. Even while thinking that there may be some kind of compromise over the extent of their enrichment in the future.

[07:45:00]

But again, it just depends on what is Trump's ultimate goal? What is Netanyahu's ultimate goal?

BERMAN: Christiane Amanpour, standby. Obviously much more coming this morning as we wait to hear from the U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He will brief reporters for the first time since the U.S. strikes on the Iranian nuclear facilities. CNN Special Coverage continues right after this.

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[07:50:00]

BERMAN: All right. We are standing by, you're looking at live pictures from the Pentagon. Very shortly now we will hear from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and also the Chair of the Joint Chiefs laying out exactly how this unprecedented U.S. operation unfolded. The United States striking three Iranian nuclear facilities using weapons that have never been dropped before in conflict, the giant bunker busting bombs, the B-2 bombers. Again, we are standing by for that briefing from the Pentagon.

In the meantime, we are hearing from lawmakers, including Democratic Representative Josh Gottheimer, who sits on the Intelligence Committee. He spoke out in support of the action. The destruction of Iran's nuclear program is essential to ultimate peace in the Middle East, he said, this is not a Democratic or Republican issue. Dealing with the Iranian threat is central to America's national security.

With us now is Kurt Volker. He's the former U.S. ambassador to NATO and the former U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations in the first Trump administration. Ambassador Kurt Volker, always great to see you. Talk to me about how this has shifted the ground in the discussion about negotiations, about Iran's nuclear capabilities. What do you see happening next?

KURT VOLKER, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO NATO, FORMER U.S. SPECIAL REP. FOR UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS AND DISTINGUISHED FELLOW, CENTER FOR EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS: Right. So, the first thing, I think we need to see some assessment as to how much damage was actually done, particularly at Fordow. And presumably, Israel will have some intelligence operatives that will be able to get some better information about what remains there. I think we need to know that to know just how far back Iran's nuclear program has been set.

But I think we have to assume that we are looking at a wholesale destruction of Iran's nuclear capabilities and it will be a very long time before those can be reassembled.

In addition, I think Israel is going to continue as strikes against other Ukrainian military capabilities. I think they're going to try to degrade that as much as possible to limit Iran's ability to respond, even though the Iranians claim that they will respond. I think that we do have to watch out for Ukraine -- for Iranian terrorist attacks. That is something that they still have a capability to do. They have people around the world and I think they will look to respond against the United States in some ways. So, we have to be very vigilant on that.

For the time being, Iran says it is more determined than ever to get a nuclear weapon and not to negotiate. That is a matter of capability, however, and I don't think they will have the capability to carry that out anytime soon.

BERMAN: In terms of end game here, do you think -- or how much do you think Israel's end game is aligned right now with the Trump administration's end game here? More and more we hear regime change from the Israelis here. How far do you think the United States is willing to push it?

VOLKER: Well, I don't think that the Trump administration would be opposed if the Iranian people got out in the streets and changed their own regime. If the people of Iran choose something different, then I think they would be fine with that. I don't think the U.S. is prepared to take part in any effort to bring that about directly with either U.S. forces or other foreign forces.

And as far as the alignment goes, I don't think President Trump was going to launch this as a military strike until Israel already did weakened Iran so much that it was clear that we're now running a greater risk of Iran having and determined to get and use a nuclear capability, we had to take it out the rest of the way. But I think President Trump is -- has been clear that he is limiting the U.S. role simply to removing that nuclear program.

BERMAN: We have heard messages of condemnation from regional leaders, including the likes of Saudi Arabia, calling the U.S. attack illegal, saying a violation of Iranian sovereignty. However, how much are these just words? How much do you think that the U.S. actions have upset the apple cart? I see you acknowledging sort of this question with a smile here. How much has really changed other than just words here from some of these regional leaders?

VOLKER: Yes. I don't think this really changes anything. I think those are words to be expected. I think that there's some merit to them, of course, you know, they're looking at predictability in their region. This is something that they would not have predicted. However, they benefit from Iran not having this nuclear program. They're very happy to see that that is removed. I think they'll be happy with a limited U.S. role.

And if we look six months, one year, two years down the road, I think they're going to be seeing a different Middle East and I think one that they will be more comfortable with. BERMAN: Ambassador Kurt Volker, always great to speak with you. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise at this critical moment.

We are standing by. Live pictures there below. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about to speak at the Pentagon. Our first military briefing since the unprecedented U.S. attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities. Stay with us. CNN Special Coverage continues.

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BERMAN: Welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. It is Sunday, June 22nd. I'm John Berman. This is CNN's Special Coverage.

We are standing by as any minute now, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Chair of the Joint Chiefs will brief reporters at the Pentagon on the U.S. military strikes inside Iran on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Now, just moments ago, we did hear from Russia. The foreign minister there said, quote, "The --

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