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U.S. Intel Says Half of Iran's Missile Launchers Intact; Israel Intensifies Its Attacks Against Hezbollah; France Part of U.K.'s Virtual Meeting on Reopening Strait of Hormuz; Iran Claims Images Show Downed U.S. Fighter Jet; More Than One Million People Displaced in Lebanon; Trump Fires Pam Bondi as U.S. Attorney General; Attack Leaves New Bridge Near Tehran Split in Two; Norwegian Foreign Minister Speaks to CNN; China Races to Remake Its Nuclear Weapons Program; Pope Leo Leads His First Holy Week. Aired 10a-11a ET
Aired April 03, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:35]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi. I'm
Becky Anderson. The time is just after 6:00 p.m.
As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran grinds into its sixth week, there is new information about how much firepower Iran actually has left. CNN exclusive
reporting from three sources on a U.S. intelligence assessment indicates that Iran retains a significant amount of missile launchers and thousands
of one-way attack drones.
U.S. President Donald Trump and top Pentagon officials insist that the vast majority of Iran's weapons have been destroyed. Well, Iran, meanwhile,
claiming it downed a U.S. fighter jet with state media showing photos of debris. There's been no comment yet from U.S. Central Command.
And Iran keeping up the attacks on Israel and its Gulf neighbors. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain all reporting drone interceptions today. Damage to
a water treatment plant in Kuwait. Bahrain has introduced a proposal in the U.N. Security Council calling for all defensive means necessary to secure
passage through the Strait of Hormuz. A vote scheduled for Saturday.
We've got Kevin Liptak this hour at the White House. Jeremy Diamond is in Tel Aviv.
Let's start with you in Washington, Kevin. What more are we learning about Iran's capabilities at this point? Capabilities that do seem to very much
contradict what President Trump and his -- his secretary of war are saying.
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Right. And they certainly provide a more nuanced picture than these kind of sweeping,
maximalist claims about how the U.S. has neutralized Iran's defense capabilities.
You know, this intelligence assessment shows that half of Iran's missile launchers are still intact, that it still maintains thousands of one-way
attack drones. Those are still in its arsenal. And that a large percentage of its coastal defense cruise missiles are still intact. And those are of
course critical because that is what Iran is using to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively closed.
Now, one of the reasons that the U.S. has had difficulty in going after some of these capabilities is Iran's ability to move them underground, in
caves and underground tunnels. They have been preparing for those contingencies for many, many years in the anticipation of this kind of war.
And it makes them particularly difficult to target. So taken all together, I think what this assessment shows is that Iran still very much maintains
the ability to threaten not only the United States, but of course its neighbors, Israel, countries in the Gulf, in a way that the U.S. has been
trying to degrade over the course of this war.
Now, the U.S. has so far hit 12,300 military targets. That's according to U.S. Central Command. But, you know, that hasn't necessarily been enough to
degrade Iran's ability to continue striking out in the region. As one source told us, the country still is, quote, "poised to wreak absolute
havoc throughout the entire region." And I do think it raises a question of whether the U.S. will be able to degrade all of these abilities within the
president's own timeline.
You know, he said just this week that the war would continue for two to three more weeks. He said that the campaign would, in fact, intensify over
this time frame. But the sources that we've talked to suggest that that is not nearly enough time to go after the remaining capabilities inside of
Iran -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Let me bring you in, Jeremy, as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran continues, so Israel continues its operations in Lebanon. What more can you
tell us this Friday?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, of course, Becky, recently we've been watching as the Israeli military has been deepening its
ground operations inside of Lebanon with Lebanese positions as far as Israeli positions inside of Lebanon, I should say, as far as 10 kilometers
into Lebanon. But now also the Israeli military is trying to chart a path forward for the long-term security of its residents in Northern Israel.
[10:05:03]
And I'm told that one of those plans now under consideration is for Israel to destroy civilian infrastructure in Lebanese border towns and villages
within two to three kilometers of the Israeli border. This would, of course, need political approval, but it does mimic some of the rhetoric
that we have already heard from senior Israeli officials, including the Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, who said just earlier this week that
all houses and villages near the border in Lebanon would be destroyed.
And he compared it to what the Israeli military has done in the Gazan cities of Rafah and Beit Hanoun, where we have seen that Israel has
effectively raised several kilometers into Gazan territory in order to establish what the Israeli military calls a security buffer zone.
It is important to note that the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure in this way is deemed to be a violation of international law
unless it's absolutely militarily necessary, meaning that there is no other way to achieve the same kind of military and security objectives that the
Israeli military is trying to carry out here.
We know that already the Israeli military has forced the evacuation of most Lebanese border villages, more than 80 plus towns and villages,
approximately 20 percent of Lebanon's population now internally displaced. The Israeli military spokesman, Nadav Shoshani, for his part, said that
Israel is committed to the long-term objective of disarming Hezbollah and said that there is also a short-term objective right now of removing those
threats.
And that's part of why we are seeing Israeli troops deepening their presence inside of Lebanon -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, sir. Both of you. Thank you very much indeed.
Well, the president's varying comments on the status of the war are drawing some pointed criticism from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, saying,
"When we want to be serious, we don't say each day the opposite of what was said the day before. Perhaps we don't need to speak every day," was his
suggestion.
Pascal Confavreux is spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry, joining me now from Paris.
A growing sense of frustration, it seems, from the French president with Donald Trump's language. I mean, what is the French perspective as far as
this war is concerned, given what we heard from Donald Trump on Wednesday evening, given there seems to be sort of, you know, no offramp at this
point, nor any clear schedule of how long this is going to take?
PASCAL CONFAVREUX, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON: Well, thank you for your invitation. What's very important for us is the reestablishment of
the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. And we are preparing for it, being -- meeting with 35 plus countries at the level of chief of staff
of the armed forces, of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We are preparing a G7 meeting next week with our Gulf partners because we want to prepare when
the day is ready and the day will be ready, once the ceasefire and once the bombings are over.
We don't want to be part of this war and we don't want to take an active operation in the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz. We think it could be
irrealistic, unrealistic, but we have to prepare for that because it's complex to prepare that with the operators, with the insurance companies,
to be prepared once this bombing part is over and then we will be able to take the responsibility of having some kind of military escort of civilian
ships.
ANDERSON: And I want to talk further about that. Just before I do, I just want to bring back my colleague Jim Sciutto. Please stand by and forgive me
for this. He's just got some more reporting on Iran's suggestion that it downed a U.S. F-35 fighter jet.
Jim, what are you getting?
JIM SCIUTTO, CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yes. Becky, and again, I'm going to tread carefully here because the information we
have is incomplete at this stage. But here's what I can say. One, Iranian state media is reporting not only did it take down a U.S. jet over Iranian
territory, but that a U.S. search and rescue mission is now underway in an attempt to get the pilots who presumably ejected from that jet.
And there are videos circulating online which appear to show aircraft in a search and rescue operation. It shows an aircraft refueling two
helicopters, which would be consistent with a search and rescue operation. I should say that CNN has reached out to U.S. Central Command multiple
times and has not yet received a comment or confirmation regarding either a shootdown or a search and rescue operation underway.
I will say that earlier images posted online appeared to show the wreckage or pieces of wreckage consistent with a U.S. F-15 fighter jet.
[10:10:06]
This is a fighter jet that has two pilots. This is a section of wreckage that would appear to come from the vertical stabilizer of that jet, and CNN
has shown those pictures to experts who say that it is consistent with an F-15.
We're continuing to see comment, official comment from U.S. Central Command, as well as the White House, and we'll bring that information to
CNN as it comes.
But I will say this as well, Becky, because you and I have talked about this more than once, and that is CNN's reporting that we released last
night regarding a U.S. intelligence assessment that has found that Iran maintains a missile capability, some 50 percent of its mobile missile
launchers, 50 percent of its one way attack drones, as well as other missile capabilities. We've certainly seen here in Tel Aviv Iran's
continued ability to fire missiles at Israel.
We were just in the shelter a few minutes ago, but also, if it is true that Iran was able to take down a U.S. fighter jet, that would, of course,
indicate additional surface-to-air missile capabilities, possibly. Again, information incomplete at this hour. And we'll bring it as we learn more.
ANDERSON: Yes. Good. Thank you, Jim. That information we got to you as we got it. Of course as Jim says, more as we get further info.
All right. Pascal Confavreux is the spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry, joining me from Paris. We were focused on the Strait of Hormuz,
and rightly so. And diplomatic efforts, which are ramping up. As those diplomatic efforts are in, on, in tow, as it were, a French owned vessel
navigated the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to tracking data.
Did the French government or any French representatives coordinate with Iran about that ship?
CONFAVREUX: Well, I leave it to the company. It's called the CMA CGM, which is indeed a French company, and to communicate on that. I won't have much
commentary on it, but it shows what is important is that this situation cannot last. We need to have this restoration of the freedom of navigation
in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible.
ANDERSON: Right.
CONFAVREUX: Because our world economy depend on it.
ANDERSON: So Iran does appear to have implemented a de facto toll system at this point. So you must know whether a fee was paid for the French ship to
pass?
CONFAVREUX: Yes. Once again, I won't be more precise on this. It's really for the company to say how it's -- how it did it and how it communicates on
this, but it's extremely important to have this restoration of the Strait of Hormuz. We are doing national measures to moderate the prices in France,
but we have to go and have the solution as a route and the route is a Strait of Hormuz.
ANDERSON: So I wonder whether if there was communication to get that ship through and you've said you're not prepared to discuss that, whether or not
you're party to that information. I mean, would that undermine the international effort to open the strait?
CONFAVREUX: No, no, no, we think that you need three things. You need first a ceasefire to be reinstated. Second, you need a scheme of negotiation, a
very demanding scheme of negotiation, including Iran to have this de- escalation and to see how you can negotiate on that. And third, to be able to take the responsibility of having some military ships escorting civilian
vessels once this heavy or important part of bombing is behind us.
ANDERSON: I'm going to push you on why it is that you're not prepared to provide information on whether or not the French government or French
representatives were in touch with Iran on this, because I think it's incredibly important that the world understands what it is that Iran is
doing at this point, who it is talking to at this point, given, as you have rightly pointed out, you know, this is an international waterway and the
chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz has a massive impact in France, in Europe, and very specifically around the world at this point.
CONFAVREUX: Well, we keep on lines of communications with the Iranian regime. We've made it public. We have the president is talking to President
Pezeshkian. Our minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Nol Barrot, had exchanges with the minister of Foreign Affairs, Araghchi, and we are demanding them
to stop to send missiles or drones on the neighboring countries because it's also part of our position in the region to be shoulder-to-shoulder
with our allies, such as the Emiratis or the Qataris, in the region.
[10:15:15]
And we are here for them once the situation is easy, but we're also here for them when the situation is harder. And it's exactly our position. But
we remain ourselves very clear in our objective in a defensive position. It's not our war. We don't want to take part in it, and in the end, there
can only be a diplomatic solution.
ANDERSON: Well, further diplomacy with the U.N. Security Council Resolution tabled by Bahrain due to be voted on this weekend.
Let's just hear it from the Bahrain foreign minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDULLATIF BIN RASHID AL ZAYANI, BAHRAINI FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): Iran's unlawful and unjustified attempt to control
international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz placing before your esteemed council a challenge that requires a decisive response to such
actions that are irresponsible and illegitimate actions that threaten the interests of nations and peoples around the world.
We are confident that this draft resolution is consistent with international law and with the provisions of the United Nations convention
on the law of the sea, which guarantees the right of transit passage through straits without obstruction contrary to what Iran is doing today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: This resolution would allow exclusively defensive action on safeguarding shipping. Why did France push back on the original language in
that resolution? I mean, it clearly suggests to many that it does not support a U.N. backed military path to opening the strait. But I wonder
whether you would explain why it is that France pushed back on the original resolution, the draft resolution, which included Chapter Seven, which would
allow for sort of military intervention.
CONFAVREUX: You're right to say that. There has been a lot of evolutions on this resolution proposed by Bahrain. And we have extensively talked with
our Bahrain partners on this. The text has substantially evolved, but for one very easy reason is that it has to be only a defensive, not to raise
the level of conflict reality, but to decrease it. And not so that others are part of a war, which is not theirs, because our goal in the end is to
reestablish the fluidity of the traffic and not to block it.
And once again, because also the military options seem for us unrealistic. So that's all for this reason that these amendments were proposed and taken
into account by our Bahraini partners.
ANDERSON: Yes. I just wonder what your message is to Gulf countries on the front line of this crisis in terms of what are these reckless and
unprovoked strikes on these countries? Let's be quite clear. The French have provided significant support here in the UAE for what is a sort of
multi-layered ground-to-air defense and, you know, facility to intercept these drones and missiles.
But certainly the sense is for those gulf countries, including Bahrain, who at present hold the revolving presidency of the U.N., you know, there is
certainly Bahrain in the UAE wanted stronger language in that resolution that they felt would allow for a bigger message and international law to
ring fence any action that the countries felt they needed to take in the Strait of Hormuz.
CONFAVREUX: Because we need to deescalate rather than to escalate and enter globally into a war. We are an extremely reliable partner for our allies in
the region. I think they say it themselves. We have been shoulder-to- shoulder with them as soon as February 28th. You've mentioned it, but we have sent an aircraft carrier in the East Mediterranean. We have two
helicopters carrier. We have six frigates in the region.
So we have an important deployment, which is strictly defensive to protect our citizens first, but also to protect our allies and to surge --
reestablish the freedom of navigation once the conditions are ready for it. So we have these three clear objectives. And I think our messages to the
Gulf countries was, we are here for you and we have shown it to you. We have to deescalate, otherwise it will be an increasing of the
destabilization. And we want more stability rather than destabilization.
[10:20:03]
ANDERSON: All right. Well, it's good to have you, sir. Thank you very much indeed for joining us and explaining the French position this afternoon.
CONFAVREUX: Thank you.
ANDERSON: Well, as thank you.
As Israel expands its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, more than a million people have been displaced. An aid group there says there is a
critical lack of clean water and medications. CNN spokes to some of those affected by the conflict who say entire families are fleeing for their
lives.
My colleague Nada Bashir has more from Beirut.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FATIMA RIDA, INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSON (through text translation): At night they bombed the building behind us, of course we were very scared. We
were sleeping. We thought that was it. That we would be martyred.
NADA BASHIR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fatima is one of more than a million people now displaced by Israeli bombings in Lebanon,
forced to take shelter in this elementary school in Beirut, which has become home to some 250 people. Her entire family is now living in this
small classroom. Many of those displaced are dealing with psychological trauma, including those still too young to understand why they have been
forced from their homes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through text translation): Tell me about your drawing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through text translation): A little cat and a sad little girl, and lots of hearts.
BASHIR (voice-over): In this stadium, Red Cross volunteers have set up a sprawling humanitarian camp with tents crammed together to accommodate as
many families as possible.
This is Lebanon's National Stadium, and in fact, it was used to shelter Palestinian refugees back in the 1980s. And now, once again, it is filled
with tents, this time sheltering Lebanese families that have been displaced by the war. At this stage, 1,300 people are sheltering in the stadium, but
that figure is expected to go up to around 2,800.
(Voice-over): Ali has been sheltering in this camp for three weeks now.
ALI HAIDER, INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSON (through text translation): We got used to the shelling. We don't get scared anymore. We only fear for our
children.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Nada Bashir reporting there from Lebanon for you.
Well, next up, a key bridge torn apart in Iran with Tehran blaming the U.S. and Israel. We talk more about the situation inside the country as the
number of dead there rises. Plus, Trump fires his attorney general. We'll take a look at who might replace Pam Bondi.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back.
Pam Bondi is now out as U.S. attorney general, marking President Trump's second dismissal of a Cabinet official in his second term. Sources say the
president had been frustrated with Bondi on multiple fronts, including her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
[10:25:0020]
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche will serve as interim until Bondi is replaced. In an interview on Thursday, Blanche tried to move past the
Epstein scandal and focus on other pressing matters as far as he was concerned facing the DOJ, such as fighting health care fraud.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TODD BLANCHE, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: This includes leadership in state governments, our investigations do, because guess what? They are in
many ways the actual conduit. They're letting it happen by not doing anything to stop these individuals stealing from the American people. And
so you're going to see this Department of Justice pour all of our heart and soul into fraud cases all over this country for the foreseeable future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, CNN's Katelyn Polantz following the story for us. She's in Washington today.
Good to have you. What more do we know about this shakeup, then, at the Justice Department? Who is likely to get the job?
KATELYN POLANTZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, we don't know yet. There are a couple people whose names have been out
there, one of them being Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator. There's also the possibility, could they choose Blanche? Could the president want
Blanche to just stay in that acting job? He's already been Senate confirmed into the Justice Department.
There are other possibilities out there. But really this is going to be a tough road ahead for anyone taking over the Justice Department. Pam Bondi,
she was fired by Donald Trump for one of the reasons our sources are telling us is that she was failing to prosecute enough of Donald Trump's
political opponents. But that wasn't because she didn't try. She tried to bring those cases. In some instances, those cases were brought against
James Comey, the former FBI director, against Letitia James, the New York attorney general. But they were tossed by courts.
In other instances, there were Democratic politicians, other people that Donald Trump has disliked, or people opposed to the administration that
grand juries just wouldn't sign off on indicting. So that's the trouble that Bondi had with trying to get cases through the system and to trial
prosecuting Trump's opponents. She certainly wasn't saying no to the president on those situations.
Now, Jesse Watters on FOX yesterday in that interview with Todd Blanche, now the acting attorney general, he asked Blanche, can he get it done? Can
he prosecute the people that Donald Trump wants to see prosecuted? Here's what Blanche said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLANCHE: I appreciate the frustration because we do have to make sure that what happened for four years never happens again. And we don't talk about
investigations. But I can tell you that the Department of Justice is working hard every day. It was working hard yesterday, and we're going to
keep on working hard tomorrow. And I'm honored that President Trump has asked me to step in as acting and also much appreciative for what Pam Bondi
did for the past year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POLANTZ: So Blanche is a little noncommittal there on exactly what he's going to be doing. He's declining to comment on ongoing investigations, but
he says he lived through the anger of Donald Trump being prosecuted. That's because he was Donald Trump's defense attorney on the two federal criminal
cases the president had faced, for mishandling classified records after his first presidency and an alleged conspiracy related to January 6th and the
Capitol riot in Washington.
There's a big question there for Blanche if he were to get a nod from the president, if he could do it over these cases or if he would need to recuse
since he had been opposite the Justice Department previously on them.
ANDERSON: Yes. Fascinating. Really fascinating. Always good to have you, Katelyn. Thank you very much indeed.
Well, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. It is just before half past 10:00 on the East Coast of the U.S., just after -- just before half past 6:00
here in Abu Dhabi.
The push is on to get traffic moving again through that really critical Strait of Hormuz. The Norwegian foreign minister telling me how Europe is
determined to see that happen. More after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:31:30]
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. These are your headlines this hour.
And U.S. President Donald Trump has fired Pam Bondi as attorney general. Sources say Mr. Trump had been frustrated with Bondi on multiple fronts,
including her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The president is reportedly considering Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee
Zeldin to take Bondi's place.
Well, there are new warnings of a widening humanitarian catastrophe. More than one million people have been displaced in Lebanon as Israel expands
operations against Hezbollah in the south. The Project Hope aid group says many people now lack clean water and vital medication.
Iranian state media have released images that they say are of a downed U.S. fighter jet. Iran claims it was an F-35 stealth fighter. Analysts, though,
say the wreckage photos at least appear to be from a U.S. Air Force F-15. CNN has reached out to U.S. Central Command for comment.
Well, inside Iran, civilians paying the price as the conflict goes on. More than 2,000 people have been killed, 21,000 injured, since the start of the
war. Those numbers are from the Iranian Red Crescent. Reports speak of major damage to homes and infrastructure, and these images show the
aftermath of a strike that split a recently built bridge in two. Tehran blames the U.S. and Israel for that attack.
Local media say eight people were killed as Iranians were celebrating the end of the Persian New Year holiday.
Let's bring in Hamidreza Azizi, who is a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, joining us from Berlin.
Good to have you. You and I have been speaking throughout this conflict and in the run-up to it, of course. I want to start inside Iran and with those
images of the strikes on the bridge highlighted by Donald Trump today, who basically suggested that's just the first of what will be many more strikes
on civilian infrastructure.
What are you hearing inside Iran? What does this do for sort of the psychology of those living through this?
HAMIDREZA AZIZI, VISITING FELLOW, GERMAN INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AND SECURITY AFFAIRS: Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure. Well, what I
can see from the state media and also from the expert commentary, these attacks, especially the one yesterday that you mentioned against the
bridge, which wasn't even still operational so there was no military use for it. These are interpreted as a sign of frustration actually by
President Trump for not achieving the objectives that he hoped to achieve.
And also, on the other hand, it is interpreted as a sign that those other options that have been kind of, you know, discussed like a ground operation
or some sort of a special operations against the nuclear program or things like that are just deemed too dangerous. So now, Donald Trump, together
with Israel, have resorted to sort of a maximum destruction of civilian infrastructure in order to make the Islamic Republic sort of to push it
towards capitulation.
ANDERSON: OK.
AZIZI: This is how it is perceived basically.
ANDERSON: Understood. Understood. It's good to get that, that detail from you.
[10:35:05]
You will know well the former Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Sharif, and you will have read I'm sure his "Foreign Affairs" magazine
latest piece in which he says Tehran, and I quote him here, "should use its upper hand, not to keep fighting, but to declare victory and make a deal
that both ends this conflict and prevents the next one. It should offer to place limits on its nuclear program and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in
exchange for an end to all sanctions." And he goes on to say, "A deal Washington wouldn't take before, but might accept now."
Hamidreza, there's no suggestion that, you know, the roll, the full rollback of sanctions would be part of any deal that may or may not be
being talked about at this point. But do you agree with the former foreign minister's positioning there?
AZIZI: Well, first of all, I think the very fact that Sharif had to talk to "Foreign Affairs" to raise his voice and, you know, express his opinion
about how Iran should end the war is quite telling in the sense that, you know, the current leadership of the country, which is dominated by the
IRGC, and I can say by the people who have totally different views than Sharif and also President Rouhani, who also, a couple days ago, raised some
similar points.
It is kind of telling about where we stand because, of course, what I can see and what I can tell is that there is a faction consisting of people
like Sharif, like Rouhani and others who are increasingly speaking of the need for an exit strategy and those points that is mentioned in the
"Foreign Affairs" article is more or less kind of consensual among that part of the kind of broader elites.
But that's not what I see as being even close to what the current leadership is pursuing. For example, speaking of the sanctions relief, what
they are kind of pursuing, it seems, is to turn their control over the Strait of Hormuz into a pressure point in the aftermath of the war, so that
there's going to be an exchange of, you know, free passage in the straits for sanctions relief or Iran benefiting from taking tolls. And this is one
of the points that I can mention.
ANDERSON: Yes.
AZIZI: So I'm not sure if that's reflective of the current leadership view, to be honest.
ANDERSON: That's fascinating. Certainly, you know, Sharif and others, very experienced in negotiating with the United States, were around for the
original nuclear deal and negotiated that, including Rouhani, of course. So it'll be interesting to see whether we see or hear further from that
cohort, as you suggest, of the elite who were well-versed in negotiating outside of the country.
Good to have you, sir. Thank you.
Well, the war with Iran may be escalating. So too, of course, is that push to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The U.K. held a virtual meeting on the
crisis with dozens of countries taking part Thursday.
I've been speaking to the Norwegian foreign minister. He was part of that meeting. He told me about Europe's efforts to deescalate the conflict and
indeed get traffic moving through that critical waterway. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ESPEN BARTH EIDE, NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: What we discussed was principally a joint diplomatic pressure on Iran to respect the key
principle of UNCLOS, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, which says that an international strait which connects two parts of the
open ocean has to be respected, and pointing out to them that this affects a lot of countries that are not party to the conflict.
So we're trying to build a global understanding, a global coalition to put that clear pressure on the warring parties. But principally, of course,
here on Iran, which is a neighbor to the straits, in order to have them gradually open for shipping again.
ANDERSON: Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper said, and I quote, "We looked at diplomatic, economic and security measures to restore safe passage
alongside working with the shipping industry. And she very specifically spoke to the E.U.'s Aspides naval mission, the naval mission run by the
E.U., which has, she said, already assisted 1700 ships in the Red Sea and must be scaled up. We cannot afford to lose another critical trade route.
So very specifically, I get the economic importance. I understand the diplomatic sort of route being used here. What does that security look
like? What does a naval mission look like and who is prepared to offer support?
[10:40:05]
BARTH EIDE: Well, as you correctly say, Aspides is relating to the Red Sea, and that is also an important strait. And the worry now is that through the
Houthis, that might also be challenged because Houthis, the Houthis are closely connected to Iran. So that's also a precautionary measure in order
to ensure that we do not see another strait is closed.
When it comes to the Hormuz Strait, I think there is a broad understanding that there is a very limited interest in entering into a violent
confrontation, taking part in the war while it's going on. But, you know, if we are able to come to a ceasefire, this -- the straits were open before
the war. And the thing is we need to then prepare for a quick opening after a ceasefire. Before a ceasefire, the question is if it's possible to have
some temporary, limited opening, for instance, for certain products. And this is why this global coalition is very important.
But I think we have to be very honest about taking direct military measures in which would, you know, lead to a participation in the war effort is not
something, anything anybody here in Europe is prepared to do as of now. So the military preparations is very much for a speedy deployment that could
happen after a ceasefire to help ensure that the straits are then reopened. Before that, it will be diplomatic means. And remember, it's the straits,
but also the risk of further destruction of energy infrastructure, which means in the long run, even if you do open the straits, there will be less
to export. So this is really part of the bigger picture. It's a global problem.
ANDERSON: Right.
BARTH EIDE: There are three countries fighting Iran, the U.S. and Israel, but it affects the entire planet and the economic consequences are already
massive, and they will continue to be massive even if the war ends quickly.
ANDERSON: The U.S. president said it's your problem, not mine, speaking to the rest of the world. So what do you say to him at this point? Before you
answer that question, here's what he said about NATO, for example, earlier this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: So I learned about NATO. NATO won't be there if we ever have the big one. You know what I mean by the big one? If we ever have the big one,
hopefully we won't. Relationships very good with the big one, better than with NATO.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So as a founding member of the organization, what's Norway's reaction to that statement and also to the wider suggestion that the U.S.
doesn't particularly need the Strait of Hormuz, for example, it's everybody else's issue, not his?
BARTH EIDE: Well, frankly, I think it is everybody's problem, including the U.S. but it's everybody meaning all countries on the planet because this is
such an important (INAUDIBLE), is such an important element of the world economy. It's about food. It's about energy. It's about key resources that
we all need. And, you know, even if countries like the U.S., like Norway, have our own oil and gas production, we will not have an energy shortage,
the prices are global.
So, you know, when there is sorted in the world, we also feel that the prices are going up. So our consumers, Norwegian, American, everybody else
will feel the consequences of this as long as the strait remains closed.
And on NATO, we as a founding member, as you said, are strongly transatlantic oriented country, we very much believe in NATO. We need NATO.
We also think that all allies, including the U.S., are much better off with NATO. But then you have to remember what the NATO is about. When the U.S.
was actually attacked in 9/11, we all stood up for the U.S. together because one of our members were attacked and there was no doubt in our mind
that we would stand together on that.
Something else is when a member starts a war somewhere else of their own choice, that is not something that obliges NATO to participate. And there
is no discussion of NATO participation. But individual NATO countries are coming together to see how we can help on the Hormuz Straits as I just told
you.
ANDERSON: Yes. NATO chief Mark Rutte heading to D.C. next week. He is considered by some a Trump whisperer. What message will he carry and what
do you expect him to achieve?
BARTH EIDE: Well, I expect that Secretary General Mark Rutte, who is the secretary general of the 32 members of NATO, he will speak up and remind
the U.S. administration of the importance of NATO for things they care about. It is in their long-term interest, just like it is in our long-term
interest to have this transatlantic alliance. Even when we disagree on certain policy choices, we are the closest in the sense that we are sort of
the predominant Western alliance and we share a lot of ideas, values and security interests.
And I do think this is important to continue. And we have here a history of, you know, the alliance has been around for 77 years.
[10:45:04]
It has endured the Vietnam War, it's endured the Iraq War. That was not NATO wars, but we could handle differences while we stood together on the
most important things. And obviously for us here in Europe, we are also very preoccupied with maintaining a sufficient focus on the war in Ukraine,
where our neighbor Russia attacked Ukraine and where we are standing up to help them in defending their security, their independence in the long run.
And this is also a major NATO issue. So I expect Mark Rutte also to speak about those issues when he meets the president next week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: The Norwegian foreign minister speaking to me earlier.
Well, still to come, the clear signs of China's nuclear revival. CNN investigates using some of the latest technology.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, U.S. -- as U.S. President Donald Trump gears up for a landmark visit to Beijing next month, CNN has new reporting on China's
nuclear revival.
Now new satellite imagery, 3-D modeling, and a review of government documents to examine what the Trump administration has called the most
significant campaign to modernize China's arsenal in decades.
Here's CNN's Tamara Qiblawi.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TAMARA QIBLAWI, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This dome holds clues about how China might be building what U.S. intelligence
says is Beijing's next generation of nuclear weapons. It's part of a secret Chinese nuclear weapons facility constructed at blistering speed over the
last five years.
So what do we know about this building? Declassified CIA documents from 1971 tell us that this location has historically been used to build nuclear
weapons. For decades there were few signs of growth here until this dome was built. But from up here, there's only so much that you can say about
the structure.
So we decided to take a closer look. We combined satellite images, over 50 snapshots from various phases of the construction process, to recreate the
view from the ground. Extensive piping snakes into a building with a tall ventilation stack and huge air handling units. That tells you that this
gigantic facility is designed to handle very, very toxic materials.
This is the centerpiece of the facility. The reinforced dome shaped like a pill. It's where we believe the components of nuclear weapons are being
made or assembled. We also see a tunnel just a few yards away. It's big enough to fit a large truck, and it disappears into the inside of a
mountain. Experts say there's no known nuclear facility that looks like it anywhere in the world.
JEFFREY LEWIS, DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR OF GLOBAL SECURITY, MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE: Well, the facility that we are considering is clearly a nuclear
weapons facility. What precisely it does, we don't know. But it is very large. And just the sheer scale of it suggests that this is part of a very
substantial investment in China's ability to produce nuclear weapons.
[10:50:07]
QIBLAWI (voice-over): This puts the Trump administration in a bind. U.S. President Donald Trump is set to visit Beijing next month, and he's
expected to start discussions about negotiations to contain Chinese leader Xi Jinping's nuclear ambitions.
But what we found is that China may already be establishing the facts on the ground. This is our nuclear production facility. It sits within a
complex, a network of bases strung along the sides of narrow valleys.
(Voice-over): Each of these sites, long considered by U.S. intelligence to be a cornerstone of China's nuclear weapons program, has gone through a
massive expansion in just five years. Take this one, for example. Two villages were demolished to make way for a new site that, according to
Chinese government documents, manufactures explosive lenses which surround the plutonium core of a nuclear weapon.
Now look at this one, around 50 miles away, over 600 buildings were torn down to expand a collection of labs known as Science City, considered to be
the brains of China's nuclear weapons program. This is yet another security challenge that Trump will have to contend with, and there are fears that
his ongoing war on Iran may harden China's resolve to expand its nuclear weapons program.
LEWIS: One consequence of what the Trump administration is doing in Iran is not going to be to cow or intimidate the Chinese, but it will be to
frighten them into building more nuclear weapons.
QIBLAWI (voice-over): Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: When asked about CNN's findings, China's Foreign Ministry said, it is, and I quote here, "unaware of the situation." China's Defense
Ministry declined to comment.
Well, you're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. From our Middle East programing headquarters here in Abu Dhabi.
Still to come, Pope Leo presiding over the first Holy Week since he was elected last May. He has already restored one tradition and plans to do
what no pontiff before him has ever done. The latest in Holy Week celebrations is just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Happening now in Vatican City a key moment in Holy Week. Pope Leo leading the celebration of the Passion of the Lord in Saint Peter's
Basilica as he marks the first Good Friday of his papacy. The service commemorates the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb live near St. Peter's Square.
Good to have you. Pope Leo is set to make history later today at the Way of the Cross procession at Rome's coliseum. He's also restored other religious
traditions in this Holy Week. Just fill us in.
CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, yes, that's right. Leo on Holy Thursday restored the tradition of taking the service
back to the St. John Lateran Basilica, which is the mother church of Rome, and his cathedral. And there he washed the feet of 12 priests, 11 of whom
he ordained last year.
Now, you may remember that Pope Francis used to take this foot washing service out to prisons or refugee centers, but Leo showing a bit more of a
formal style, which is distinct from his predecessor, by holding the service in the basilica and washing the feet of priests.
[10:55:01]
But later today, as you mentioned, Leo is going to become the first Pope to carry the cross the entire way of the Way of the Cross service, which takes
place at the colosseum. Now, of course, Leo is a younger Pope than his predecessors. He's 70 years old, which is relatively youthful for a Pope.
He's also someone who is in good physical condition. He is known to exercise and play tennis, so it's going to take a bit of endurance this
evening. But Leo is clearly keen to do this -- Becky.
ANDERSON: It's good to have you.
And earlier this week, of course, Pope Leo expressed hope that the U.S.- Israel war on Iran could be finished before Easter.
We're going to close out the show with you -- for you with these images. And that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up
next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): -- celebration of the mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, and concludes with evening prayer --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The celebration of the Lord's Passion will begin in a few moments. Let us accompany the entrance of the
procession in complete silence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
