Return to Transcripts main page

One World with Zain Asher

Sources: Russia Providing Iran With Intel On U.S. Assets; Trump: No Deal With Iran except "Unconditional Surrender"; U.S. Energy Secretary: U.S. Navy To Escort Ships In Strait Of Hormuz; Funeral Service For Civil Rights Icon Jesse Jackson; Chaos Unfolds As Israel Orders Evacuations In Beirut; CNN Team Spots Projectiles On Israel-Lebanon Border; Trump Tells CNN That Cuba Is Soon "Going To Fall"; CENTCOM: U.S. Drops Dozens Of Bombs On Iranian Missile Launchers; Aired 12-1p ET

Aired March 06, 2026 - 12:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:00:34]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN Breaking News.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. Live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga. Zain is off today. You are watching "One World."

And let's start with the latest information we have on the world with Iran. Sources tell CNN that Russia has been providing Iran with intelligence

about U.S. assets in the Middle East.

Now, this comes as President Trump warns there will be no deal unless Tehran surrenders unconditionally. The Iranian capital is coming under

intense aerial bombardment this hour. The Israeli military is also pummeling Beirut and ordering further evacuations from the southern

suburbs.

And Gulf nations remain under attack from Iranian retaliatory strikes. Iran has also targeted Israel, including a new round of strikes on Tel Aviv.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog earlier, where they discussed cooperation during the war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: This is -- it's not a pleasant time, but it is an important and a necessary time for us to say that the

regime that you can't keep killing Americans, Israelis, and frankly, people all over the world.

ISAAC HERZOG, ISRAELI PRESIDENT: Now is the time for resilience. And we know and we tell the people, this moment will be judged in history as a

moment of change that will bring a better future for all. Now is the moment to be the resilient. Thank you very much, Ambassador.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: CNN's Zachary Cohen joins me for more on the breaking news that CNN has been able to confirm as well.

And, Zachary, it's quite striking. And that is that Russia has been providing Iran with intelligence on U.S. assets in the region. And, of

course, this comes just days after the United States lost six of its service members in the region from strikes from Iran. Just talk to us about

what you're learning from this reporting.

ZACHARY COHEN, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Yes, Bianna. Sources telling our team that the U.S. believes Russia is providing intelligence to

Iran about the movements and locations of American ships, troops, and aircraft.

And this is significant, obviously, because it's the first indication that Russia, obviously, a nuclear superpower, has sought to get involved in the

ongoing conflict in Iran. And this is something that we're told, the information and the intelligence that's been shared, we're told, comes

primarily from Russia's sophisticated constellation of overhead satellites. That's intelligence that could be used to target American assets in the

region, as you mentioned.

We're learning about this just as -- or just after a -- an Iranian drone strike killed six U.S. service members at a -- a makeshift operations

command center in Kuwait.

Now, we can't tie directly any of these Iranian attacks to the intelligence that they've received from the Russians. But again, a concerning

development here as two long-standing partners in Iran and Russia do seem to be collaborating in the current -- in the current war there.

And we're also learning, too, Bianna, that another nuclear superpower, China, is weighing whether to provide financial support to Iran, as it

potentially could enter this conflict in a support capacity.

We're told, in addition to financial support, China weighing, providing things like spare parts, missile components, logistical support, obviously

Beijing, much more cautious in considering getting involved in this conflict, seeking to largely avoid a direct confrontation with the United

States.

And for now, Beijing does seem to be staying out of the ongoing conflict. But it remains to be seen if that will stay true. And this comes as

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, just saying yesterday to reporters that Russia and China are, quote, not really a factor in this war.

So we'll have to see how that plays out going forward as the conflict continues to escalate and move forward in the coming days, weeks, and

potentially months.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. It does appear now that Russia is indeed a factor in this war if it's directly providing Iran with intelligence on U.S. assets in the

region.

And it is important to note this comes after President Zelenskyy in Ukraine has actually offered to help the United States and other Western allies in

Europe in terms of bringing down some of these Shahed drones that they've come so familiar with, tragically, over the course of these last now four

plus years of war.

[12:05:01]

Zachary Cohen, thank you so much.

Well, some attacks are playing out on live television, one loud explosion in Tehran sent this reporter running for cover.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(EXPLOSION)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: The correspondent for Iranian state television was on air when fresh blasts hit.

Meanwhile, the Iranian government mobilized thousands of demonstrators who filled Tehran's streets on Friday. They voiced anger over the U.S. and

Israeli attacks and mourned the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

CNN correspondent Fred Pleitgen and his photojournalist and producer Claudia Otto are in Iran's capital. CNN is the first U.S. network in Iran

since the start of the war. And it is important to note that CNN is operating in Iran only with a permission from the government. Here is

Fred's latest report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Iran's leadership has gathered thousands of people here to Tehran after Friday's

prayers to voice their anger about the U.S. and Israel's bombing campaign across the country, but of course, also to mourn Iran's late supreme

leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

And thousands of people have indeed turned out here. At the same time, we have to keep in mind, this is just a small snapshot of Iran's society. And

the people who come to Friday prayers here in Tehran usually are political, conservative and religious hardliners.

At the same time, it does show that the government here is still able to mobilize masses.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: So, for more on all this, let's bring in our chief international anchor, Christiane Amanpour. Christiane, it's good to see you.

We didn't touch on the other breaking news this morning, and that is that President Trump, in a number of interviews, including with Dana Bash,

saying that the only thing that will bring this war to an end is unconditional surrender from the Iranian regime.

He also, earlier this week, said that he would have a key role in deciding who ultimately would be replacing this regime.

And for you, Christiane, who spent so much time focused on this very region, on this very country, the question is, how are Iranians feeling

about this? A number of them, a large majority, if not 80 percent, have lost support for this regime, but dissidents do remain in this country. And

I know you just recently spoke with one.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: That's exactly right, Bianna. Of course, they do. Many of them are jailed. Some of them are out.

And they want to see change. There's no doubt about it.

President Trump, as you said -- said that there has to be a total surrender. The Iranian government has already rejected that and trolled

him, in fact, and the foreign minister telling NBC that, bring it on if there's going to be a ground invasion. So, there's a lot of public bravado

on all sides going on right now. And we don't know how it's going to end.

But when it comes to the future and an overhaul or an overthrow of this theocratic regime, this dictatorship, well, President Trump also said that

not only should he have a hand in choosing the next leader, but that it might, why not, be a religious leader, which is so different to what

they've all been saying.

So, there's a lot of confusion about the end goals and what would constitute victory and -- and -- and, you know, an exit strategy.

But these, you know, very, very dedicated Iranian democracy activists who remain inside the country in and out of jail over years are just watching

what's going on, absorbing the bombings, and telling us how they feel about the day after.

This is Mehdi Mahmoudian, who is a repeat, you know, jailed opposition leader. He's been in nine times in the last several years. He's been

tortured. He's also a screenwriter. And he co-wrote the Oscar-nominated film with Jafar Panahi called "It Was Just an Accident."

Here's what he told me about what he hopes to see next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: Do you think, Mehdi Mahmoudian, that there is a possibility to change your regime? And how do you think it should happen? Who should be

leading the change?

MEHDI MAHMOUDIAN, IRANIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST (voice-over): In these struggles of the last 20 years, I was in prison for at least nine years.

And I hoped that I and all my friends and comrades in Iran who were fighting to confront tyranny and replace it with a democratic system.

We hoped that we could establish the system with the help of civil society and the Iranian people.

Today, I also hope that America and its allies will allow the fate of Iran to be determined by the Iranian people themselves and allow us to determine

our own fate by stopping the war of attrition.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: So it's very important what he's saying. He told us also that he was glad, in fact, that Khomeini had been killed. But he said, it's not

just a tyrant, it's the whole tyranny that we need to end. And the death of one leader will not mean the end of the regime.

And they are quite concerned, listening to Trump saying that, you know, backing off the idea of regime change, backing off the idea of democracy,

and his latest public statement to CNN, talking about potentially accepting a religious leader.

[12:10:10]

I mean, it's all very, very confusing. But what they are doing is showing us that there are still a very dedicated and hardworking group of people.

It took a huge amount of courage for somebody like Mehdi Mahmoudian to speak like that from Tehran as the bombs are falling and as the government

has warned any protesters to stay home or face, quote, an iron fist.

And we did talk to him, Bianna, just after what today was the heaviest or the overnight heaviest bombing so far. And when we reached him again today,

he said it was just terrifying.

GOLODRYGA: It is so inspiring to hear from these dissidents who are so dedicated to their country and their own self-determination, even in these

times when their lives are on the line.

And, Christiane, I keep going back to some of your reporting, including your interview yesterday with Abbas Milani, historian, Iranian historian.

And I'm going to quote what he said to you. He said, I feel a profound sense of sadness for the deaths of innocent Iranians, but I hold the

Iranian regime responsible for it because I think they have put the country on a war path for 47 years.

I encourage all of our viewers to go back and watch those interviews that you've conducted.

Christiane, I know you're going to have a lot more on your program as well. Thank you so much for taking the time.

AMANPOUR: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: And "Amanpour" is coming up in about 45 minutes time.

And a short time ago, as we noted, CNN's Dana Bash spoke with President Trump over the phone. He told her, Iran's leadership has been, quote,

neutered.

Trump again stressed how he believes the U.S. should be involved in the process of choosing Iran's next leader. Here is what Bash is telling us

about that phone call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: On a scale of 10, with 10 being the best, he thinks that the war is, I would say, at 12, maybe 15. He said that the U.S. is

doing very well militarily, quote, better than anybody could have dreamed.

He -- he said that he rebuilt the military in his first term. He's using it in his second.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Well, oil being shipped through the Strait of Hormuz has basically come to a complete standstill. This narrow channel off Iran's

southern coast is normally packed with 60 or more ships, which carry about 20 percent of the world's oil.

The U.S. Energy Secretary says the Navy will begin escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Chris Wright told Fox News that naval escorts will

soon start. Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How quickly will that be done?

CHRIS WRIGHT, U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY: Well, as quickly as we can. You know, right now, all the U.S. military assets, and God bless the men and women in

the United States military. All of their focus right now is to suppress Iran's ability to wreak havoc on their neighbors and on Americans in the

area.

So first, we got to get their ability to cause trouble way down. And then as soon as it's reasonable to do it, we'll escort ships through the

straights and get the -- the energy moving again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Joining us now is retired U.S. General Wesley Clark. He has also once served as the NATO Supreme Allied Commander. General Clark, good to

see you.

So, let's start there from the energy secretary and -- and what he is saying will happen next. This comes after President Trump has said that the

United States has effectively taken out the Iranian navy. And so there will be U.S. military escorts for some of these cargo vessels and ships.

From a military standpoint, how difficult is it? How feasible is it for the U.S. Navy to keep a 20-mile wide -- 21-mile wide choke point open?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER: Well, I think it is a difficult mission because there are different launching

points. There's different ways for the Iranians to cause mischief in the straights.

So having the -- the ships there is good. You've got to have command and control over it. You've got to have a special intelligence setup so you can

detect the launching of drones. You probably will need to have your own special ops people available to go in and root out any launch sites that

are there around the straights that are accessible to us.

And so there -- this is a complicated mission. It's not just enough to have a destroyer sailing alongside an oil tanker. It's not a complicated,

difficult mission. It has to be really approached with the best resources, including perhaps bringing in some Ukrainian drone interceptors and -- and

other things that can supplement what we have in our fleet.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, and concerns about mining as well as those ships make their way through.

Can I ask you your assessment one week in just from a military perspective, the U.S. and Israel say that they've struck more than 2,000 targets,

severely degraded Iran's missile -- missile launchers, missiles themselves. And we've seen a huge decline in both drone strikes and launches missile

launches from Iran over the last few days.

[12:15:13]

So from a military standpoint alone, does this operation to you come across as successful thus far?

CLARK: Yes, it does. We have clearly got the momentum, but there are some major tasks ahead. One of them is opening the straits and others keeping

all of the drone and missile attacks off our friends and allies in the region, including not only Israel, but -- but the other Gulf states who are

really suffering from this right now. We've got to reduce what's happening so they can go back to normal living in the area.

And there's another thing, Bianna, that is that when you go into an operation like this, if you don't isolate the theater of operations, if you

don't prevent outside reinforcement with, let's say, drone motors or rockets or -- or intelligence, as we've seen the Russian's provide, and

we're only in the western part of Iran right now, and we're only in the air, and we haven't gone in and looked for the nuclear sites and other

things on the ground, which probably will have to do in the long run.

So, we're a long way from being finished. And when you start an air campaign like this, it always looks good at the beginning because you have

these targets. But ultimately, if you're going to continue to use your air assets, you have to generate more and more targets.

So if you've got 400 aircraft up there and you're trying to get targets for 300 aircraft today, 300, 400 new targets each day, that's a real labor of

effort for the intelligence analysts. That's why they've asked for more assistance down at Central Command headquarters in going through the

intelligence.

But it's also not just a function of numbers of targets, it's the significance of the targets. So the question is, can you, through the

significance of those targets, really persuade the Iranian regime that it's over? Or are they going to do a rope-a-dope and say, you can just keep

bombing dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and we're never going to give in, in which case, so you've got to make some other decisions.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Well, we've heard from President Trump, but he won't accept anything less than unconditional surrender at this point.

I want to ask you about the significance of something you just raised, and that is the reporting that CNN has also confirmed about Russia providing

intelligence to Iran about U.S. assets in the region.

Again, we can't make a direct link between that information and the tragic deaths of six U.S. servicemen and women in just the past few days. But it

does raise the question of what Russia was able to provide Iran.

Does that give you a sense that we are now perhaps in a proxy confrontation between Moscow and Washington?

CLARK: Yes. There's no doubt about it. And we don't see a Chinese role yet, at least not publicly, but we don't know what role China will have either.

That's why I say isolating the theater operations is -- is a critical function, not only physically but also electronically. And we haven't been

able to do that yet. And it would mean going after fiber optic cables, jamming communications, blocking rail lines, and so forth. It's a -- it's a

very large task for a country like Iran.

But when we did the operation against Serbia in 1999, we did isolate Serbia. So there was no communications. There have been some electronic

communications, but there was no physical communication. There were no way to get reinforcements in.

And this is one of the factors that persuaded Slobodan Milosevic to -- to give up because he knew he was in a box. We don't have Iran in that box

yet.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. And now Russia entering the fray too. This completely complicates the -- the -- the situation. We'll see how the United States,

how President Trump specifically responds to this, especially after we had President Zelenskyy actually offering to help bring down these drones just

yesterday.

Retired U.S. General Wesley Clark, thank you for the time. It's good to see you.

Thank you. Thank you very much, Bianna,

GOLODRYGA: And still to come on "One World."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: we've come into what is the most dangerous part of the Lebanese capital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: A stunning report from the Lebanese capital as chaos unfolds amid an impending Israeli airstrike. CNN is also on the other side of the

border.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: We're right along the Israel- Lebanon border. And we just heard something come in fast over our heads and make impact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Tense moments for Jeremy Diamond and his CNN team. We'll bring you his report later this hour.

[12:20:59]

And just ahead, paying final respects to a civil rights leader. Jesse Jackson's homegoing is about to start.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: The public is showing up in mass to celebrate Reverend Jesse Jackson's life and legacy. Three former U.S. presidents, Bill Clinton,

Barack Obama, and Joe Biden are in Chicago to pay their final respects to the late legendary civil rights leader.

His homegoing service is taking place at the House of Hope and has been dubbed "The People Celebration."

CNN's Ryan Young has more on the memorial service.

Ryan, just remind our viewers the significance of Chicago and Jesse Jackson's legacy in that city, not to mention the country.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a great way to start this. First of all, this service is happening on the south

side of Chicago. A lot of times people don't think that section of town gets the sort of attention that the rest of Chicago gets.

And one thing that stands out to me, it was Chicago where Jesse Jackson went back to after Dr. Martin Luther King was killed. They were standing

next to each other in Memphis when Dr. King was assassinated and Reverend Jackson went back to Chicago and then that's where he did some of the first

news conferences after that Dr. King died.

And so you think about the power movement that started there, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

A lot of times people focus on all the presidents that will show up to speak, but what Reverend Jackson did for a lot of people in the community

was he was there for them.

For more than 40 years he was lending his voice to causes all across the world, especially when it came to civil rights.

I've talked to stars, including the former basketball player, Isaiah Thomas, who talks about when his family was struggling before he made it in

basketball. They used to go to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to get food. There was a food pantry there.

And a lot of people talk about the extension that the Rainbow PUSH Coalition had just in the city of Chicago alone.

And for over 20 years, if there was a big moment in civil rights, Reverend Jackson would pop up.

On tour, sometimes, he would make sure that people in those communities would get fed when he was there to do civil rights work.

Let's not forget he also ran for president. And at one point, a lot of people definitely believe that he is the reason why there was an opening

for Barack Obama to become president some 20 years later after he made a run.

I bumped into Reverend Jackson over the years. I'm going to hold this up to the side here. This was a photo that he gave me.

[12:25:07]

And it reminds you though, sometimes the fact that you have Reverend Jackson and Dr. Martin Luther King next to each other. You think about that

and how he stood in the gap for years and years after King was assassinated.

And you look at this homegoing service here, we know the mayor of Chicago is going to be there as well.

There's a lot of pride that's centered around this man and the movement. Because you got to think, he really stood in the gap where all these civil

rights leaders have started to die off year after year. He's 84 years old.

And the story that stands out to me, something that people don't talk about a lot. When he was born, he wasn't allowed to check out a book from a

library, a white library. And he was a part of the Greenville Eight.

And at some point, he stood up against that infraction and was able to be there and they did a read-in, not just a sit-in, but a read-in. It was 25

years later that he was able to actually get the library card from that small library system.

But you have to think about the idea that there was signs that would say colored only. This is a man who progressed through all of that and believed

in this country, believed in America. And as he always would say, he kept hope alive.

GOLODRYGA: Kept hope alive. And just looking at that photo there where you have Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a mentor to a young Jesse Jackson.

And I just think in my mind, to 2008 and that iconic image of Jesse Jackson with tears rolling down his eyes when the country first -- back in Chicago

as well, when the country first elected its first black president.

He may not have made it to the White House, but he influenced almost every single administration between those times.

Ryan Young, good to see you. We'll be covering all of your reporting through this homecoming. Thank you so much.

And we'll be right back with more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:04]

GOLODRYGA: All right. Welcome back to "One World." I'm Bianna Golodryga.

There are fears that the Middle East is plunging into a humanitarian crisis as the conflict with Iran intensifies. Spokesperson from the U.N.'s refugee

agency tells us that they are -- they are declaring it a major humanitarian emergency.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BABAR BALOCH, UNHCR SPOKESPERSON: A troubling displacement picture is now emerging and it's really what we are getting our initial estimates for --

for now. The worry is as the conflict intensifies and escalates, we could see more people, more human misery and more people who would be forced to

leave their homes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Now, this comes as Israel ordered tens of thousands of people in Beirut to evacuate as the IDF ramps up its attacks on Hezbollah after

Hezbollah entered this war. Israel's announcement led to chaos and panic in the Lebanese capital.

CNN's Matthew Chance reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE: Well, there's heightened alarm here in Beirut because Israel has again ratcheted up the tensions by ordering an entire neighborhood of the

Lebanese capital to evacuate, to make way for intensified strikes against Hezbollah, the country's Iranian-backed militia.

The sprawling suburb of Dahieh in South Beirut, right here behind me, is a Hezbollah stronghold that has already been targeted by multiple Israeli

airstrikes. We went there with the permission of Hezbollah to try and take a look at the damage.

But almost as soon as we arrived, that new Israeli warning came through, plunging the mainly sheer neighborhood into chaos and panic. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE: OK. We've got to go because they said there's been a warning from the Israelis that there could be a strike coming in. So we've got to get

out of here, Alex.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where are they going?

CHANCE: I don't know but we need to get out. OK. Can you hear me all right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

CHANCE: But we've just been trying to film at this location here, in Dahieh, and we've been told to move away quickly now. People were showing

us their phones, saying, look, there's a -- there's a warning coming in.

Go around. Go around this guy.

We've come into what is the most dangerous part of the Lebanese capital, which is a very important stronghold of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed

militia group.

It's the place where Israel has been focusing. You can hear the gunshots outside there. That Israel has been focusing its activity, its intensive

campaign of airstrikes against the Hezbollah group.

That's often, we're told, a warning to local residents who don't have cell phones, who don't have that communication, to tell them there may be an

Israeli strike incoming. So we're going to get out of here.

I mean, this chaos that we're -- we're -- we're getting a glimpse of in South Beirut. It's all happening, remember, because in the hours after the

Iranian supreme leader was killed last weekend in those U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran, Hezbollah, which hadn't struck at Israel since 2024,

fired rockets and drones across the border into Israel. And this has been the response.

Israel is absolutely pounding South Beirut, forcing thousands of people out of their homes and really dragging Lebanon into a conflict that many

Lebanese tell us they're not ready for and they do not want.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHANCE: All right. Well, Dahieh and the surrounding areas has hundreds of thousands of residents, and we were in a long traffic jam, I can tell you,

trying to get out of there.

Israel has also ordered the evacuation of vast areas of southern Lebanon nearer to the Israeli border to make way for military action -- action

there as well. And, of course, causing a mass displacement of people now trying desperately to escape the intensifying line of fire.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Beirut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: CNN's Jeremy Diamond is on the other side of the border in the Israeli town of Metula, where things got a bit tense just a short time ago.

Have a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIAMOND: Oh. Wow, that was a -- a drone that seems to have just made impact here. There were no sirens warning, but we just heard an explosion right

here in Metula. We're right along the Israel-Lebanon border. And we just heard something come in fast over our heads and make impact.

OK. So we're going to put our best on now because we just saw not one, but two projectiles coming in. Still not clear exactly what that was, but we're

now starting to hear the outgoing Israeli fire responding to it.

[12:35:04]

We're just hearing a lot of activity right now, kind of going in both directions, in fact, as this new front in Israel's war with Iran is very

much heating up.

So that smoke right there just came from Israeli artillery that was being fired from behind us. So it went over our heads. We then saw it made impact

there. And you can see the smoke that's still coming up from the target location.

(EXPLOSION)

And now, OK. And that wasn't hitting the same spot.

Yes, getting very active here now. Here too. So we're seeing several areas now in Southern Lebanon that are being struck by the Israeli military. And

some of those positions that they are hitting are within a kilometer of the Israeli-Lebanese border.

And that's significant because all of these positions in the most southern part of Lebanon were supposed to have been cleared of Hezbollah fighters

over a year ago.

And so the fact that Israel is now having to hit positions so close to its border suggests that Hezbollah is trying to re-infiltrate those areas. And,

obviously, Israel now fighting to try and rid those areas of Hezbollah once again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: All right. Thanks to Jeremy Diamond.

Well, new video of a large strike in the Iranian capital. CNN has geolocated this video showing damage in and around a Tehran police station.

Friday has been a lot, a day of intense bombing by Israel. It has been a week since the U.S. and Israel began bombing the country. And it's unclear

if there were any casualties caused by this latest strike.

Let's bring in Iran expert Karim Sadjadpour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He's joining me now live from

Washington.

Karim, you -- you probably are the busiest man on television these days, thankfully for us covering this conflict like no one else can.

I want to talk about your latest piece for "The Atlantic," where you write that this war, again, just one week in, is starting to look less like a

quick Venezuela-style decapitation and more like a quagmire.

What are you hearing from U.S. sources, both in the current administration and former, on this issue?

KARIM SADJADPOUR, SENIOR FELLOW, CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE: I think the challenge, one of the big challenges, Bianna, is that

it's not clear to many people what President Trump's ultimate goal is.

He's talked about several possibilities ranging from the implosion of the Iranian regime to doing a Venezuela-style deal with the successors to the

supreme leader who remain to be seen, to even kind of abruptly ending things. Secretary Hegseth has talked about a longer war, perhaps two

months.

And at the same time, there are domestic political considerations here. Iran's strategy is clearly to try to create chaos in one of the most

important energy corridors in the world, to spike the price of oil, to put pressure on America's partners and the Persian Gulf to pressure Trump to

end the war.

And so the military strategy has obviously been very impressive. And by most accounts, that strategy is ahead of schedule. Israel has assassinated

many of Iran's top clerical and military leaders. But absent a political strategy, it's not clear how this conflict ends.

GOLODRYGA: You were asked earlier this week on our air who was actually in control of the country. And at that time, you didn't have a definitive

answer.

After more time and more reporting, you say that it -- it appears from sources that the country is essentially being administered by two

individuals, Ali Larijani, who is a name familiar to our viewers, and Mohammad Bakr Kalibaf.

Tell us a little bit more about who they are and the fact that they seem to be committed to the preservation of this regime when President Trump is

saying today, the only thing he will accept is unconditional surrender. Where does that put things? Where does that put things?

SADJADPOUR: Both Ali Larijani and Mohammad Bakr Kalibaf are consummate regime insiders. Kalibaf is the current speaker of the parliament. He has a

background as a Revolutionary Guard commander. Larijani has been a long time apparatchik in the Islamic Republic. He has a very powerful family.

And the division of labor between them right now appears that Larijani is kind of administering the country's political affairs. Kalibaf is

administering the country's military affairs. And in normal times, these guys have kind of a rival-risk relationship and then they -- and that they

both aspire to lead Iran.

[12:40:10]

At the moment, under war times, in this existential moment for the regime, they banded together. And I think they're both obviously committed to

trying to preserve the regime.

I would say they have seemingly slightly different outlooks. And that I think Kalibaf seems committed to this long-time path of resistance against

America and continuing to try to fight.

Whereas I think Larijani is not -- he's definitely not a Democrat. He oversaw the massacres that took place in Iran last January, but he

seemingly has a little more pragmatic outlook and is perhaps more amenable to some kind of a diplomatic compromise.

But at the moment, no one in Iran, Bianna, in the aftermath of the killing of Ayatollah Khomeini has the legitimacy, the authority, or the will to

really break with 47 years of this resistance ideology.

GOLODRYGA: And as you've noted, 85 percent of the population is believed to oppose this regime. And you write that the Iranian spring has yet to appear

this week.

Again, early days, we did have the CENTCOM commander even advising Iranians to -- to stay put and seek shelter. Bombs and missiles are still falling in

the country.

But what in your view would allow for those protesters, those Iranians to come out to in the streets to do what President Trump has effectively told

them to do, and that is take over your country, take your country back?

SADJADPOUR: I suspect, Bianna, that this is profoundly traumatized society in -- in this current moment. And that they're still shell-shocked from the

massive violence that their government inflicted on them last January.

And despite the fact that probably many of those who protest against the regime wanted to make -- wanted President Trump to make good on his promise

to come and help them and intervene.

As one American general told me, you know, every society suffering under tyranny naturally wants a magic bullet, something that will only harm the

regime and -- and won't do any civilian harm.

And as we all know, war is hell, and there's always civilian casualties. And I think this is a society right now, which is -- is just taking shelter

from bombardment. And it's too soon to say once the conflict ends, what the mood will be in Tehran, will it be a mood of -- of people wanting to resume

that political mobilization? Or will people more likely, at least for the foreseeable months, want to simply try to put their lives back together?

GOLODRYGA: And it is a move and a decision, ultimately, that you and so many other experts say can only come from the inside.

Karim Sadjadpour, thank you so much. It's good to see you. Appreciate you taking the time.

Well, even as the war in the Middle East rages, the Trump administration now appears to be setting its sights on Cuba with President Trump telling

CNN that he believes the country will fall soon. We'll have the details, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:45:04]

GOLODRYGA: Well, as the conflict in the Middle East escalates, President Trump has given an indication about what could be next on the

administration's agenda, and that is Cuba.

These are scenes now from Havana where which is recovering after a blackout left more than six million people without power this week due to a failure

at a thermoelectric plant.

In a phone interview with CNN, the U.S. president said Cuba is, quote, going to fall pretty soon. And insisted that Havana is keen to strike a

deal with the United States.

Patrick Oppmann is in Havana with the very latest. And, Patrick, we know that the president had set its sights on Cuba shortly after the seizure of

Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Now this war is one week in Iran. And yet, the president still has Cuba on his mind. Tell us the reaction from Havana.

PATRICK OPPMANN, CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You -- you heard in his comments, really the most striking comments. He's made about Cuba to CNN's Dana Bash,

where he talked about, you know, the history making elements in his mind of this, at a revolution that has lasted 67 years, according to Donald Trump

is poised to fall.

In talking to officials here, while they admit things are as tough as they have been in years, if not decades, they say they have an ability to resist

that perhaps from the outside it looks like the country is ready to fall for people that have suffered so much over the years, perhaps there is a

different view.

Certainly though, Donald Trump is right and that Cuba is painted into a corner. No oil is coming to this country since the -- the capture of

Nicolas Maduro, since he was taken by U.S. forces, the U.S. attack on Cuba's close ally, and as well the incredible pressure that the United

States has put on Mexico to stop oil shipments.

So essentially, life is grinding to a halt here on a daily basis. We've seen longer and longer power outages, including a whole power outage that

affected nearly the entire island, but of course when power comes back on, we're really are talking about a couple hours a day in many neighborhoods

like the neighborhood where I live. So, you know, you're getting four to six hours of power instead of none. It's manageable, but it's really not

living.

And so people here are very concerted. Life is getting harder and harder as it gets warmer in the months ahead. Food will spoil quicker.

And we really seems like the -- the few reserves that Cuban government has of oil are running dangerously low. And so what Donald Trump is talking

about is really something that would have been unimaginable.

Just a -- a few months ago, the idea that Cuban-Americans perhaps could come back here, have greater political rights, have perhaps the ability to

recover some of the property lost when they left. It's something the government here has simply said would never happen.

And yet, we know that this is essentially checkmate. There is no country like the Soviet Union, like Venezuela riding to the rescue. There are

discrete discussions going on, conversations happening, back channels going on.

And so whether or not the Cuban government once agree with this isn't a question. They simply may just not have a choice at this point.

GOLODRYGA: All right. Patrick Oppmann, we'll be following the latest developments. Thank you so much.

And coming up for us, the U.S. military says that it's dropped dozens of bombs on Iranian ballistic missile launchers. We'll take a look at what

those launchers are capable of.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:50:22]

GOLODRYGA: All right. Well, the war in Iran, as you can see, is rattling markets but sending oil prices soaring. Brent Crude climbed above $90 a

barrel for the first time in nearly two years.

In an interview with "The Financial Times," Qatar's energy minister is warning that the war could cause Gulf states to shut down production within

days which could drive prices over $150 a barrel.

Now, that warning coming as storage tanks across the Gulf are reaching capacity according to analysts. Hardly any tankers are transiting the

Strait of Hormuz.

And officials say the White House plans to host top defense contractors for a meeting aimed at ramping up defense production. The Trump administration

is expressing confidence in its weapons arsenal and how long it can sustain its bombing campaign. A key target for the United States is Iran's missile

launchers.

CNN's Tom Foreman looks at why this is such a crucial part of the war.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're looking at a life-size model of an Iranian missile launcher. And this is what U.S. and Israeli forces have

really been targeting out there. By some accounts, they may have taken out more than half of them already.

Why are they after these launchers? Because if you go after the launchers, you can go after the missiles, which are so key to all Iranian offensive

and defensive operations, especially very advanced missiles like the Khorramshahr-4, which we're showing here.

What I'm going to do is push this off into the desert out here so we can talk about its capabilities. It's about 40 feet long. It weighs about as

much as a fully loaded fire truck. It is liquid fueled, which means it has a higher propulsion rate or stronger propulsion than you would get from a

solid fueled rocket.

And that's important because it can carry a heavier load. If they had a nuclear weapon, this missile would carry it according to most military

analysts. And that yellow cone up there is believed to have the ability to adjust its direction on the way down toward its target. Most ballistic

missiles don't have that, and that can be confounding to some of these missile defense systems. So, that's why they're watching it carefully.

What about range? Would this reach the United States? Absolutely not. But by best estimates, it would easily go from Iran, over to Israel over here,

which is basically from Washington, D.C., to Kansas, if you want to look at it that way.

And look what's in between, Saudi Arabia and Yemen and Oman and Bahrain and Jordan and Iraq, all these Middle Eastern countries we talked about so

much. And that's why they're so much focus on the missile supply in Iran.

It is largely believed that a lot of them may be buried underground now, where even bunker buster bombs have a hard time getting to them. So,

military analysts keep talking about the idea of sending people in on the ground. Say maybe they can find them that way and disable them.

[12:55:05]

Because as long as they are there and have some capability of being fired, there's still a really potent force.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: And finally, a live look at the homegoing service in Chicago for legendary civil rights leader, Reverend Jesse Jackson. It's happening at

the House of Hope right now.

Three former U.S. presidents and a slew of high-profile national and international leaders will be speaking throughout the service. Reverend

Jesse Jackson died on February 17th at the age of 84.

And that does it for "One World" today. I'm Bianna Golodryga. Thanks so much for watching. "Amanpour" is up next.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END