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U.S. and Iran Wraps Talks in Oman; Russian General Shot and Wounded in Moscow; How Abandoned U.S. Weapons Fuel Violence in Pakistan; Authorities Release New Timeline of Nancy Guthrie's Disappearance; Abu Dhabi Hosts Open Masters Games; Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies Just Hours Away. Aired 10-11a ET

Aired February 06, 2026 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:34]

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: -- our Middle East programing headquarters. I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi, where the time is just after

7:00 in the evening.

For the first time since the U.S. struck Iran back in June of 2025, American and Iranian officials have met for indirect talks in Oman and

signaled that diplomacy will continue.

And in Moscow, a Russian general serving as deputy head of the country's military intelligence was shot and seriously wounded.

Plus, as the urgent search for the mother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie enters its sixth day, her family is pleading with her kidnapers to

reach out.

Well, huge stakes and very deliberate steps. Talks between the United States and Iran have now concluded for now at least, in Oman, with Iran's

foreign minister saying that negotiations will continue at a later time. Here's what he told reporters just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABBAS ARAGHCHI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): This mistrust has been created and this was added to the previous mistrust

between parties. And we want to create a framework, a new framework for negotiations, which would ensure the interests of the people of Iran. But

today's negotiation was carried out in a positive -- positively and it will continue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Right. That's Iran's perspective. The negotiations lasted a few hours and involved in direct communications between the two sides. And they

happened, of course, amid the backdrop of a major U.S. military buildup in the region in seven months after the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites.

Iranian media report Iran's foreign minister gave his Omani counterpart Tehran's proposal on how to, quote, "manage," and I'm quoting them here,

"manage the current situation to advance negotiations."

Well, the U.S. delegation included President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. The U.S. Central Command chief

was also in Oman.

Look, there's a lot to unpack here. Mohammad Ali Shabani is a Middle East scholar and editor of Amwaj.Media and Sanam Vakil is the Middle East and

North Africa program director at Chatham House.

It's good to have, or perhaps just you -- oh, yes, we have you both. That's great. Thank you.

Mohammad, let me start with you as someone who is incredibly plugged in. Can you give us your read on the Iranian foreign minister's message that

we've just played out there and your broader understanding of what went on behind closed doors today?

MOHAMMAD ALI SHABANI, EDITOR, AMWAJ.MEDIA: So thank you for having me, Becky. As you know, the past few days, there's been quite a lot of drama

about something quite as basic as the venue for these talks. Initially it seems they were meant to be held in Istanbul and then moved to Oman. And I

think it wasn't just about the venue itself, it was about the scope of the talks.

I think there was a lot of pressure on Iran to talk about non-nuclear issues, specifically the region, Iran's ties to its regional allies and

also its ballistic missile program, which is also a concern for regional states. So I think them moving talks to Oman signal that they want them to

be nuclear only.

I think today in the talks, they were nuclear only. And I think essentially what was agreed was to continue talking. And even though that may not make

headlines, I think it's a great step forward. Iranian sources I've spoken to say it was a good, quote, "kick start."

ANDERSON: Yes. Well, that's fascinating.

Sanam, let me bring you in here. What do you make of what we heard earlier and what we know as the Iranian foreign minister reaching out to Oman and

suggesting that they manage the current situation to advance negotiations? What does that mean to you?

SANAM VAKIL, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA PROGRAM DIRECTOR, CHATHAM HOUSE: Well, the Omanis are really Tehran's most trusted interlocutor. Not only

have they played this role even last year, where there were rounds going back and forth between the Trump administration and Tehran, but they've

done so historically, dating back to the Obama administration, when the first sort of indirect or backchannel talks took off to get us to the

JCPOA.

[10:05:08]

So Oman is Iran's partner of choice and ultimately Tehran was looking to prevent other regional states. I think Tehran was appreciative of the

regional efforts and lobbying, but didn't want to muddy the waters in what is really a very complicated and time sensitive negotiation.

What I'm worried about, while it's great news that they're saying they're going to reconvene the fact that they have to reconvene in capitals will

drag this out. And I'm concerned about the pressure, President Trump's patience and attention span. And hopefully there will be continued

momentum.

ANDERSON: Yes, Iran went into these talks, Mohammad, insisting they will only discuss the nuclear issue, that they want the -- they want the ability

to enrich uranium and they want sanctions relief. Right? The U.S. went into these talks demanding a total end to Iran's uranium enrichment program for

it to curb its ballistic missiles and to end support for regional proxies.

So I just wonder, at this point, even if these talks get stuck on the nuclear issue, there's still a massive disagreement there in and of itself.

Correct?

AL SHABANI: So, Becky, actually, paradoxically, I think in this package deal that you're referring to, I think the most difficult part is actually

the missiles. It's not the nuclear issue. I think on the nuclear side, there are a variety of solutions, and there are a variety of partners apart

from the region. For instance, Russia is actually quite closely involved in all of this. One solution is about, for instance, taking the stockpile of

highly enriched uranium kept in Iran, which was bombed in June by the United States and been underground since, to move this to Russia for

safekeeping or diluting it within Iran.

So there are a variety of players, and I think the most difficult thing to overcome right now are the missiles, which have turned out to be the only

means of deterrence that Iran really has. The regional allies didn't work. The nuclear hedging strategy didn't work. And what they're seeing right now

is that their only means of defense, the only means of hitting back at Israel, are the missiles. And the Trump administration is really pushing on

the range limit there.

So I think what they've done right now is to say we're going to agree to continue to talk, we're going to deal with, paradoxically, the most simple

issue out of these three, which is the nuclear issue. And once we have a framework on that, potentially down the line, talk about something else.

Iran right now is saying they will only talk about nuclear issues. But let's see what happens once there's a framework.

I think if they see a light at the end of the tunnel, the conversation can expand. You already have other actors involved. For instance, Russia, the

region. While Iran prefers to keep this dialogue bilateral through the Omanis right now, I think ultimately they are open to talking to regional

states as well.

ANDERSON: I guess the question is, for how long? How long will these -- will America allow these talks to continue with this, you know, huge armada

as Donald Trump describes it, the presence of these? The CENTCOM Commander, Brad Cooper, at these talks today. The U.S. CENTCOM commander I think was

important and we should discuss that. The missiles, of course, is the Israel demand. We know that.

So, Sanam, let me just bring you in here. What's the window, do you think? How much progress? From an American perspective, how much progress needs to

be made and within which window? After all, there's a lot of military around this region at this point where I am here in Abu Dhabi. How long

does it stay in place if it's a threat?

VAKIL: I think the military can certainly linger around for one to two months, but this is very costly of course. But I think the window is much

narrower than that. If there's not a quick agreement, and I would say here days, get back to a second round conversation where, again, quick progress

is made, I would think that the opportunity to strike is really here and now. And I think that, you know, the United States has made it clear that

they're not afraid to do it.

They've always lost patience while the Iranians have tried to drag out the talks and in fact Foreign Minister Araghchi referred to a framework for

negotiations.

ANDERSON: Yes.

VAKIL: The United States has no patience for frameworks or long term negotiations. So Tehran has to make some quick decisions on its stockpile,

its commitment to not enriching inside the country for a longer period of time, to give President Trump some wins.

[10:10:06]

And then if they can kick the can of the ballistic missiles down the road, that's certainly important. But what Tehran also needs is a degree of -- a

commitment from the United States or a non-aggression pact that will prevent Israel from striking Iran and going after Iran's ballistic missile

program.

ANDERSON: Is Tehran ready to offer some wins as Sanam describes them, Mohammad?

AL SHABANI: You know, I agree with Sanam that President Trump's attention span, I mean, I'm not sure he's going to be able to put up with months long

negotiations. I think what two sides are looking at are actually a couple of weeks. And what they're looking at, I think is not just a framework.

It's a big political announcement, working out the kinks, the technical details is probably going to take longer, but they need this big political

announcement to stave off the prospect of, for instance, an Israeli attack, which is what happened on the eve of the sixth round of talks last June.

So I think what Sanam is saying about the non-aggression pact, I'm not sure whether you can summarize something like that in the next couple of weeks,

but if you can get a process going, a big political announcement that's owned by Trump, for Israel to then go and literally blow that up, that's

going to look bad for Netanyahu. So I think for the Iranians, they understand that the time span they have is limited, but also they're not

going to budge, they're not going to budge on their bottom line, I think.

They have a bottom line. The Americans have a bottom line. I think they can reach a solution if there's sufficient flexibility for the minimum of one

to reach the maximum of the other.

ANDERSON: Yes. Sanam, I'm going to close with this, and I want to read you some analysis from CNN's Stephen Collinson on Trump's calculations, quote,

"With approval ratings dipping below 40 percent in a midterm election year that already looks grim for Republicans, Trump has got to consider his

ragged domestic standing alongside the hideously difficult military questions that he is facing on Iran."

If the diplomatic path doesn't work out, to your mind, Sanam, how much appetite do you think Donald Trump has for military action at this point?

VAKIL: Well, it's February 6th and just about a month ago he told Iranians that help was on its way and help hasn't really showed up yet. There is

that so-called armada in the Middle East. But the fact that Trump has been cautious and perhaps listening to his advisers telling him that this is not

going to be an easy operation speaks to the fact that he recognizes that this is not a one and done like Venezuela.

This is going to be much more complicated. Risks dragging the U.S. into a longer term war that will also spread out across the region, hit energy

prices, something he's sensitive about. I should also add, as you're sitting in the region itself, where in about 10 days it will be the

beginning of Ramadan. And that time sensitivity I think is something that we should also bear in mind. No one is up for a war at that sensitive

moment as well.

So, it could speak to Mohammad's suggestion that this could play out for a little while longer. And then should things blow up or an agreement not be

reached, then Trump pulls the trigger.

ANDERSON: Yes. No, you're making a really good point, and it's one to consider that Ramadan does start mid-February.

Good to have you, Sanam. Always a pleasure. Thank you. And a regular guest on this show, Mohammad, your analysis and insight, of course, always hugely

important to us. Thank you both.

Well, the U.S. attorney general has just announced a major arrest related to a terrorist attack in 2012 on the U.S. special mission in Benghazi in

Libya.

Let's have a listen to what she had to say moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAM BONDI, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: On September 11th, 2012, Americans watched, horrified as our embassy in Benghazi came under a vicious terror

attack. We lost four American lives that day. Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith with the State Department, and two CIA contractors, Glen Doherty

and Tyrone Woods. We have never forgotten those heroes, and we have never stopped seeking justice for that crime against our nation. In fact, from

day one, Kash and Dan would sit in meetings and say, we're going to get them. And they did.

Today, I'm proud to announce that the FBI has arrested one of the key participants behind the Benghazi attack, Zubayr Al-Bakoush landed at

Andrews Air Force Base at 3:00 a.m. this morning.

[10:15:05]

He is in our custody. He was greeted by Director Patel and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, that announcement coming in just the past few minutes, and we will get you more on that as we get it of course.

Well, coming up, what we know about the high-ranking Russian general who was shot in Moscow today. More on that is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, Russia is blaming Ukraine for the shooting of a high- ranking Russian general in Moscow, though it has not provided any evidence to support that allegation. The country's investigative committee says

Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev was seriously wounded after an attacker fired several shots at him in a residential building.

I spoke to CNN's Fred Pleitgen last night who is reporting from Moscow. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This was in the northwest of Moscow. We have some video of the scene where this lieutenant

general was gunned down in the early morning hours. Seems to be a fairly new residential development on one of the main highways from the northwest

into the Russian capital, Moscow. And essentially, he was shot inside that building.

It's unclear whether or not he lives there or whether or not he was there for some other reason, however -- some other reason. However, the

investigative committee says they have launched an investigation. They still don't know who's behind this. The Russians, however, and this comes

in the form of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, already pointing the finger of blame at the Ukrainians, accusing Kyiv of trying to derail recent

talks.

Of course, we know that in the region where you're at in Abu Dhabi, there have been those major trilateral talks between the U.S., Russia and

Ukraine. Sergey Lavrov now, because of this, accusing the Ukrainians of trying to derail that. Again, the Ukrainians themselves have not said

anything yet. The general himself, Vladimir Alekseyev, very important military figure here in Russia. He's the deputy head of Russia's military

intelligence, the GRU, was part of a lot of very important operations for the Russians, and of course, is also very much involved in what Russia

still calls its special military operation in Ukraine. Of course, the war effort in Ukraine.

For the Russians, this is not the first time one of their top military leaders was targeted here in the Russian capital. We had, of course, a bomb

attack, a car bomb attack on a Russian general about a month ago. That Russian general was killed. And then in the late stages of 2024, also here

in Moscow, and also a car bomb, another top Russian general killed in that as well.

Certainly the Kremlin has already reacted to this. They are saying they understand that their top military brass is, of course, at risk because

they are in that conflict with Ukraine. At the same time, they also said that they wished that this general survives and wish him a recovery as

well.

[10:20:01]

Again, once again, the Russians right now saying there is an investigation going on, they have talked to eyewitnesses. They're going through CCTV

footage, but so far they have not apprehended any suspect -- Becky.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen is in Moscow for you.

In Pakistan, at least 31 people have been killed and 169 injured in a suicide bombing. That explosion happened in a mosque in the capital

Islamabad during Friday prayers. Now, that's according to authorities. I've got to warn you, there are some graphic images coming up. Sources tell CNN

that the Pakistan's Taliban or TTP, was behind the attack, but the group is denying that it had any involvement.

Well, the toll makes this the deadliest attack in the country since the Peshawar Mosque blast in January of 2023. And as Pakistan's authorities

investigate this latest incident, CNN's Ivan Watson has been looking into the role abandoned U.S. weapons are playing in violence, which is plaguing

the country. He sent this report from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: These are M-16 rifles, property of U.S. government.

(Voice-over): Along the border with Afghanistan, the newest generation of jihadi militants carry out insurgent attacks using weapons that were made

in the USA.

And it's manufactured by FN?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

WATSON: USA out of Columbia, South Carolina.

(Voice-over): The Pakistani military gives me an exclusive look, bringing me to the border town of Wana and the aftermath of a recent suicide truck

bomb.

The size of this explosion, you can tell, was massive. It ripped out the fortifications, the walls here at the front, at the gate of this school and

killed in this location at least three Pakistani army soldiers.

(Voice-over): Moments after the blast, four insurgents stormed the school.

These steps are still splattered with the blood of a school cook and a waiter who were both killed.

(Voice-over): This could have been a bloodbath because there were more than 500 students aged 12 to 18 on campus. But over the next 24 hours, Pakistani

soldiers successfully evacuated all of them before killing all of the insurgents. Colonel Muhammad Tahir of the Pakistani Special Forces says the

attackers were all citizens of Afghanistan.

Look closely here. What does it say, Colonel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it says property of U.S. government.

WATSON: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: M-16.

WATSON: I'm taking photos of the serial numbers of these M-16s. And what we'll try to do is go back and kind of cross-reference them, check with the

U.S. government to find out what they're doing here.

(Voice-over): The U.S. Military confirmed to CNN that three out of the four rifles were supplied to Afghan Security Forces in and around Kabul years

before the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The Pentagon declined to comment further on this matter.

I've counted more than 100 M-16s, all with the marking "property of U.S. government," and the Pakistani military says that these were all captured

from the hands of killed Taliban fighters.

What happens to the weapons that were supplied to the Afghan government?

JOHN SOPKO, SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION 2012-2025: Well, the Taliban get it all or a majority of it.

WATSON (voice-over): John Sopko spent 12 years as special inspector general for the U.S.'s $148 billion Afghanistan reconstruction program. It provided

billions in weapons to the Afghan Security Forces.

SOPKO: 300,000 some small arms weapons ended up with the Taliban and it could go down the list. I mean, grenade launchers, communication stuff.

WATSON (voice-over): In a video statement, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban denied accusations that the Afghan government was arming his

fighters. Pakistani military statistics show a surge in casualties since 2021, the year the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

This war is getting worse. Violence fueled in part by a huge armory of U.S. weapons, a legacy of America's 20-year long war in Afghanistan.

Ivan Watson, CNN, along the Pakistani border with Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Well, it has been nearly a week since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home. And now her family is releasing another

desperate plea for her safe return. Here's her son.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAMRON GUTHRIE, NANCY GUTHRIE'S SON: This is Camron Guthrie. I'm speaking for the Guthrie family.

[10:25:03]

Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven't heard anything directly. We need you to reach out and we need a way

to communicate with you so we can move forward. But first, we have to know that you have our mom. We want to talk to you, and we are waiting for

contact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, so far there has been no proof of life. But the sheriff heading the investigation says he believes Guthrie is still alive. The FBI

is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to her recovery.

Well, CNN's Ed Lavandera is following the story for us. He is in Tucson, Arizona, for you this evening.

I think our viewers around the world will be really touched by this story and desperate plea from the kids of 84-year-old, the 84 year old. What more

can you tell us about this investigation, Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's been an excruciating week here in Tucson, Arizona, Becky, as the investigators

continue the search for Nancy Guthrie, which is now in its sixth day, which is just stunning to think about. But investigators, we should point out

that video that you just played there, the Guthrie family, even though it is not clear whether or not these ransom demands that have been sent to the

family or -- they were actually sent to various news media outlets and then passed along to federal investigators.

It's not even clear at this moment if these are authentic or just a hoax of some kind, a horrible hoax, but we do not know. And as far as we know so

far, there's still no update. But it is not clear that any kind of contact with whoever sent those notes has even been made. But the Guthrie family

clearly taking them seriously, as are the investigators in this case as well.

The investigators here have also laid out a timeline of how -- of what they think has happened. This is based on digital and technical evidence that

they've discovered at the scene of Nancy Guthrie's home. But they believe that she was abducted sometime between 1:45 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. on that

early Sunday morning hours. And that is based on -- there's a camera system in the house that detected a person.

Unfortunately, the video, one of the cameras is missing and they do not have it. And also the video was not kept. So the system just tells them

that the person was detected, but there is no video to go along with that, which must be incredibly frustrating for the investigators to see that in

this case because that would clearly be the most crucial piece of evidence in all of this.

But they're really keying in on those early morning hours there, and they're continuing to urge the public to send in any kind of videos or

photos or tips of any kind to break this case open -- Becky.

ANDERSON: It's good to have you, Ed. Really appreciate it. Thank you very much indeed.

We're going to take a very short break. We're going to be back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[10:30:29]

ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Your headlines this hour.

Indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran have concluded in Oman, with Iran's foreign minister saying negotiations will continue at a later time.

The exact topics covered are unclear. It was the first official meeting between the two since U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites last year.

Russian authorities say a high level Russian general has been shot and seriously wounded in Moscow. State media reports Lieutenant General

Vladimir Alexeyev is in the intensive care unit in serious condition. The Russian Foreign Ministry is pointing the finger at Ukraine, though it

didn't provide any evidence to support that claim.

Well, at least 31 people have been killed and 169 injured after a suicide bomber set off an explosion in a mosque in Islamabad in Pakistan during

Friday prayers. That's according to authorities. Sources tell CNN the Pakistan Taliban was behind the attack. The group, however, denying any

involvement.

We want to get you more on these U.S.-Iran talks now. My next guest writes in the "Financial Times," quote, "There's no guarantee coup de grace that

would bring down the regime and no clear plan to avoid chaos spilling across Iran's border or igniting a civil war. What Trump wants most of all

is success, not a mess, especially with November's midterms looming."

Kim Ghattas is a contributing editor to the "Financial Times" and a contributing writer to the Atlantic. She is author of the book "Black Wave:

Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Rivalry That Unraveled the Middle East." And tonight she joins us out of Beirut.

It's good to have you, Kim. Thank you for joining us. And I think what you -- what you sort of laid out from your writing is, again, I think what the

region feels as well. The region does not want a mess on its hands. I say the region, perhaps a caveat, Israel at this point. A good start to talks

according to the Iranian foreign minister.

How do you read the signs coming out of (inaudible) today?

KIM GHATTAS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, FINANCIAL TIMES: We have to see what the Americans are going to say about how the talks went. But it's interesting,

of course, to hear the Iranian reaction and hearing the foreign minister say that those talks will continue. I don't think that some kind of

negotiated deal between the United States and Iran is impossible because I think the Iranian regime will try to make the calculation that it can give

some in order to live to fight another day.

And it depends what it is that it can give, what it decides that it can let go of the way that it did for the nuclear deal in 2015. The crucial

question then, is what is the U.S. willing to accept as concessions? Everything or only some of what it's demanding, on ballistic missiles, on

the nuclear program, on support for regional proxies and on the protection of protesters in Iran? But also, crucially for Iran, the question will be,

what is the U.S. willing to then give Iran in return? And of course, we're talking about sanctions relief.

So there's a lot at stake. There's a lot on the table. Iranian officials have said that the only thing that was discussed was the nuclear program.

And the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump have made clear that that is not going to be enough in terms of the scope of the

discussions.

ANDERSON: Yes. And it's not clear at this point how wide a window Donald Trump has left. Do you remain concerned about the possibility of U.S.

military strikes? Because, of course, the concern here in region is that those will spill into, you know, a potential regional conflict.

GHATTAS: I think strikes -- American strikes against Iran are still a possibility with some encouragement from Israel perhaps, but not

necessarily. And I think that the key question here is not just whether there will be American strikes against Iran if they do happen, but what is

the plan? What is the purpose and what is the outcome at the end? Is it going to be just to, you know, look spectacular with, you know, a display

of firepower?

[10:35:05]

Is it really going to be about bringing down the regime? And if that is indeed the case, and we've seen, you know, examples in the past where the

regime might come down quickly, I don't think the Iranian regime will, but what the regime might come down, you know, quicker than we expect. And then

it's chaos afterwards.

You know, the day after is going to be crucial. And I don't think that that kind of thinking and planning has been taking place in the United States,

in the Trump administration, perhaps because it's too soon.

ANDERSON: Yes.

GHATTAS: Perhaps because they don't want to give the impression that they are all in in terms of bringing down the regime. But, you know, you can

game it out to make sure that should it happen, maybe not even because of American strikes, but for something internal, unforeseen, that the world

and the region is ready for what comes next.

And I just want to say one more thing, Becky. I think that it's important to keep in mind that countries in the region are not cautioning against

strikes simply because they don't want chaos or simply because, you know, they are perhaps, you know, keen to see this regime continue. But it is

because of this concern about what comes after and whether it is going to be a definitive coup de grace.

ANDERSON: Yes. Absolutely.

GHATTAS: Or whether it is going to leave a mess.

ANDERSON: You're in Lebanon. Hezbollah has said that it will not remain neutral if the U.S. were to attack Iran. I spoke to the Lebanese prime

minister about that earlier this week. Have a listen to his response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NAWAF SALAM, LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: It's not a matter of neutrality or not, but I have said and would like to repeat it now that the state is the

only authority on matters of war and peace. This is part of our ministerial declaration, and we are going to hold to it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: I want to get your view on his response and the sort of wider story there.

GHATTAS: This is a kind of statement by Lebanese prime minister that I think many, many, many Lebanese have been hoping to hear for many, many

years. And it has not been possible for a variety of reasons because of Hezbollah's power. And you know, power of the gun for so many years in

Lebanon, but also because for many decades, the role of Syria and the Assad regime now gone in supporting this architecture of Hezbollah's dominance

and veto power over Lebanese politics.

So to have a prime minister in Lebanon like Nawaf Salam, who can now say these kind -- make these kinds of statements and mean it and try his best,

it's not perfect, it's not easy, to implement this sovereignty across Lebanese territory, you know, that is a very welcome sign. Is it enough for

President Trump? Is it enough for Senator Lindsey Graham? Is it enough for Israel? Likely not.

But these are important steps towards a dramatic improvement of what we have been living with over the last few decades in the region and in

Lebanon. As to Hezbollah's role, should there be a war between Iran and the U.S.? You know, I'd like to remind you that last year, during the 12-day

war, Hezbollah stayed very quiet because, yes, they are loyal to their patrons in Iran, but they would also like to preserve whatever they can of

their local power in Lebanon.

And I think their assessment will be they don't need to go down all guns blazing for Iran's sake. They need to preserve what they can domestically.

They have a constituency. They have, you know, a community around them. They have seats in parliament, and they would like to preserve that.

ANDERSON: Kim, it's always good to have you. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

GHATTAS: Thanks for having me.

ANDERSON: I want to close out this part of the show with the end of your op-ed saying, quote, "The real conundrum is that any negotiated deal with

Washington will enable the survival of the Islamic Republic and prolong the oppression of the Iranian people. War, whether short or long, will expose

Iranians to even more dangers from death by missiles to chaos and civil war. Their welfare is not at the top of Trump's agenda, but it should be."

The words of Kim Ghattas.

Right. Last hour I spoke to the editor-in-chief of "The National," Mina Al- Oraibi, based here, about the developments in the Iran talks that we've just been discussing with Kim, and how her home country of Iraq fits into

the wider regional picture. Have a listen.

[10:40:09]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MINA AL-ORAIBI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "THE NATIONAL": So we've had elections 11th of November in Iraq, and yet there is no agreement on who the prime

minister becomes. We've had two sessions in parliament being held back in choosing the president because once the president is chosen, they name the

prime minister. And it's hugely important because, of course, Nouri al- Maliki's second term as prime minister witnessed the decision to pull back the Iraqi army and allow ISIS to take over Mosul, Iraq's second city and of

course, at one point almost control a third of the territory that was ungoverned by Iraqi forces.

And it was heightened time of sectarianism. Iraq has turned the page from that moment, and there's a lot of fear that we'll go back to that era. So

the U.S. had almost stepped away from Iraq. There's no ambassador there. There's no acting envoy. Until recently, there was Mark Zavala, who now

apparently is not even an envoy. So there was almost a vacuum that the Americans are not interested.

The U.N. ended their mission in Iraq in December. So there was a sense that actually Iraq was forgotten. And yet now the Americans realize that

actually a lot of the sanction busting that Iran has been able to do is because of Iraq, and that the corruption Iraq has been very interesting to

see. American officials talk about corruption. The corruption in Iraq is crippling the country, not allowing opportunity for its people, but also

can benefit nefarious actors in the region. Name check Iran here.

And so it's hugely important that whatever happens with Iran, Iraq not only can't be forgotten, but has to be a stable Arab country that has a good

relationship with the region. And I'll say that the talks happening in Oman is good because it's an Arab country that has ties. Turkey has good ties

with the Arab world, but it's not the same as having an Arab capital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Mina Al-Oraibi speaking to me earlier.

I'm Becky Anderson. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. We will be right back after this. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Right. Well, the Winter Olympics opening ceremonies are just hours away in Milan and in Cortina in Italy. 2900 athletes from more than

90 nations will compete, among them American skiing star Lindsey Vonn.

The 41-year-old successfully completed her first downhill training run earlier today ahead of Sunday's medal event, and it comes just a week after

the 41-year-old suffered a torn ACL and bone bruise in her left knee after a crash in her final competition prior to these games. Vonn already was

trying to defy the odds, returning to the Olympics after announcing her retirement in 2019.

Well, another major sporting event kicks off today right here in my own backyard. Next hour, the opening ceremonies get underway for the Open

Masters Games in Abu Dhabi. The first time ever that the games will be held in the Middle East. More than 25,000 athletes from around the world are

expected to compete in 38 different sports.

[10:45:02]

Everything from archery to cricket at 20 different venues, and there are multiple age categories. Competitors starting in their 30s all the way up

to an 84-year-old table tennis player expected to take part.

Let me bring in Aref Hamad Al Awani. He is general secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and a member of the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026

Supreme Organizing Committee, joining me from a very noisy venue just ahead of the opening ceremony.

Party about to get underway, sir. Is Abu Dhabi ready for these Open Masters Games?

AREF HAMAD AL AWANI, GENERAL SECRETARY, ABU DHABI SPORTS COUNCIL: Yes, Becky. As you know, Abu Dhabi is always, Abu Dhabi and the whole UAE is

ready to host the 25,000 athletes who are representing different countries. But at the same time coming on their behalf and coming by initiatives to

participate in one sport community event like that.

ANDERSON: Yes, and these are going to be the biggest games. But you make a very good point. You know, why is it important to invest in these games and

what impact do you hope they'll have on the wider community?

AL AWANI: As you know, Becky, you have been here and you noticed how the development is happening here by hosting a lot of international events in

different categories, whether they are in the economic sector or sport sector. And I think we met in the Formula One and you saw how success was

something like the Formula One or Asian Cup or those big sports events happening here in UAE.

But at the same time, there is always an importance to mix between the events which can be hosted and the benefit which is going to be there not

only in the -- to the economic sector or the GDP, but at the same time to the individuals by supporting them to have a better lifestyle, a healthier

lifestyle, that will help them in having a better long life depending that on themselves when they move that and that will create this kind of legacy

which we are aiming to have from hosting the Masters, the Open Masters, like any other international events, even though we are dealing with

individuals by themselves, not with entities, with federations or national Olympic committees.

But we did have 25,000 participants dealing with them individually because they believe in that and because the UAE is already believing that

healthier lifestyle, moving people to a better sport life will help them in, when they get old, but at the same time, they will get older and they

will still be young.

ANDERSON: Right. You are including alongside sports that are -- you are including some traditional sports in these games. Just explain.

AL AWANI: Yes. Yes, for sure. We want and even though we are having most of the Olympic sports are available to everyone to enjoy, starting from 100

meter, you can have it as a run, as a walk, but at least we want you to come and move. But even though there is some of the traditional sports. We

already included to let those who are coming to UAE to participate and to watch and experience what's the traditional sport and the community sport

of UAE.

And that will help us even in the promoting, and the promoting UAE as a traditional hub for nomad and for nomad games.

ANDERSON: That's right. Yes, this is camel racing, falconry, endurance, horse racing, heritage sailing, and one that I'm hoping to come along to

because I can't wait is the heritage diving. This of course, this country has a history based upon pearl diving back in the day, and I think it's

wonderful to see that.

Listen, you've swept the competitions at last year's Middle East Sports Industries Awards with initiatives to advance the sports ecosystem now. I

just want to close out then with what you're, what success will look like for you, sir, at the end of these games.

AL AWANI: The success will be by having an experience and having somebody who are coming here and participate for the first time, not only those who

are coming and used to participate and practice well, who do have an active lifestyle. But we need seniors who didn't practice before to have a new

life.

[10:50:03]

So the end of those games is a beginning of a new life, a beginning of a new movement, which we are aiming for. And that's the legacy which will be

there. So we want everybody who are coming here and participating through that, they don't -- we don't want it to be as an experience which they

already found anywhere else for the Open Master. No, we want them to come and experience that.

They are, will be treated like any other Olympic athletes participating in the Olympics. So starting from they arrive to arriving to the airport,

going to the recreation center, having their, venues are ready for them. All the experiences which they can have is something which we are aiming

for them to have as a legacy.

And that will be with both the travelers. We want them to enjoy. And at the same time, inspire whoever living here in UAE, whether they are locals or

residents, to start a new lifestyle.

ANDERSON: Right. OK, good to have you, sir. The opening ceremony for the Open Masters Games about to kick off in Abu Dhabi.

AL AWANI: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Terrific. Good luck, and we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, the competitions have already started with the U.S. Women's hockey team overpowering the Czech Republic in their first game in the

Winter Olympics. Vice President J.D. Vance, his wife Usha, and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio were in the crowd.

CNN's Amanda Davies has the latest from Milan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN'S WORLD SPORT ANCHOR: The action is underway already here in Milan, and we got our first taste of it here at the women's hockey

with a pretty ambitious Team USA looking to get their hands back on those gold medals for the first time in eight years, comprehensively beating the

Czech Republic, the fourth best ranked team in the world, 5-1.

But whatever organizers might hope, we got one of those pretty visual reminders that the politics is never too far away from these major sporting

events, particularly the day ahead of the opening ceremony. The U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, his wife Usha, and the Secretary of State Marco Rubio

were here watching on. But so too a large contingent of largely USA supporting fans.

We've seen at Olympic Games in years gone by they travel really well, and from what we've seen here this evening, these games in Milan is going to be

no different.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was great. I love seeing a 5-1 win. I thought we had a great team and I'm excited for the next rounds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought it was super exciting. I really enjoyed the hockey game. There were so many goals scored and the energy was incredible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I loved the whole scene and the stadium was full and it was great and just so much fun. It was so much fun.

DAVIES: Host Italy got off to a decent start as well. They beat France 4-1 in their opener. But up in the mountains in Cortina, fans of Lindsey Vonn

were made to wait to see how she and that knee is faring after the women's downhill training session was canceled because of the weather. But what a

video she posted on social media.

[10:55:05]

No ACL, no problem, it seems. She wrote, "I'm not giving up, working as hard as I can to make it happen." That can also be said for the Italian

team. A one, two, three fastest times in men's downhill training, raising hopes and expectations for the hosts of an early medal at the games and

excitement about the official start, particularly now the Olympic cauldron has been lit here in the center of Milan at the Duomo, ahead of what is set

to be an iconic opening ceremony on Friday.

Amanda Davies, CNN, Milan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: And that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END