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One World with Zain Asher

Loud Blasts Heard in Abu Dhabi; Iranian Missiles and Drones Targeting Gulf States; Evacuation Flights Ramp Up Throughout the Middle East; CNN's Fred Pleitgen and Team Cross Border into Iran; Israel & Iran Trade New Strikes as War Widens in Middle East; Israel's U.N. Ambassador Gives Update on War with Iran. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired March 05, 2026 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: Hello, everyone. Live from New York. I'm Bianna Golodryga.

ZAIN ASHER, CNN HOST, ONE WORLD: And I'm Zain Asher. You are watching "One World". I want to start with some breaking news just into CNN. Loud blasts

have just been heard in Abu Dhabi in the UAE. It is just past 08:00 p.m. Their air defense sirens have been going off.

The Emirates Ministry of Defense says that air defenses are responding. We know that Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the UAE, they have all sort of this past

week, moved to remote learning for schools. My sister actually lives in Abu Dhabi, and she was updating me, they are doing remote learning for all

schools.

They've actually moved half term sooner in order to protect kids and keep them safe. They've also moved workplace to remote learning as well. But

there is a lot of fear in the region, in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

GOLODRYGA: You should note, UAE has been on the largest part of the receiving end here in terms of the incoming missiles coming from Iran,

specifically their short range.

ASHER: Right. Right. And obviously, the UAE has been a sort of neutral party in all of this, but they are bearing the brunt. Again, loud blasts

have been heard in Abu Dhabi, air defenses are responding. And here's what we know across the region, Iran is launching another wave of retaliatory

strikes throughout the Middle East, threatening to jeopardize regional stability and ignite a much wider regional conflict.

GOLODRYGA: And for the first time since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran five days ago, Iranian, drones have allegedly hit Azerbaijan, injuring two

people there. Iran has denied involvement. Tehran meanwhile, continues to fire at neighboring Gulf States. As we just noted, sirens in the UAE,

another barrage of missiles were intercepted over Qatar earlier, you can see the explosions in the skies over Doha.

ASHER: And in what appears to be a reference to Iraq based Kurdish groups, Tehran claims that it is targeting what it calls separatist terrorist

groups who are threatening to cross the border. Israel is also launching new strikes on both Iran and Lebanon, taking aim at missile sites in the

Iranian capital.

And the IDF is considering, or rather ordering entire neighborhoods in Southern Beirut to evacuate as the Israeli military continues pounding

Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

GOLODRYGA: The White House, meanwhile, is getting criticized for releasing a slickly produced video promoting its military operations in Iran that

includes clips from the video game "Call of Duty".

ASHER: Let's bring in CNN's Nick Paton Walsh joining us live now from Tel Aviv. So, Nick, just in terms the latest, yes, we are hearing that there

are loud blasts being heard right now in Abu Dhabi and air defenses are responding to apparent missile threats.

But just in terms of the fears about this war escalating and other parts of the world being dragged into this. We're hearing that there were apparent

drone attacks at the airport, at the main airport in Azerbaijan. Iran is denying any involvement in that Nick what more can you tell us here?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, the Azerbaijan incident hitting a smaller airport in the south of the country,

two injured there, apparently, drone incident, an Iranian denial. I think you may be able to if you look at the maps of air traffic around this

region, so much diverted through Azerbaijani air space, maybe that is somehow connected to whatever happened down there.

But this part of a wider picture this morning of a conflict that looked like it was beginning to potentially focus on the skies over Iran and over

Southern Lebanon sprawling out yet again. The blasts being heard now in Abu Dhabi while there were six injured this morning, after some drones came

through Qatar.

Whose foreign minister was on the phone to his Iranian counterpart yesterday, called by Iran, seemingly Tehran, trying to make up, perhaps for

some of the damage over the past days. Today, Qatar on the receiving end of 14 missiles, 13 of which were taken down. Drones intercepted near Saudi

Arabia as well.

This is a gulf basically yet again, seeing Iranian retaliation. Iranian strikes similar to the opening hours of this conflict. Now let's move to

Iran itself, a human rights group based in the United States saying this morning that there were 1100 dead Iranians as a result of the strikes so

far, adding to that, now we have the 12th wave of Israeli air strikes announced against 40 targets that happened earlier today.

They say hitting underground ballistic missiles, air defense missiles as well. And now, I think, probably the most significant development of the

past hours.

[11:05:00]

An evacuation order given by the Israel Defense Force to Southern Lebanon, essentially saying sorry, Southern Beirut in Lebanon, saying the Dahia

suburb there, which, for the most part, often Hezbollah stronghold, but essentially telling areas adjacent to that less affiliated everybody needs

to get out now.

And there are startling scenes of that evacuation that's hundreds of thousands of people, potentially so enormous anxiety there. Remember

Southern Lebanon itself, below the Litani River near the border with Northern Israel, that had an evacuation order from the IDF just yesterday.

So, people are on the move from the south of the country, many heading into the south of Beirut, the capital or around it. Now on the move yet again.

Adding to that anxiety, Israel's hard line Finance Minister here, Bezalel Smotrich has basically threatened that they will reduce Dahia to rubble,

saying they will do the same that they did to Khan Yunis in Southern Gaza.

So startling rhetoric. He is not a policy maker by himself, certainly, but this will simply add to the utter terror of those down in Southern Beirut

who are obviously horrified about what may potentially be ahead. But Israel very aggressively pursuing its policy against Hezbollah that has been

inordinately weakened since the first Israeli assault against it in late 2024 that though one of two fronts Israel seems to be engaged on.

Also today, we've been hearing from U.S. Central Command about how they believe they're rapidly deteriorating Iran's capability to strike it and

its own allies as well. So, the campaign Iran less visible because of 120 hours long internet blackout, but no less aggressive and brutal because of

it. But startling too to see this evacuation order now impacting one of the largest cities in the region, Beirut.

ASHER: All right, Nick Paton Walsh live for us there. Thank you. Thank you so much, Nick.

GOLODRYGA: And a reminder to all of you of our breaking news this hour, loud blasts have been heard in Abu Dhabi. The government says air defenses

are responding and our Paula Hancocks joins us now from nearby Dubai. She is indoors for safety. But Paula, what have you been seeing in the Dubai

skyline there?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we just had an alert here in Dubai as well saying they believe there is incoming missiles or drones. They've

told everybody to seek shelter, which is why I'm standing just inside. We have the shot up for you, though, in case you can see anything.

But what we've been hearing is more significant up until this point in Abu Dhabi, just an hour down the road. It was about an hour ago that the alerts

first went off in Abu Dhabi. And our teams down there say that they have heard a number of loud explosions it seems to be more of a consistent level

of incoming that we have seen for a number of days in Abu Dhabi.

Now we do understand that debris from one of the interceptions appears to have fallen in an area that's near residential areas. Our teams on the

ground there saying that they could see some fire engines moving to that location. So, at this point, it does appear as though, certainly in the

last 60 minutes, there has been some quite consistent missiles or drones.

It's unclear at this point that have been heading into Abu Dhabi. Now there have been alerts from the authorities themselves. They have said, in Abu

Dhabi and in fact across they say, in scattered areas of the country, the sounds you will hear, which are those blasts overhead, are the result of

air defense systems, intercepting ballistic missiles and fighter jets, intercepting drones and loitering munitions.

So, this is interesting, because we really felt as though we were in somewhat of a lull when it came to the UAE. We have been hearing

interceptions overhead, but they have been one here, one there. They have been sporadic. This that we have seen over the last hour is almost like

what we heard on Saturday and Sunday at the beginning, when there were more consistent barrages of incoming projectiles from Iran. So certainly, that

does appear to be different.

ASHER: Just based on recent reports, there have been at least Paula, about 800 projectiles fired into the UAE. It continues to be probably the most

attacked country so far in the region. And of course, like every other country, it does have the right to self-defense, just in terms of the

possibility.

[11:10:00]

I mean, obviously a UAE attack on Iran, albeit retaliatory, would be unprecedented. But just in terms of what the UAE's calculus is going

forward, what does that look like, and what are you hearing from officials?

HANCOCKS: So, just first of all, to update on the figures that we have. The MOD has said there's been well up until before this latest barrage, almost

200 missiles fired in and well over 1000 drones that have been fired into the UAE. The majority of them, more than 90 percent of them, have been

intercepted by the air defense systems.

So, when it comes to what the UAE can do? They have been very vocal, saying they reserve the right to retaliate. They have said that it is unacceptable

what Tehran is doing, calling it blatant attacks and reckless. I guess, the most or the least confrontational option that the UAE has at hand at this

point is to maybe allow the United States to use its air bases.

Before this war started, the UAE and a number of other Gulf nations had said to the U.S., you cannot use our bases. You cannot use our airspace,

and they had been lobbying for this military action not to even start. They had been lobbying the U.S. President. They believe that that would distance

themselves from any retaliation from Iran.

Clearly, it has not. And in fact, the retaliation against the UAE has been unprecedented and surprising to many people here, so that could be one of

the least aggressive things that the UAE authorities could potentially do. We are hearing a number of fighter jets overhead here in Abu Dhabi at this

point. The alert still to shelter in place.

When it comes to the possibility of military action by the UAE military that obviously would be a far more confrontational option to take publicly.

Clearly, they will not be drawn on what option they are likely to head towards, but certainly, the allowing of the U.S. to use their air bases

would be one of the least confrontational at this point.

GOLODRYGA: Though, it was quite a show of defiance when we saw Mohammed Bin Zayed walking through the shopping malls there earlier this week following

a large incoming barrage of missiles, a show of confidence in the country and for the population there. And of course, that video did go viral. Paula

Hancocks, thank you so much.

ASHER: Thank you, Paula. Stay safe.

GOLODRYGA: All right, I want to bring in Amit Segal joining us now from Jerusalem. He is the Chief Political Commentator at Israel's leading news

outlet, Channel 12 News, and writes a newsletter called "It's noon in Israel". He's also the Author of a new book, "A call it 04:00 p.m. 04:00

a.m. 13 Prime Ministers and the crucial decisions that shaped Israeli politics".

Yes, am crucial to note there. Amit, good to see you. I do want to talk to you about other breaking news that we have been reporting on. I know you've

been covering as well. And that is the report that the U.S. is potentially going to be arming Kurdish fighters to stretch the IRGC fighters there

thin.

These are well trained fighters, very well known to the U.S. military, very loyal for so many years there in the region. But it does come with risk,

and of course, for those in Iran, the word separatism is a dirty word, and Kurdish population there makes upwards of 10 percent of the population.

There is concern that we have been hearing vocally about the cost of this particular action and what that could mean for fragmenting this country,

especially because it is such a pluralistic country. And the last thing they want to see is any sort of fragmentation at this point.

AMIT SEGAL, CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, N12: So, first of all, the Kurdish minority has had a very fruitful relationship with both the U.S. and Israel

over the last 70, almost 80 years. So, it's no surprise that there is some sort of cooperation, by the way, at the expense not only of Iran, but

Turkey as well. President of the one is quite worried about it.

However, I don't think President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu want the Kurdish minority to take over Iran. I think that what we see here is

yet another example that it's not that Israel and the U.S. are going to bomb Iran for 3, 2, 3, 4 weeks, and then to say that the ball is in the

court of the protesters.

No, there is an organized attempt to shake the foundations of this fundamentalist regime in each and every aspect, be it the Kurdish minority

in the West, be it other minorities in the north.

[11:15:00]

And first and foremost, the protesters inside Tehran. From what I'm hearing there are, I can spill the beans, unfortunately, because I don't know the

secrets, but I'm told that there are two, three more surprises waiting to actually happen when it comes exactly to those aspects. The aspect of we,

the U.S. and Israel, have weaken the regime to a level in which protesters and minorities can actually take the lead.

ASHER: We've just been reporting on some breaking news from our teams in the UAE and Abu Dhabi. And obviously, you know, the UAE has traditionally

been a safe haven for a lot of Westerners that live there. They are more or less sort of selectively neutral country, so to speak.

Just talk to us about Iran's calculus here. The UAE has suffered the brunt of the barrage of projectiles into their country. And you've got Iran

essentially lashing out at Gulf neighbors. I believe that one UAE official said that Iran has basically squandered the little goodwill that it

actually had in the region with its neighbors.

What is Israel's perspective, just in terms of how Iran is retaliating, not just against U.S. and Americans in terms of, you know, their bases, but

also Middle Eastern countries as well. And is this something that the Israelis had been anticipating?

SEGAL: I would say this your book Bianna is called "Don't feed the lion". This is exactly what the Gulf States have done for the last few decades.

They were under the impression that they can actually sit in between the fundamentalists in Iran and the moderates in other countries, especially

Israel, to have relationship embassies open, and now we see that this relationship is hanging by thread to say the least.

The UAE takes most of the file. First of all -- first and foremost, because it stands for everything that Iran doesn't. It's moderate, it's secular,

it's prosperous, and it has a very good relationship with both Israel and the United States. And that's why it is in the receiving end of such a

monstrous attack which is aimed specifically in an attempt to a hinder the number one value of the Gulf States, which is stability.

When it comes to Qatar however, I have to say this is -- it could -- it could have been amusing, unless it was so tragic. Qatar was the number two

founder of terrorism, and second only to Iran, and all of a sudden, he takes hits from Iran itself. So, I do think it reframes the entire region.

We should conceptualize the Middle East, not as a, you know, a Jews versus Muslims, but as fundamentalists versus moderates. And this is the number

one donation of Iran, you know, unintentionally to the future Middle East.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, now you're potentially dragging Azerbaijan in as well. Amit, I appreciate the book plug. Thank you so much. You said you're not

going to spill the beans. I'm wondering if you can spill just one or two for us there, as you gave us a preview in your newsletter.

You end by saying, this isn't the last surprise up the sleeve of the United States and Israel. And there is a lot of question going on here in the U.S.

and around the world, about while militarily, the United States and Israel may be in lock step that their end game, the goal here, the day after plan,

may not be so closely aligned.

So, from Prime Minister Netanyahu's perspective, from what you're hearing, can you give us more insight into that? And perhaps that speaks to the

beans that you say you can't reveal thus far.

SEGAL: So, I wish I could. All I know from just you know looking at the situation is that there isn't any precedent historically for a regime

change happening only by air strikes. However, this is not the case like in Iraq. In Iraq, it took boots on the ground to actually tackle the Saddam

Hussein regime.

Here we have boots on the ground, the boots of the protesters of those millions of Iranians that storm the streets, one thing change and then

being massacred by thousands by a hostile terrorist regime. So, I think that the number one issue here in the attack is how to connect these air

strikes, with the protests.

[11:20:00]

And I think there are many, many efforts being done. If you're looking for those beans, look for, you know, by those you know, secret tied between

Israel and United States and the leadership of the protesters.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, and that's, you know, the president initially, after the massacre of protests at the beginning of the year, that was his call when

he said that help was on the way. He alluded to that again in his video release, once the war began and the U.S. began bombing Iran last weekend.

Amit quickly, I do want to get you to respond to what "The Economist" has been reporting and see if you can match this reporting. "The Economist"

says that Israeli intelligence sources suggest that there are signs of Iranian soldiers and police officers and IRGC members failing to show up

for duty. I'm wondering if you've heard the same from your sources.

SEGAL: I checked this report a few hours ago. Unfortunately, I don't have any confirmation for this, at least from the Israeli perspective. So, if

it's a significant phenomenon, it's still not seen by the Israeli intelligence. But even President Trump spoke about defections and the

secret attempts to actually contact the United States in order to defect or to actually change the system from within. So, I think there is more than

meets the eye in that respect.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, and the U.S. has offered clemency for anyone who would put down their arms in the IRGC now. All right. Amit Segal, thank you so much.

Appreciate the time.

ASHER: We'll be right back.

SEGAL: Thank you so much.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ASHER: All right, the U.S. State Department says that multiple charter flights are underway right now evacuating stranded Americans from the

Middle East. This is countries around the world really try to ramp up their evacuation flights out of the Gulf region, amid a lot of travel chaos

caused, of course, by the joint U.S. Israeli military operation Iran, and also their retaliation too.

GOLODRYGA: The State Department says 20,000 Americans have returned from the region since the war began on Saturday. This as the Trump

Administration faces scrutiny for not having an evacuation plan in place ahead of the conflict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I wanted to take this chance to speak directly to Americans who are in the Middle East about the work we are

doing to try to keep you safe.

[11:25:00]

So immediately following the beginning of this operation, at my direction, the State Department activated a 24/7 Task Force in order to receive these

updates from the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, you have to register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. You have to register with STEP,

and here's where you do it. You go to step.state.gov.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: Joining us now from Washington is CNN's Kylie Atwood. So, the State Department's excuse is really that this war broke out so quickly that they

just really didn't have time to figure out an evacuation plan for the Americans that would be stranded in the Gulf region.

They have set up charter flights when walking charts about that, because the administration does, has faced criticism for I mean, obviously this war

has been or the potential for water breakout has been talked about for many weeks, if not months, Kylie? And so, they really could have had a behind

the scenes plan, just in terms of what would happen when it did finally break out, walk us through what you know Kylie?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, no, it's an extremely fair point, and questions at the State Department and the White

House are being continually asked. We should note that yesterday, there was the first U.S. government charter that left the region with Americans who

wanted to evacuate.

We don't know how many Americans were on that flight. We don't know which country it left from, but that was announced by the State Department. The

Deputy State Department Spokesperson told CNN earlier this morning that there are more flights that are going to be under way. He said, due to

operational reasons, he couldn't share the details of that.

And I should note that I've talked to many Americans in the region who are frustrated that there haven't been more solutions to what is a really

challenging and scary time for them as they're trying to get out of the region, and didn't feel like there was adequate warning by the U.S.

government that something like this was coming, particularly when this war was instigated by the U.S. strikes on Iran, which happened over the

weekend.

So the questions, however, that the State Department is getting about whether or not they did enough planning before this war broke out? They're

pushing back on that saying, as you saw from the Secretary of State Marco Rubio there, that they stood up a task force the same weekend that the

strikes begun, but it wasn't until days after those strikes begun, that they actually told Americans that they should get out of the region.

And of course, it wasn't until yesterday that they actually had their first evacuation flight. Now there are logistical challenges here. Obviously,

this is a kinetic environment, so getting U.S. charters into the region are as challenging as getting commercial flights in just because of these

missiles and drones that are flying.

Obviously, you don't want to subject those aircraft to those threats. So, it is very challenging. We know that they are actively working on this now.

They have hundreds of people at the State Department working on this. And as you said in the introduction there, there are 20,000 Americans state has

said have left the Middle East since this conflict began.

About half of those State Department says they have provided assistance in trying to get out. But we're watching to see if they can get to a point

where the cadence of these exits pursued by the United States and facilitated by the United States for these Americans can get to a higher

rate, so those who are stranded and, of course, feeling scared in the region, can depart.

ASHER: All right, Kylie Atwood live for us there. Thank you so much. And just a quick note to our viewers, if you or anyone that you know needs help

getting out of the Middle East, you can call the State Departments, College of Affairs Hotline. This is, by the way, for Americans, specifically, of

course, who are trapped in the Middle East. That number is on your screen. It is 202-501-444, for Americans who are stranded in the Gulf region right

now.

All right. Still to come, a rare look inside Iran. CNN is the first American network allowed into the country since the start of the war. Fred

Pleitgen will bring you those images next.

GOLODRYGA: Plus, we're speaking to visionary entrepreneur and vocal advocate for human rights in Iran, Moj Mahdara, about the consequences this

war will likely have stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00]

ASHER: All right. Welcome back to "One World". I'm Zain Asher.

GOLODRYGA: I'm Bianna Golodryga. Here are some headlines we're watching today. Israel and Iran are trading strikes as the war in the Middle East

enters its sixth day and threatens to ignite a much broader regional conflict. For the first time, an Iranian drone hit neighboring Azerbaijan,

injuring four people.

Israel, meanwhile, says that it's targeting missile sites in Tehran as the IDF continues pounding Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

ASHER: And Israel's overnight attack hit what it says with several command centers inside the Lebanese Capital Beirut. The IDF claims that these

centers belong to Hezbollah. Israel's military has also issued what it describes as an urgent evacuation warning for entire neighborhoods in

Beirut's southern suburbs.

GOLODRYGA: Here you can see explosions in skies over Doha, Qatar this as air defense systems intercept a missile attack. CNN's team on the ground

felt buildings rattle as booms rang out across the city. Our staff in Doha say they did not receive an emergency alert ahead of the barrage.

ASHER: As evacuation efforts are ramping up in the Middle East, as more airports resume limited commercial flights. Israel open its airspace on

Thursday to allow a handful of flights to land near Tel Aviv. The transportation ministry says that while more than 20,000 Israelis have

returned, about 120,000 are still trying to get home.

GOLODRYGA: Our Senior International Correspondent, Fred Pleitgen, and his team have crossed the border into Iran. CNN is the first U.S. network

allowed into the country since the start of the war.

ASHER: Yeah, we have to point out that CNN operates in Iran only with government permission. Here's Fred's report.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We just crossed the border and are now inside of Iran. The Iranian government has granted

us a visa to come here and to report from the Islamic Republic of Iran. We're now trying to make our way to the Capital Tehran as fast as possible.

But of course, the distances in this huge country are immense, and we know it's going to take many, many hours for us to get there. We also don't know

what the situation on the road to Tehran is going to look like. How many check points there's going to be, and of course, we know at the same time,

there are massive combat operations also going on.

The United States and Israel are continuing their huge aerial campaign against targets inside of Iran at the same time, the Iranians continue to

retaliate, not just with their ballistic missiles, but with their drones, mostly hitting Israel, but then also American military installations,

especially in the Gulf region, but in general in the Middle East.

In total, the Iranians are saying that they continue this campaign in for a very long time. They say that their missile arsenal is still immense, and

they haven't even used some of their most modern missiles.

[11:35:00]

But we also, of course, know that the place that we aim to go to, Tehran, has been under almost sustained attacks, with massive air strikes going on

there, and also huge damage being caused. And of course, many people also having been harmed.

ASHER: CNN's Fred Pleitgen reporting from inside Iran. All right, let's bring in the Co-Founder of the Iranian Diaspora Collective, Moj Mahdara.

Moj, thank you so much for being with us. I'm sure you heard the president just a few days ago, the U.S. President just a few days ago, telling

ordinary Iranians inside Iran the hour of freedom is at hand.

When we are finished, take over your government, it will be yours to take. This will probably be your only chance for generations. At the same time,

though, over the weekend, we saw that really tragic scenario where an elementary school inside Iran was struck. You had at least at this point,

180 children, young girls Iran slaughtered and killed because of these strikes.

How much does foreign intervention, especially when they are -- there are clumsy mistakes like that, strengthen nationalist sentiment inside the

country, even though there are a lot of Iranians who have very sort of vitriolic sentiment towards the regime still there are still some, I'm

sure, inside the country who oppose this kind of foreign intervention, especially given the tragedy we saw over the weekend?

MOJ MAHDARA, CO-FOUNDER, IRANIAN DIASPORA COLLECTIVE: Well, first, thank you for having me. And these are important questions to answer. I think we

have to start by anything less than regime change in a transition to a secular, democratic Iran is a failure for both parties and the world and

the international governments at large.

When we talk about civilian deaths here, Iranians are in and out of the country are in mourning. We've just survived 35 plus 1000 people that were

murdered in cold blood on January, 8th and 9th, and now we're talking about these young school girls. It is tragic. It is heartbreaking.

Nobody wants children to die and be targeted. And it is unclear in this moment; we have to say that who did that and how it happened. What we do

know is that the IRGC has been filming propaganda videos inside other schools, and they have been for weeks and weeks, knowing that the most

important thing they can do is win the hearts and minds of media portraying these kinds of images.

And so, in this moment, we don't see the graves and the commemoration of these protesters, but they are definitely pushing out all of the content

from the school girls that were killed. And we need to know who did it. They need to be held accountable.

But it is important to know that the Islamic Republic is not just a military threat, but they are a propaganda machine and a military and a

propaganda that is what they do. This is how they've stayed alive. Is not just their military might, but their propaganda might.

GOLODRYGA: The irony is not lost on anyone Moj, that a regime that can kill tens thousands of its own people in a matter of days to then turn around

and accuse the West of intentionally killing young children that is not lost, and as you said, they are well equipped in the propaganda machine.

I do want to ask you about something that you had posted online, and that relates to the reports that the United States, perhaps, along with Israel,

will begin arming Kurdish fighters to basically wear down the IRGC. You yourself are an Iranian Kurd. We know this is a very proud country.

It is a pluralistic country, and there have been some concerns about what this move could mean? Your perspective here, because it does come with

risks, but we're also hearing, just from reporting that the Kurds would not be getting their own state out of this, that their goal is very much

aligned with yours. So, I just want to get your perspective.

MAHDARA: The most important thing to Iranians, beyond regime change, is territorial integrity, democracy, a plural government and country that

represents the people and normalization with the rest of the world. And the Kurds are at the forefront of that.

The Kurds are the ones who created and were the originators of women, life, freedom. They are central to the Iranian identity. They are central to our

government and our people moving forward, and we have to work with them to create a larger coalition to overthrow this regime.

It is imperative that the international community commit to regime change. This cannot just be about disabling military locations and capabilities.

This must be about regime change and democracy, because the Kurds are central to that, but we have to disable surveillance so that the civilians

can come out and overthrow their government.

People need resources. They need access to internet. And most importantly, they need to know that the international community is committed to de-

capitating this regime and transitioning to transitional leadership under Reza Pahlavi.

[11:40:00]

There are many people inside the country that are prepared to join this coalition, and we must transition out of a moment of war where civilians

are being killed and dying in harm's way, and they have been for 47 years. The world has not cared about Iranian people.

We have been used as pawns for every party, every government, and at this point it is absolutely unacceptable. Their ideology is dangerous, their

military might be dangerous, and Iran will always be an empire. And I say this to everyone; Iran is either an empire for good or is an empire for

bad.

But this regime staying intact is the most reckless, negligent thing we could ever do. So, arming the Kurds, we need to be very careful. This is

potentially very dangerous, but we need to make sure that they're armed with the resources and that the coalition from the outside, which includes

Reza Pahlavi and a democratic movement for Iran, can now join this movement.

We are all anxious to join as one, to overthrow this regime and push for a secular democracy that values democracy and human rights. This cannot

continue to go on anymore. The band aid must be ripped off.

ASHER: We do know that Iran's top clerics are still trying to figure out a successor to the Ayatollah that was killed. I mean, just in the past two

days or so, we know that the 88 Member Assembly of Experts were meeting for that very reason when there was a strike at that particular compound.

Israel has said also Moj that any successor, any new Ayatollah, new leader, would be an unequivocal target for elimination. Even without an Ayatollah,

and even with several of Iran's sort of top security officials, Minister of Defense, et cetera, being killed over the weekend, we know that just in

terms of Iran's powerful repressive organs.

That there are security forces out in the streets that are spreading fear that a lot of ordinary Iranians might be at this point in time, still too

afraid to rise up. Do you think that the Israelis and the Americans really fought through before the strikes the day after plan?

What a potential sort of end of the regime would look like? How you would arm the opposition? How you would de arm or disarm, rather, the security

forces on the streets? Do you have any sort of what's your thoughts on, whether or not that plan was fully hatched before what we saw on Saturday?

MAHDARA: I think what has to be paid attention to in this moment is you have never seen an Iranian people so strong and willing to die on the

streets for democracy and regime change. And you've never seen an Iranian diaspora so strong, willing and ready to support them from the outside.

You've never seen a transitional leader.

You've never seen this kind of support for Reza Pahlavi. You've never seen the level of coalition coming around this moment, both from a business

perspective, a financial perspective, a policy perspective, a cultural perspective. It is not an accident that the Gulf States have not joined in

Iran and in fact, they are joining Israel and America.

It is not an accident. People recognize that for this region to prosper, for this region to actually have a chance for real success, this regime

must go. And so, in this moment, it is a responsibility of the international community to support the Iranian people and those civilians

deserve the responsibility to protect.

Iranians, like myself, requested of the United Nations the Responsibility to Protect to be invoked. We did it in Bosnia. We've done it numerous other

places around the world. When governments are domiciting their own people, this concept of leaving this regime intact, every single person that's a

leader of this regime should be eliminated.

We should immediately arm the civilians and support people on the ground to overthrow this regime. They are prepared to lead a democratic Iran. That

work has been done through the Iranian prosperity project. There is a plan of what the next 100 days look like. This is not any other conflict we've

seen before.

This is much more complex and sophisticated. But the most important thing is we're prepared. I'm not asking for something that we haven't thought

through. We're not naive that Israel and America, of course, have their own interests. But there is a world in where interest and liberation, the self-

interest of Israel and America and liberation of Iranian people cannot. They can be mutual.

They cannot -- they're not going to be mutually exclusive here. We can both have a positive outcome here, and I think it will benefit the Gulf States.

I believe it will benefit the Ukraine, Venezuela. We don't want China unleashed continuing to dominate and control the Islamic Republic for

resources and oil and copper and uranium and zinc.

At this point, the larger threat to the international world isn't just military, isn't just rhetoric, but is also how are we going to influence

China in our relationship? Because if we don't get rid of this regime, how long until China takes over Taiwan, right?

And these are questions people need to be asking themselves. And so, we do need to disarm the IRGC and Basij, and that has to happen because they are

shooting into people's home. They are continuing to execute. They are continuing to harm their own people.

[11:45:00]

And this regime is unlike anything anyone has ever seen. They are homicidal, domiciled suicidal. They will do anything to stay in power,

including cutting off the Strait of Hormuz, and which only hurts them, but they don't. They have no interest in living, because for them, the ultimate

gift in life is the day after death. So, their value for life is nonexistent, and we have to accept that.

GOLODRYGA: Not to mention that their value of life for their own citizens, which they have never prioritized.

MAHDARA: We are here because of their choices to prioritize their ideology over the people of Iran. And the people of Iran are an old people, and we

do not want to be a part of this ideology on any. The Islamic Republic that name in itself needs to be in the history books and nothing else. It must

be ended officially in this concept of maybe, maybe not, no, non- negotiably, we need regime change.

GOLODRYGA: And notable that you've called this a non-partisan issue and really taken sharp words against the democratic party for some of their

views, as well as even Hollywood community, which you think has been way too silent on this issue. Moj Mahdara, we'll have to leave it there. Thank

you so much for the time. We appreciate it.

MAHDARA: Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.

ASHER: Of course. All right, still to come on "One World", reaction from European Leaders on the war in Iran as they work to get their citizens home

from the Middle East. Plus, we'll have more after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: All right, European countries are trying to determine what their role is in the expanding Middle East conflict as they scramble to bring

their citizens home from the region. But several nations, including France, Spain and Italy are moving to shore up defenses in Cyprus after a British

Air Base on the island was hit by an Iranian strike.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says four typhoon fighter jets are also being set to Qatar to strengthen British defenses there.

ASHER: Spain emerging as the most vocal critic rather of President Trump has refused to get involved with the war. Its prime minister saying, quote,

no to war. Meantime, France is now allowing non-combat U.S. aircraft to use its mainland air base, provided Americans that do not take part in any

operations in Iran.

And Prime Minister Mark Carney says that Canada will not take part in military action and Iran, when pressed, he also said that anything was

possible.

[11:50:00]

GOLODRYGA: Our Salma Abdelaziz has the latest from London.

SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: European Leaders are scrambling to define their positions in relation to the U.S. Israeli conflict in Iran,

while also maintaining interest back home and aiming not to alienate President Trump.

Let's start here in the UK, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer has allowed the United States access to two of the UK's military bases for what he

describes as limited defensive actions. This has drawn the ire of President Trump, and it has also caused criticism back home, but he maintained that

the special relationship is still intact. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEIR STARMER, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The special relationship is in operation right now. We're working with the Americans in the deployment

from our bases. We are working together in the region, the U.S. and the British, working together to protect both the U.S. and the British in joint

bases where we're jointly located, and we're sharing intelligence on 24/7 basis, in the usual way. That is the special relationship. That is a

special relationship in operation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABDELAZIZ: Another European Leader trying to define himself in this moment is, of course, French President Emmanuel Macron. He has been calling for a

return to diplomacy. He was on the phone, speaking to the Lebanese President, and also spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister, and urged caution.

Urged a de-escalation of events.

Now the other issue that is, of course, plaguing European Leaders is the issue of evacuations. There are countless numbers of Europeans right now in

the Gulf trying to get home. France says that it has deployed additional fighter jets to Qatar to provide that additional defensive security, while

also trying to reassure those French citizens abroad that they are working to bring them back home.

Here in the UK, the first charter flight bringing Brits back home has departed the Gulf. And Prime Minister Keir Starmer, told reporters that

some 140,000 Brits abroad have registered their interest in departing.

But again, the wrath from President Trump, who seems to have absolutely accepted no middle ground from these European Leaders, has been quick and

swift. He has threatened to cut off all trade ties with Spain because of the Spanish Prime Minister's comments, Pedro Sanchez's comments saying no

war, essentially to the conflict in Iran.

And he's also jabbed a Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who continues to try to defend his position here in the UK. Salma Abdelaziz, CNN, London.

GOLODRYGA: Our thanks to Salma for that report, and we'll be right back with more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:55:00]

GOLODRYGA: Moments ago, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations spoke about the need for patience to achieve his country's objectives with the

war in Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANNY DANON, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: Well, I think we all have to pay attention to what the winner is trying to do. They use those drones,

and we have to admit they produced thousands of drones and ballistic missiles in order to affect world economy, you know, when we look at the

markets, we see that they are failing.

But I think President Trump was very clear about it, that the U.S., with the support of other countries, will ensure that the straits will be open.

And as I said earlier, we need to be patient. Give us few more days. You know today, when the people of Iran are looking at the skies, they see our

aircraft, they see the American aircraft.

Give us a few more days. It will be much, much harder for the Iranian to disrupt the vessels coming through the Strait of Hormuz.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ASHER: Danny Dannon actually went on to say that the war will not last forever, but Israel would finish the job. Those were his words.

GOLODRYGA: All right, we'll have more "One World" after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END