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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

Potential U.S.-Iran Talks Uncertain As Ceasefire Deadline Looms; Sources: Vance Expected To Travel To Pakistan Today; Starmer: Foreign Office Did Not Inform Us About Mandelson; Pope Leo Leaves Angola With A Message Of Peace, Reconciliation; Shreveport Holds Prayer Vigil Mass Shooting Victims. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired April 21, 2026 - 05:00   ET

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

[05:00:26]

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Erica Hill in New York.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Eleni Giokos live in Dubai.

And we begin this hour here in the Middle East where the clock is ticking on a ceasefire deadline. And there's uncertainty on the status of potential talks between the United States and Iran.

Our sources say U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is expected to travel to Pakistan today to take part in a second round of negotiations, but the situation remains fluid, with heated public rhetoric by both the United States as well as Iran.

President Donald Trump, who says the ceasefire ends Wednesday evening, Washington time, insists Iran will negotiate and warns of consequences if they don't. But Iran says it will decide on how to proceed. It also is calling on the United States to immediately release an Iranian flagged cargo ship it seized on Sunday. The U.S. military says the vessel was attempting to violate its naval blockade of Iranian ports.

We've got CNN correspondents following all the developments for us from around the world. We've got Oren Liebermann standing by for us in Jerusalem, and we've got Nic Robertson live for us in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Great to have you both.

And, Oren, I want to start off with you. I want to talk about the seized Iranian tanker, the Touska. And we've seen the footage that's been released. Iran says it now has to, you know, be back in Iranian hands.

This seems to be one of the big trigger points, as we frankly, have seen maritime confrontations over the last few days.

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Absolutely. And it's a key question of whether this Touska, the Iranian flagged cargo ship, will collapse all efforts to move forward with negotiations here. The Touska was seized by U.S. forces on Sunday, according to U.S. Central Command, guided missile destroyer had issued warnings for six hours before marines disabled and then seized the ship. And it remains now in U.S. custody.

Iran has demanded its release, and this is a very clear stumbling block here that may or may not. And this is the difficulty in all of this, are forced the collapse of negotiations.

Now, the U.S. is clearly proceeding as if negotiations are happening with Vice President J.D. Vance expected to head to the region. What's less clear is if Iran will take part in these negotiations. They're trying to draw a hard line here. But what's difficult to know at this point is whether these are simply political statements trying to draw a tough position ahead of negotiations or whether that's it. It's over from Iran's perspective, negotiations are not happening.

This is -- it's a difficult and critical moment. As the U.S. imposed, or rather the ten day ceasefire here is about to expire on Wednesday evening. So this is a critical moment here. And meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz, though not completely shut off, still has very limited traffic here. According to maritime traffic monitoring sites, only 16 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Nine exited, while seven -- I apologize, nine entered through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf, while seven exited.

So it is still an incredibly limited window of traffic that's able to pass here.

Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command says 27 ships were directed to turn around as they tried to, according to CENTCOM, violate the U.S.- imposed blockade. So it is a critical moment here, one of the worlds most critical waterways remains effectively shut, if not completely shut. And it is in this situation that the U.S. is trying to see if they can move forward with negotiations.

President Donald Trump has indicated that Iran is willing to negotiate this after he seemed to suggest that Iran had already given in to all of the U.S. points on negotiations. So a key moment here as we wait to see how this plays out.

GIOKOS: Exactly. And a lot centers around what happens in the strait. I mean, the Iranians were hoping that once they opened the strait on Friday, the U.S. would reciprocate by removing the U.S. naval blockade. That didn't happen. So we're in this moment.

Oren Liebermann, thank you so much, live for us in Jerusalem.

I want to go now to Nic Robertson, who's in Islamabad for us.

And frankly, Nic, there's massive hope that the second round of negotiations are going to, frankly, take place, even though we've seen contradictory messages, confusion. I mean, there's just so much that is going on from a narrative perspective. But we also know that Pakistan is actually preparing for these negotiations. So take us through what we know.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, I think there's a real hope on the part of the mediators here, the Pakistan officials, is that if they can get both sides to the table, then a lot of the ground that was covered a week and a half ago at talks that didn't get an agreement.

[05:05:04]

That sort of, you know, semi in the bag. It's already been discussed. You know, even the Iranians have said that they've enhanced both sides, have enhanced their understanding of each others positions. So there's a sense that if the sides get to the table, there's a very good starting position to jump off. And I think beyond that, there's a real hope that a deal can be made.

And despite the sort of roller coaster, seesaw signaling and escalate military escalations and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, and after all, the sort of confidence building measures that came last week when the field marshal here from Pakistan, along with the interior minister, were both in Tehran for two and a half days.

And you had, you know, cementing in the ceasefire in Lebanon, the opening of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. Those despite those sort of confidence building measures then being eroded by what came afterwards, the intent on both sides or the desire on both sides really remains there that this is a sense of the, the mediators that both sides want to get a deal.

So, where are we in terms of rhetoric that Oren was alluding to there? There was sort of the last on the record thing was almost 24 hours ago from the Iranian spokesman at the foreign ministry there saying no decision had been taken. Last night, you had both the president and the speaker of the parliament in Iran. The top negotiators, Ghalibaf saying that the United States wants them to surrender. And Ghalibaf who would be leading the Iranian negotiation team if they get here, went on to say, we're not going to negotiate under, you know, a shadow of threats.

So, you know, on the one hand, it seems they're sort of shaping themselves in a position to potentially come. And there was one other takeaway I took from what was said in Iran overnight and sort of in the earlier hours of today, which, which I think you just have to look at this as an up and down wave as state media and Iran prepares the Iranian population for what may come.

And my takeaway from that was that there were several times officials said that under international law, Iran can get reparations for damage to energy facilities and other facilities. And that seems to me to signal that the Iranians are telling the population, if we get into the talks, we can maybe get money back to help rebuild the country. And that's a theme, as that rises up and the hard line voices seem to subside, I think that points towards the confidence that definitely exists in this city, that the Iranians will come.

GIOKOS: Nic Robertson, thank you so much for staying on top of that, live for us in Islamabad.

Joining us now is Ali Fathollah-Nejad, founder and director of the Center for Middle East and Global Order. He joins us now live from Berlin.

Ali, great to have you with us.

I mean -- I mean, suffice to say, there's just so much confusion in terms of the state of play here. This is even before we get into the substance of what the talks should entail. What are you reading into the appetite for not only the United States, but for Iran to engage at this point, as were just hitting the 11th hour before this ceasefire expires?

ALI FATHOLLAH-NEJAD, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR MIDDLE EAST & GLOBAL ORDER: I mean, first of all, I think a lot will depend on last minute messaging between the two sides. Secondly, there is not only a gulf of distrust between Iran and the United States, but there's also some level of distrust within the Iranian system between two factions, one faction that is somehow pro diplomacy, that is represented by a speaker of parliament and chief negotiator, Ghalibaf, who sees some economic urgency to stabilize the situation.

Also, the regime. And there is the other side, the other camp that is represented by, you know, elements of the Islamic Revolutionary guard corps that are, you know, trying to continue the kind of resistance, and the war and who are quite ideological and also not interested in getting a deal with the United States.

So, there is a lot of pressure on Ghalibaf within the Iranian system. And this is why his messaging on social media is also quite hard line and is also insisting that Iran is not going to surrender.

GIOKOS: Yeah. I mean, it was really, you know, surprising perhaps in a way. I mean, when we looked at the big news about the Strait of Hormuz being opened, you know, one always got the sense there would be caveats attached. It's not surprising the IRGC sort of really put out the restrictions. We're still very much in force before we saw gunships firing at tankers attempting to cross the strait.

[05:10:01]

Do you believe that the issue of reopening of this critical waterway is going to be more important than anything else that's on the table, keeping in mind it's always been about nuclear enrichment, but it seems opening up the Strait of Hormuz is going to be one of those absolutely vital issues that are going to be discussed

FATHOLLAH-NEJAD: Absolutely. The Strait of Hormuz is absolutely vital for a number of international actors, for the international community, for a lot of great powers. Also, non-Western great powers, obviously, for the GCC states, for Europe, and many others. So, this is going to be huge, you know, point of contention.

The Iranians have made clear that, because of their belief that they have somehow won the war and they're in a better position. They want to claim some kind of sovereignty over the strait and they want to collect some tolls.

And this is going to be, which is of course, an illegal demand. And the other, the other side, we have the us blockade of Iranian ports, although, that is targeting Iranian oil exports and oil export revenues to China.

And -- but still we have Iranian ships passing through. So, the strait of Hormuz is going to be the most important subject probably next to the nuclear issue.

GIOKOS: So, Ali, you know, when you say there's -- there's a lot of, you know, fissures that have emerged within Iranian leadership, specifically between the IRGC and those, you know, that are at the forefront, like Ghalibaf and even Araghchi, do you believe that the Iranians are going to be sending a strong delegation to Pakistan for these talks now that J.D. Vance is going to be going?

FATHOLLAH-NEJAD: Well, speaking of strong delegation, the first round, the Iranians had a delegation of more than 70 or 80 people. And this not -- this doesn't necessarily signal an Iranian willingness to, you know, to seek a deal, although it might, it may signal that. But more importantly, I think this has been a reflection what I tried to explain earlier, that there is deep skepticism within the Iranian system, and they wanted to watch what Ghalibaf is going to do with the Americans. So, we're going to see, the same kind of scenario with a huge delegation traveling to Islamabad again. So, we're going to see the continuation of this skepticism within the system.

But then there is also another possibility that, they're going to be some, you know, lower ranking presence of the Iranians to send a message to the Americans that they're not happy with the American positions, which they regard as symbolist. But also, there is also the possibility that were going to see the resumption of hostilities, or were going to see the postponement of negotiations that are going to buy some time also for both sides.

GIOKOS: Yeah. Big question. Are we going to see an extension of the ceasefire buying of time. Always at the 11th hour. Something comes together at a critical moment like this, Ali. So, we wait to see.

Ali Fathollah-Nejad, thank you so much.

All right. I'm going to be back later in this hour with more Iran coverage. I now want to take you back to Erica Hill, who's standing by for us in New York -- Erica.

HILL: Eleni, thanks so much.

A former top official of Britain's foreign office is telling lawmakers the prime minister's office took a, quote, "dismissive approach" to Peter Mandelson security vetting.

Olly Robbins was fired after reports emerged that Mandelson, the former ambassador to the United States, had failed a security vetting. Mandelson was removed from that post, of course, in September, when the extent of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein came to light, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is now facing calls to resign after those reports that Mandelson had failed, vetting the prime minister, telling lawmakers on Monday, the foreign office never told him about the results.

Robbins says the vetting results did not involve Epstein, and says Starmer's office wanted Mandelson appointed as soon as possible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLLY ROBBINS, FORMER PERMANENT UNDERSECRETARY TO THE BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE: Throughout January, honestly, my office, the foreign secretary's office were under constant pressure. There was a -- there was an atmosphere of constant chasing. When will this --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any phone calls?

ROBBINS: I couldn't say for certain daily, but -- I mean, certainly very frequent from private office to private office. Has this been delivered yet? Never any interest as far as I recall, in weather, but only in interest in when.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Pope Leo XIV saying farewell to Angola, a country that has welcomed him with open arms, attending a goodbye ceremony with the country's president before boarding a plane to Equatorial Guinea.

Now the pontiff has been several days greeting worshipers. Speaking with local leaders, he also urged Angolans across the country to strive for peace and to bridge divides created by nearly three decades of civil war. The pope's arrival to Equatorial Guinea will begin the final leg of his tour of four African nations.

Still ahead here, a community mourning for eight children killed in a mass shooting. The grief-stricken survivor is now talking about not only what happened over the over the weekend in Louisiana, but how they're coping. Elon Musk, meantime, under sharp scrutiny in France after the break, you'll hear the latest with this slew of accusations his company is facing.

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[05:19:52]

HILL: Singer David Anthony Burke, known by his stage name D4vid, was in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday pleading not guilty to all charges in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl. Burke is charged with first degree murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez after her remains were found in the trunk of his Tesla last September.

The car appeared to have been abandoned. D4vid, who is 21, is also charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and also charged with mutilating human remains.

An official cause of death has not been released. Prosecutors, however, accused Burke of a gruesome murder with a deadly weapon after Rivas Hernandez threatened to expose his alleged criminal conduct and harm his musical career. If convicted, Burke could face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole or the death penalty. Burke's attorneys say they will vigorously defend his innocence and

are pushing for the earliest possible date to hold a preliminary hearing. He's currently being held in jail without bail.

The city of Shreveport, Louisiana, coming together for a vigil on Monday to honor the lives of the eight children killed in the nation's worst mass shooting in more than two years. Community members offering prayers and they also sang worship songs in an attempt to strengthen the families of those impacted. The attack left two women critically injured.

CNN's Isabel Rosales is in Shreveport and has more now on the tragedy and also how the survivors are doing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TABATHA TAYLOR, SHREVEPORT CITY COUNCILWOMAN, DISTRICT A: This is real, and this is the result when someone snaps. So I'm going to ask the community, along with prayer, with every mental health consultant, counselor that is out here, this family and this community needs you. I need you. Because how do we get through this?

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Deep grief in Shreveport, Louisiana as the details unfold in a horrific domestic attack in this community. It happened in the early morning hours of Sunday.

Just after 6:00 a.m., police received a call that someone had entered a home where nine people lived and shot everyone inside. Minutes later, police received another call reporting a shooting at a nearby house. Authorities say they quickly realized the two incidents were connected.

Police say the shooter then carjacked a vehicle. They chased him into the next parish where officers fatally shot him. CNN obtained video showing police closing in on the gunman after he fled the scene.

In total, police say 31-year-old Shamar Elkins killed eight young children ages 3 to 11. Seven of the kids were his own, the eighth a cousin. He also shot his wife and another adult woman. Both have serious injuries. The shooter's brother-in-law, Troy Brown, says he doesn't know how to make sense of it all.

TROY BROWN, SUSPECT'S BROTHER-IN-LAW: I don't know how to feel. I don't know how to act.

ROSALES (voice-over): He said the shooter, who served in the Louisiana Army National Guard until 2020, was struggling with his mental health and had sought help at the V.A. hospital for something personal. He didn't elaborate.

BROWN: He seeked help. He got help. He came home. Everything was good. A couple of weeks ago, a couple of weeks to a month, everything, like, to him was falling apart.

ROSALES (voice-over): An uncle, Lionel Pugh, says it's very hard to cope right now.

LIONEL PUGH, UNCLE OF VICTIMS: It was devastating because, I mean, I got here and all I could see is just, you know, yellow tape, you know, a crime scene.

ROSALES (voice-over): Both Pugh and Brown told CNN that the shooter's wife wanted a divorce. And Brown said that they were due to appear in court today to sign the papers. A neighbor who lives across the street tells CNN he witnessed the aftermath of the shooting.

FREDDIE MONTGOMERY, NEIGHBOR WHO LIVES ACROSS THE STREET: I opened my curtain and looked out the curtain, and it was. It was the Shreveport Police Department. They were making entry into the side door, going into the house.

ROSALES (voice-over): He said he saw the shooter just yesterday.

MONTGOMERY: I waved, just being neighborly, and he actually waved back. And the children were playing in the yard. And so, I just went home, and 12 hours later, this.

ROSALES (voice-over): Brown says the family is struggling but resilient.

BROWN: I'm not OK. I'm not going to be OK for a while. These were eight babies, precious babies.

So, no, I'm not OK. And, yes, I am going to seek help for myself as well as my child, my wife, and my sister-in-law. We're all going to go to counsel.

Yes, it's going to take a while, but we're going to make it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROSALES: There's been an incredible show of support from the community, parents, everybody of all ages coming out here, leaving teddy bears, candles, balloons, notes of encouragement to this family that has gone through so much.

Troy Brown, by the way, told me that his son died up there on that roof, trying to get away from the gunfire. His daughter survived by jumping off the roof. She was mostly uninjured, he told me, but her aunt was shot nine times.

She's out of surgery, the family tells me. She is awake. She is aware and she is talking.

Back to you

HILL: Heightened tensions and now uncertain talks. We'll get you up to speed on the latest developments on potential negotiations between the U.S. and Iran as that ceasefire deadline looms.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[05:29:35]

HILL: I'm Eleni Giokos live in Dubai for you.

And sources say Vice President J.D. Vance is expected to travel to Pakistan today to take part in a second round of talks between the United States and Iran. But those potential negotiations still appear far from certain. President Trump is insisting Iran will negotiate and says extension of the ceasefire is highly unlikely.

All this is playing out as Iran is calling on the United States to immediately release an Iranian flagged cargo ship it seized on Sunday.

We've got CNN's Paula Hancocks following all these developments for us.