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One World with Zain Asher
Trump Delays Strikes On Iran's Energy Sites By 10 Days; Trump Criticize NATO For Falling To Help In Iran War Effort; Lawmakers Press To Limit Bets Using Insider Information; Trump Vows To Pay TSA Workers, Unclear When They'll Be Paid; Exposing A Web Of Men Drugging And Assaulting Their Wives; Rubio: Iran Operation Will Conclude In Weeks, Not Months; Iranians Outside Iran Express Hopes For Regime Change; Aired 12-1p ET
Aired March 27, 2026 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:00:33]
BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: The next phase of the war. Sources tell CNN the Pentagon is getting ready. The second hour of "One World" starts right
now.
Could there be American boots on the ground, despite President Trump's repeated assurances that that won't happen?
Also ahead, a CNN investigation. Our team tracks down a man accused of drugging and raping his wife, then sharing the images on the internet.
Plus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEM. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): This could have been accomplished weeks ago if Republicans hadn't stood in the way.
SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): Democrats didn't actually want a solution. They wanted an issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: Lawmakers keep score in the funding fight as travelers and TSA workers face the consequences. We're live from the world's busiest airport.
And later, the A.I. millionaire. How an artist who isn't even human is raking in the sales.
Hello, everyone. Live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga. Zain is off today. You are watching the second hour of "One World."
Right now, negotiations between Iran and the U.S. remain unclear, which means this deadly conflict is heading towards a fifth week.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps urging civilians across the Middle East to avoid areas housing U.S. forces.
Meantime, Iran's Red Crescent reports of the country's death toll is nearing 2,000. And Israel's defense minister warns that the attacks on Iran
will escalate and expand, as long as Iran keeps on firing at Israeli civilians.
Several sources tell CNN that Pentagon officials are preparing for a potential next phase of the war. They have reportedly drawn up scenarios
for deploying troops to seize various targets within Iran.
Now, this comes as President Trump extends his own deadline on the country. The U.S. will hold off on targeting energy sites for another 10 days.
President Trump expressed his frustrations on Fox News.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, the Iranians asked me to do that. And I was not happy with them because I made a statement that
we're having productive negotiations.
I don't know that they get there. Maybe they do. Maybe they won't. They asked for seven, and I gave them 10. You got 10 days. And they were very
thankful about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: In France, a tense G7 meeting with foreign ministers at the top of the agenda, how to de-escalate fighting in the Middle East and reopen
the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio facing tough questions on America's strategy.
Melissa Bell is in Paris, and Alayna Treene is at the White House for all of this. Let's begin with Alayna at the White House.
And, Alayna, as the president has now expanded possibilities and options for the next phase of this war, the deployment of 10,000 Marines to the
region in various scenarios for why they would be there, including perhaps a seizure of Kharg Island, and even a very risky mission to seize the 450
kilograms of highly enriched uranium. What more are you hearing?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Look, so this is some new reporting with my colleagues Zachary Cohen and Adam Cancryn.
What we've been told in our conversations with intelligence officials, administration officials, sources familiar with these discussions that
essentially the Pentagon has compiled a series of different options and really draft plans for potential ground troops in Iran.
But I think what's most notable about the conversations that we've been having with these people is that essentially, if diplomacy fails, and I
should caveat here that as of now from my conversations, Bianna, with the people in the building behind me, diplomacy is still what they are hoping
for.
They are hoping that they can work out through negotiations and end to this war that does not require American troops being on the ground in Iran.
However, if diplomacy fails, if what, you know, we are hearing from the Iranians, which is a continued, at least publicly, I'm saying they --
negotiations have been up and substantial that they are not interested in negotiating at this time, if diplomacy ends up not working, essentially the
plans to swiftly and decisively end this war, which I'd remind you has been a top goal of people in the White House since the beginning of this war.
Really, all of those essentially require ground troops. And that is really what this reporting gets out.
[12:05:04]
Now, among the conversations I've had, my sources, again, in the intelligence community and the Trump administration have told me that Kharg
Island main -- remains one of those key targets that could potentially give the Trump administration the kind of swift and decisive end to this war
that they are looking for.
However, of course, the problem with that, with either capturing it or trying to completely attack it and wipe out a lot of the infrastructure
that officials believe could potentially neuter the regime, that would require a massive deployment of ground troops.
And that is something that, to this point, Bianna, the president and many of his top advisers are not willing to go to. That would escalate this much
further.
We're already hearing a lot of weariness, a lot of concerns from Republicans on Capitol Hill about what that could look like. It would take
this into a new phase of war.
And so we have to really see what happens. Again, diplomacy is still what this administration is hoping for. They are waiting to get back a list of,
you know, a counter proposal, really, to the 15-point plan that the Trump administration put forth to the -- to the Iranians, through the Pakistanis.
But we'll have to see whether or not that's enough to actually make real talks in person a viable option if this all falls apart. Again, ground
troops are looking like the most likely option.
GOLODRYGA: All right. Thank you so much, Alayna.
Let's bring over -- bring in Melissa Bell, who is covering this for us from the European angle there in Paris.
We know the Secretary of State Rubio is meeting with his counterparts as the president has leveled quite a number of accusations against Europe,
calling the NATO, calling them a paper tiger, and not having the United States' back.
Just walk us through the expectations of this meeting and what European leaders are hoping to hear from Secretary Rubio.
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bianna, to the American expectations, you're quite right. During that very long cabinet
meeting that we heard yesterday, the first since the war began, we'd heard a very testy President Trump taking on NATO allies and really suggesting
that they needed to be doing more to bring this war, help the United States bring this war to, essentially, get more involved.
We then heard Marco Rubio, as he said, out of Paris, really repeating the same lines. Of course, there's been this United Nations resolution about
opening the Strait of Hormuz, the importance of international shipping, and that that needs to be protected.
This coalition's come together 30 countries strong now to look at how it can help securing the Strait of Hormuz going forward.
So Marco Rubio in leaving was suggesting that, well, if they really care about international law, then they need to be getting more involved with
the United States against the Iranian regime.
Now, he will have gone home. He's now leaving Paris pretty disappointed if he was hoping to get more G7 involvement along the Americans, that's not
going to happen. And I think that was made very clear to Marco Rubio by the G7 foreign ministers who were here outside of Paris today.
What we have had as a result of the declaration that's come out, unusually this was not a joint communique, as you tend to get from the G7, which a
reflection of some of these divergences between the United States and some of its closest allies on Iran.
Instead, we had a statement from the French Foreign Minister. And what we did get is a little bit more clarity on what that coalition trying to keep
secure Hormuz would look like and what their involvement would be crucially. It would come after the peak of hostilities.
So not quite necessarily the end of hostilities, but after the worst of it is over. So they're not going to be involved while the war is going on and
at its worst. That will be a first disappointment for the American administration.
What they would then do initially is have a sort of system of escort to help ships through the Strait of Hormuz, and that would then be followed by
some kind of international mission. This is far short of what the American administration is hoping for, but it is a growing consensus among, not just
the G7, but this coalition now of 30 countries who are determined to be involved. Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: Melissa Bell, thank you.
Well, U.S. lawmakers want to limit the bets government officials can make using insider information. This comes after some users are raking in
thousands of dollars betting on U.S. military moves with uncanny accuracy.
Elissa Slotkin was one of the four senators behind the bill to curb such bets.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ELISSA SLOTKIN (D-MI): It's possible with people with insider information, you know, who have a heads up about war and peace or heads up
about a peace deal. They can go ahead and place a bet anonymously and make a lot of money because they have insider information.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: CNN exclusively reported this week that someone made nearly a million dollars by placing dozens of well-timed bets predicting U.S. and
Israeli military actions against Iran.
[12:10:02]
Matt Mata joins us now. He's an associate professor of health, law, policy, and management at Boston University. Matt, it's good to see you.
So, looking at the data and the timing now of this particular bet in the Polymarket accounts, I believe, netted over $1.2 million on the timing of
these U.S. strikes in Iran just before they occurred, how clear is the line between lucky speculation and outright insider trading?
MATT MOTTA, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, BOSTON UNIVERSITY: That's such a great question, right? Because what we're seeing is people making the exact right
bets at the exact right time.
And I want to be very careful to say that we can't say anything with certainty at this point. We don't know who the actors are behind these
accounts. But what we tend to see is a lot of money being put into these prediction markets by just a couple of actors right before an event takes
place often coming from banks that are financed through cryptocurrency. We don't have the ability to see who is doing exactly what at any given point
in time.
You can't say anything with certainty but it really, really looks like insider trading when you see just a couple of people making a lot of money
off of auspiciously timed bets.
GOLODRYGA: And aside from this being unethical, potentially illegal, you've warned these prediction markets can actually act as open source
intelligence for adversaries and put U.S. troops in harm's way. Explain how.
MOTTA: Absolutely. Agree. You know, there's really, in my view, three different ways prediction markets can be at risk to national security.
You know, one is the idea that because of the possibility that government actors might be able to make a lot of money off of trading on political
events over which they have some amount of control.
They may manipulate what they do in order to make a quick buck for example right now, you could go on a prediction market bet whether or not President
Trump is going to visit any number of different countries Greenland, for example, on a particular date.
You could potentially change the timing in order to make a quick buck. But I think even more concerning than this is the possibility that folks out
there will treat prediction markets not as a cue, not as a sense of what the public thinks will happen but as a record of what could actually
happen.
And so if our adversaries take unusual prediction market movement as a signal that something might be happening, a strike may be coming. There may
be some other, you know, deposition happening somewhere in the world, they may act on bad intelligence.
And really the final thing here that I'm super concerned about is the possibility that journalists might withhold information about what's really
going on in the world as a result of threats they receive from folks on prediction markets. So you may have heard, for example, that there was an
Israeli reporter who had reported that a missile had hit Israel who received death threats from those who had bet on prediction markets that a
missile would have been intercepted that day.
There could be an incentive for journalists to withhold information about the world if they fear for their lives in reporting it. So, there are
myriad different ways that prediction markets could impact national security. And I think we're pretty concerned about all.
GOLODRYGA: So, is the ultimate core problem here the platforms it's -- themselves? Or is it the lack of guardrails? I know that you've asked
Congress to -- to step up here for regulation get in line, Matt. There are a number of industries asking --
MOTTA: That's right.
GOLODRYGA: -- for just that. And Congress doesn't really have a great track record when it comes to regulating, especially some of these newer
industries and newer technologies. So, what's the ultimate solution?
MOTTA: Absolutely. You know, it really needs to be a two-pronged solution. There are two policy paths that Congress can consider. One is to regulate
what the prediction markets do. So, for example, there is proposed legislation the DEATH BETS act which would essentially say that prediction
markets cannot offer the opportunity to trade on, say, the assassination of a world leader, the possibility that somebody might die.
On the other hand, our efforts to try to regulate what people do, what users on the sites do, so for example, the PREDICT Act which was recently
introduced in Congress would ban all trading on political events from both members of Congress and government employees.
Now, as luck would have it, my colleagues and I actually happen to come out of the field today with some public opinion research suggesting that nine
in 10 Americans support banning members of Congress from trading on political matters. Seven in 10 support banning members of Congress from
trading on all political matters which is what a bill like this would do.
[12:15:04]
But very often, this legislation does not go far enough. So let me give you a quick example. If we ban members of Congress and government actors from
betting on prediction markets, are we also going to ban political candidates for office from betting on themselves? A fringe candidate trying
to send signals through the market that actually they may be doing quite well.
Also, are we going to allow for disclosure? It's not clear to me, through some legislation that's making its way through, whether or not we are going
to force members of Congress and others to actually say, here's what we've been on and when we did it. So a lot of outstanding matters to consider.
GOLODRYGA: When you say nine in 10 Americans proposed Congress doing something, you can't get nine in 10 Americans to agree on even the weather
outside their - their front window, the front door. So, that -- that's at least the first positive step here in trying to address this growing
problem.
Matt Motta, thank you. Appreciate your expertise.
Well, the U.S. House of Representatives is up against the clock. Lawmakers need to pass a bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security,
including paying TSA workers who have been working without pay at airport checkpoints.
Congress is scheduled to go on a two-week recess later today. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in a rare overnight session.
Thousands of TSA workers are still calling out from work as they struggle without pay. Nearly 500 have quit. And wait times at some airports were
still as high as four hours.
Let's get to CNN's Ryan Young. He's at Hartsfield-Jackson International, Atlanta International Airport, otherwise known as the World's Busiest
Airport. How are things behind you?
RYAN YOUNG, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
GOLODRYGA: They don't look so bad or maybe you're just too far away from the lines.
YOUNG: No, no. We were standing on top of what should be a line. But guess what? Somehow this morning, they very would have knocked down the lines
with all the help they had here. And we've seen that rush hour sort of disappear.
So I'll walk you this direction and sort of show you what we are dealing with right now. This is the line. And, of course, people would have loved
to have had this early on.
6:00 A.M. this morning, the lines were out the door. Those all disappeared. This is what we've been seeing for the last few hours, the shorter lines.
And, of course, that big question was whether or not people would be able to get through the airport this weekend.
I will tell you, almost to a passenger, people were upset with who? Congress. They were tired of it. They wanted to make their message heard.
We were standing here doing live shots. People were walking over to say, hey, we want this to be over with because they were tired of standing in
these lines.
The other thing that we've seen here is border patrol and ICE agents have been stepping in to work with TSA agents, actually checking I.D.s. But the
flow here has been better than most airports across the country, somehow, someway.
We still see long lines in Houston and other cities across this country. But on a day that's usually busy, packed with passengers, Friday and
Sunday, one of the two busiest days, this is what we have here. We were all shocked.
But again, the real thing that we heard from passengers all day long is they were tired of this stalemate. They wanted to see something happen. And
it looks like we're finally getting some movement after the tweets that we had from the president and, of course, the moves from Congress a little
early on.
GOLODRYGA: We see that your cameraman following the ICE agent there, making his way down the line.
YOUNG: Yes, exactly.
GOLODRYGA: May this be -- may this be a sign, Ryan, of what's to come in airports across the country.
YOUNG: Well, I wanted to give us a slight pause here because, again, they were supposed to be paid today. That didn't happen.
Yes, you may say the money's coming. But so many people are concerned. There's actually a food drive for agents at this airport happening at two
o'clock today. And they believe several hundreds of agents will show up to get boxes of food, fresh eggs, chicken, and other necessities --
GOLODRYGA: Unbelievable.
YOUNG: -- because they're so low with everything that's going on. And gas cards. Can you believe being -- not being paid and having to go to a food
drive and you're still working? It's tough.
GOLODRYGA: Completely, completely avoidable too. Ryan Young, thank you so much.
And still to come for us, Donald Trump campaigned on the promise of America first. But now, war with Iran is dividing loyalty within the Republican
Party.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For 20 plus years, they've been saying Iran is on the verge of a nuclear weapon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: And later this hour, the war in Iran divides conservatives on and off stage at CPAC.
Plus, scenes from inside Iran suggest support for the regime in Tehran. But the full picture, well, that is far more complex. We'll speak to an Iranian
activist who is among those calling for change.
And after the break, CNN goes undercover to investigate a hidden network of men sharing tips on how to drug and rape women, including their own wives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[12:20:01]
SASKYA VANDOORNE, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF: At the start of this investigation, all of these men were faceless. And so seeing him tonight
has just really brought home the fact that this is happening in their lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: A CNN investigation has uncovered a hidden network of men sharing tips on how to drug and rape women.
Warning to viewers before we begin. This report contains accounts from survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Those who appear on camera gave
their consent. And we've respected the wishes of those who asked to remain anonymous.
Here's CNN's Saskya Vandoorne.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Board line connecting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go ahead, caller. What's your emergency?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've just heard from my daughter. She's on her own in a house with four children and has just learned she's been drugged with her
son's sleeping medicine.
ZOE WATTS, SURVIVOR: We worry about he's coming behind us walking down the street. We worry about getting to our car late at night, but we don't worry
about who we lie next to. I didn't realize I had to.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): Zoe Watts may never know if the videos her husband made of her being raped were ever uploaded online. She met him when she was
17. He's now serving 11 years for rape, sexual assault by penetration and drugging.
WATTS: I knew that he wanted to have a conversation because we'd had a church service that Sunday. He -- he reeled off a list of his wrongdoings
to me as if it was, you know, a shopping list. I've done this, this, this, this, this, this and this.
I've been using our son's sleeping medication to put in your last cup of tea at night to tie you down, take photographs and rape you. And I think I
just went into shock.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): Zoe kept the abuse secret for a few months as she grappled with what had happened to her, speaking out only after a severe
panic attack. Her mother then called the police.
WATTS: There were some times that I thought, you know, this isn't right, but what would it mean? What would our -- what would our family look like?
Their children would -- would be without a dad and there would be a reputation, and my boys would grow up having a reputation and they'd know
what their dad was doing.
VANDOORNE: I've noticed you haven't used the word rape a lot.
WATTS: Yes.
VANDOORNE. Tell me -- tell me why.
WATTS: Because it just doesn't -- I don't know. It's -- it's like one of those things really -- I really -- I struggle with that to say that that's
what's happened. It's like people can say it to me but I just don't think, phew.
[12:25:13]
VANDOORNE: You know, you're not alone.
WATTS: Yes. Yes, sadly.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): Huge numbers of explicit sleep videos are being uploaded online by users who claim it's non-consensual.
One website profiting from this is motherless.com. Last year, we began investigating a porn site that gets over 60 million visits a month focusing
on the thousands of videos featuring women who appear unconscious during sex acts. Most of its users are based in the U.S.
It's home to so-called sleep content with hundreds of thousands of views. One popular hashtag is eye check a way of proving a woman is asleep. We
created a fake name and soon got into a private telegram group dedicated to sharing sleep content with almost a thousand members.
One day a man in the group we're calling Piotr not his real name, DM'd me.
Piotr admitted to me that he had been crushing pills into his wife's drink to rape her in her sleep. Without encouraging him, I tried to find out how
he was managing to do this. Who was he? Where was he?
Even when women come forward, proving it can be nearly impossible. Some drugs leave the body within 12 hours. Survivors often only realize much
later what happened. And even with the courage to speak out, there are still countless roadblocks when it comes to reporting to police or bringing
a legal case.
Amanda Stanhope didn't know her partner had been abusing her for five years.
AMANDA STANHOPE, SURVIVOR: The police had to look through all these videos.
VANDOORNE: And what did they make of them?
STANHOPE: The one where I was absolutely horrified and he'd performed a sexual act on my face whilst I was unconscious. And -- and it was
completely clear. And the police looked at this one, and I thought, there's the evidence. And -- and the police said to me, well, we can't use that.
That isn't clear evidence because it looks like you're pretending to be asleep.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): Her former partner was charged with multiple counts of rape and sexual assault. He took his own life before the case could go
to court.
While talking to survivors, the man I was DM'ing continued to message and send me videos.
VANDOORNE: It's made me even more determined to try and meet him to get him in person. So I'm going to send him a message now, and I'm going to see if
he would meet with us.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): By now, we'd worked out he was in Poland. And we knew roughly where he lived that he refused to meet. And then a tip, he let
slip that he was planning to attend a party.
VANDOORNE: That's him. I recognize him. So inside the restaurant, and I've just seen him dancing with her. And at the start of this investigation, all
of these men were faceless. And so seeing him tonight has just really brought home the fact that this is happening in real life.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): The man who had been messaging me, day and night, was only a few feet away, oblivious. I'd come to see if he was real, and
there he was with his wife, the same people I saw in the videos.
We couldn't approach Piotr's wife without potentially putting her in danger. So we reached out to police about our findings.
The Telegram group we infiltrated eventually disappeared, but it's a pattern authorities know well. One goes offline, another soon resurfaces.
We reached out to both Motherless and Telegram but did not receive a response.
As campaigns by German journalists to shut down Motherless and strengthen moderation on similar platforms continue, videos of women who appeared to
be abused while unconscious are still being uploaded. And U.S. Safe Harbor laws largely protect the site from liability.
In the end, it all comes back to Gisele Pelicot the survivor whose trial shocked France and drew global attention. With astonishing dignity, she has
taken hold of her own harrowing experience.
VANDOORNE: In reporting this case we have spoken to multiple survivors who say they were drugged and raped by their husbands and many of them see you
as a source of strength.
[12:30:04]
With your permission, I'd like to read you some of the messages that these survivors have sent to me to read to you.
One survivor, her name is Amanda Stanhope, she lives in Wigan. Her strength inspired me to speak out. She broke the silence and shame so many survivors
are forever grateful to her. I'd love to say thank you. If she can do it, then so can I.
GISELE PELICOT, SURVIVOR (through text translation): You're making me cry. It's beautiful. These are testimonies that move me, of course, but it is
nice to say to yourself that they have found this strength. I was able to transmit that to them, it was a win, because we must indeed be united with
everything that happens. Because if you stay in your corner, you will never shift perceptions.
And I say bravo ladies, bravo. Don't be ashamed of doing it. All women must be able to do this process, even if it is very difficult, even if it is
very complicated in their head. But they're going to get there. It takes time. It can take months, days, maybe even years. But they will eventually
get there.
VANDOORNE (voice-over): Saskya Vandoorne, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GOLODRYGA: Such a powerful and disturbing report from Saskya. And help is available if you've experienced any of the abuse that was mentioned in the
piece.
In the U.S. call the National Sexual Assault Hotline or chat anytime at rainn.org. Outside the U.S., U.N. women and The Pixel Project provide a
list of agencies that are available around the world.
We'll be right back after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GOLODRYGA: All right. Welcome back.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is taking questions from the press before heading home from the G7 foreign ministers meeting in France. Let's
listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We had really good meetings. I mean, obviously, it was an opportunity to talk to our allies on the G7 and
outline the -- the perspective of what we have going on with Iran.
We talked about a lot of things, but obviously in the Iran operation. And we're very clear as we've been from the very beginning, the objectives of
this mission have been clear from the very first night the president announced it, we're going to destroy Iran's navy. We've destroyed their Air
Force.
[12:35:09]
We're going to basically destroy their ability to make missiles and drones and their factories. And we're going to substantially, and I mean
dramatically, reduce the number of missile launchers so that they cannot hide behind these things to build a nuclear weapon and threaten the world.
As the Department of War has consistently outlined, we are on or ahead of schedule on that operation and expect it concluded at the appropriate time
here, in a matter of weeks, not months, and the progress is going very well. Obviously, we have some work to do. We have to finish the job. And we
are finishing that job.
I did describe to our allies, however, that immediately after this thing ends, and -- or done with our objectives, one of the immediate challenges
we're going to face is in Iran and they decide that they want to set up a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz.
Not only is this illegal, it's unacceptable, it's dangerous to the world. And it's important that the world have a plan to confront it. The United
States has prepared to be a part of that plan. We don't have to leave that plan, but we -- we're happy to be a part of it, but these countries have a
lot at stake, not just the G7 countries, but countries in Asia and all over the world have a lot at stake, and should contribute greatly to that effort
to ensure that neither the Straits of Hormuz or, frankly, any international waterways should ever be something that's controlled or told by a nation-
state or by a terroristic government like the one that exists in Iran today in that clerical -- radical clerical regime.
So there seem to be a lot of buy-in to that concept. There's a lot of work happening right now. The U.K. has played a prominent role in bringing that
together, but other countries as well. And there seem to be a lot of acceptance of all that.
And -- and our allies and partners here, at least to me, seem to be appreciative of updates on our operation and an understanding of what lies
ahead over the next few weeks. OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Those couple of weeks, how seriously is the United States considering deploying ground troops? And in those couple of weeks,
will you -- what exactly will you be doing?
RUBIO: I -- I won't discuss military tactics. I don't think anyone in our system is going to talk to you about what we have planned and what we
intend to do, and there's obvious reasons for it.
But to the extent it has to do with military tactics and plans, I would refer you to the Department of War. And the Department of War is probably
going to tell you they can't tell you anything.
So other than to say that we have objectives, I told you what those objectives are, and we are very confident that we are on the verge of
achieving them very, very soon.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did any the G7 were upset or off-put at all by the president's comments? And if --
RUBIO: They never act that way in front of me. Maybe they say that to you guys, and maybe they say that in other interviews or when they go on the
press, but not in front of me they don't. I never get that.
On the contrary, these meetings are oftentimes about thanking America for the role we've played in trying to bring peace in Sudan. The recognition
that the president played a key role in ending what was happening in Gaza. Recognition of the role we've played in stabilizing Syria. Recognition,
despite what they may have said in the press, that what we did in Venezuela was good for the world and good for our region in the Western Hemisphere.
A recognition of the role we've played in setting up along with others like Canada, the gang suppression force in Haiti.
And -- and appreciation for the mediating role we've tried to play in this war between Russia and Ukraine. So I don't -- I don't know.
I mean, you guys ask me these questions like, if I go into these meetings and these people are angry. No one ever screams or raises their voices or
says anything negative.
And -- and if they did, I would remind them, but I don't need to, but I would remind them of the role America's played over the last year, has been
a very productive role and very helpful to them.
And I would just say this, and I said this yesterday, I'll say it again now. Iran is dubbed -- not the Iranian people. The Iranian people are
phenomenal people. They deserve way better than what they have, which is a radical Shia clerical regime that has basically taken that country's wealth
and used it not to build roads and bridges, not to build healthcare systems or universities, not to build a better and more prosperous country, they've
used the wealth of that country to sponsor terrorism, build rockets, build drones, build missiles, build sea mines. That's what they've done with it
and try to kill people all over the world.
And this has to be dealt with. That country was a threat for 47 years. OK? That regime has been trying to kill and has been killing Americans all over
the world for 47 years. We have a president that was not going to allow that to continue unfettered.
So when we are done -- Iran was already weak. When we are done with them here the next couple of weeks, they will be weaker than they've been in
recent history and they will not be able to hide behind those weapons to break out and get a nuclear weapon, which would be crazy.
For these people to ever get nuclear weapons would be crazy. Look what they're willing to do with the weapons they have now, they hit embassies,
they target hotels, they try to kill civilians, they splash out at all their neighbors. Imagine these radical lunatics had a nuclear weapon to
threaten the world with.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Secretary, on Russia-Ukraine, you (INAUDIBLE) the president's commitment to a ceasefire and negotiate a settlement. Is
ceasefire back on the table now?
RUBIO: In where?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In Russia-Ukraine.
RUBIO: Oh, Russia-Ukraine. Yes, we always want to see. We want to see the end of that war. I don't know why that's been a question.
You know, the last meetings we've had on it were last Saturday in Miami where Steve and Jared met with the Ukrainian side. There are no meetings
scheduled as of now.
[12:40:06]
Obviously, you know, that -- that war that goes on and it continues and it's a very unfortunate war. The loss of life there is tremendous. The
Russian side, in particular, is losing -- I think they're losing now more soldiers than they're recruiting.
But it's a -- you know, we -- we're ready. We're ready to play whatever constructive role we can to bring that war to an end. But obviously, there
are a lot of other things going on in the world as well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Secretary, on Russia-Ukraine, there were reports that the U.S. was going to divert some weapons for Ukraine in the PURL
system to help make up for the munitions expanded in the Middle East. Is that accurate? And is that a message you can communicate --
RUBIO: Well, it hasn't happened yet. Nothing yet has been diverted, but it could. I mean, frankly, it's not diverted. These are -- these are not
diverted weapons. These are our weapons. These are sales. These are military sales through PURL, pay for by NATO.
And so the question, at some point, is if we have a need, let me be clear, if the United States has a military need, whether it is to replenish our
stocks or to fulfill some mission in the national interest of the United States, we're always going to come first when it comes to our weapon.
I think it's true of every country in the world unless there our country who doesn't want to survive. So I don't have anything to announce. It's not
like I can tell you that that's happening right now, but it could happen, and -- and it could have always happened.
If we need something for America and it's American, we're going to keep it for America first. But as of now, that has not happened. So far, PURL has
been unaffected by this operation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Has there been an increase in Russia's support for Iran in this war? And why was now an appropriate time for sanctioned
Russian lawmakers to come to the U.S. Why?
RUBIO: Well, that was scheduled previously. Not all of them were able to come only for it, I think we authorized to come. We still think it looks
separate two issues here. Russia is still a powerful country with nuclear weapons. And it is important for nuclear powers to have some engagement at
the governmental level just like we do at the diplomatic level. I don't think that was a major concession in any way, shape, or form.
What was the first part of your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Has there an increase in Russia's support to Iran?
RUBIO: Look, I'm not going to -- let me put it to you this way. There is nothing Russia is doing for Iran. That is in any way impeding or affecting
our operation of the affected (INAUDIBLE). That's the best way that I could put it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, did the U.S. tell Zelenskyy that security guarantee is different on withdrawal from Donbas?
RUBIO: That's a lie. And I saw him say that. And it's unfortunate he would say that because he knows that's not true. And that's not what he was told.
What he was told is the obvious. Security guarantees are not going to kick in until there's an end to a war. Because otherwise, you're in -- you're
getting yourself involved in the war.
OK. What is the security guarantee? It is troops that are willing to step in and secure. If you put that in place now, that means you're injecting
yourself in the war
What he was told very clearly, and he should have understood it is that -- that security guarantees come only after there is an end of the war, but
that was not attached to unless he gives up territory.
I don't know why he says these things. They're just not true.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is (INAUDIBLE) position on Donbas?
RUBIO: We've told the -- the Ukrainian side what the Russians are insisting on. We're not advocating for it. We've explained it to them. It's their
choice to make. It's not for us to make for them.
We've never told them they have to take it or leave it. The role we have played is to try to figure out what both sides want and see if we can
bridge the middle ground. The decision ultimately is up to Ukraine. And they don't want to make -- if they don't want to make certain decisions and
certain concessions, then the war keeps going.
Same with the Russian side. If they don't want to make certain concessions to the Ukrainian side, then the war keeps going.
We're -- we're going to continue to try to facilitate what is possible. If it's not possible in the war, we'll continue sadly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secretary, the troops being sent to the Middle East --
RUBIO: Well, you have set-up. Are you a court reporter? No. Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The -- the troops being sent to --
RUBIO: I'll come (INAUDIBLE) if you don't have that. Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The troops being sent to the Middle East, sir, what role could they serve other than preparing the way for potential grounds
invasion?
And while you speak about several weeks, are you concerned that this could embroil the U.S. in the kind of prolonged contract -- conflicts, excuse me,
that President Trump came to office promising to avoid?
RUBIO: This is not going to be a prolonged conflict. The objectives I've outlined to you. Again, I'll repeat them. Because I -- I see these reports,
like, the news is not clear on what the objectives are.
We've been as clear as you can possibly be from the very first night of what the objectives of this mission are. We're going to destroy their
factories that make missiles and rockets and drones. We're going to destroy their Navy. We're going to destroy their Air Force. And we are going to
significantly destroy their missile launchers, so they can never hide behind these things to get a nuclear weapon.
We can achieve -- we are achieving all those objectives. We are ahead of schedule on most of them. And we can achieve them without any ground
troops, without any.
Now, in terms of why there's deployments. Number one, the president has to be prepared for multiple contingencies, which I'm not going to discuss in
the media. And again, I refer you to the Department of War who will talk -- probably tell you the exact same thing.
But we can achieve all of our objectives with our ground troops. But we are always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality and
maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies should they emerge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Secretary, on Cuba. Two questions.
So, for decades, you have been a proponent of regime change. But now, there seems to be a sense that perhaps President Trump would be happy with a win
which would only entail an economic deal.
RUBIO: Where do you -- where -- you said there there's a sense. Where do you get that sense from?
[12:45:07]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a lot of report. Well, there's a lot of reporting that --
RUBIO: Well, there's a lot of fake -- all right. Any -- any -- no, no, no. Any reporting on Cuba that you didn't get from me or the president is a
liar. Because they're the only people working on it. OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you still want regime change or --
RUBIO: I'm just warning you, guys. All these sources that are pitching you on Cuba, don't know Jack. OK? They're not in the mix.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
RUBIO: I promise you. They don't know what the hell is happening.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you still want a regime change? Or --
RUBIO: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- would you be OK with the economic deal?
RUBIO: What do you mean an economic deal? Cuba's economy needs to change. And their economy can't change unless their system of government changes.
It's that simple.
Who's going to invest billions of dollars in a communist country? Who's going to invest billions of dollars in a communist country run by
incompetent communists? Which is even worse than communism. The other thing worse than a communist is an incompetent communist.
And so, their -- their system of government has to change because they will never be able to develop economically without those changes.
Economic change is important. Giving people economic and political freedom is important, but they come hand in hand. They come together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there a deal for you --
RUBIO: I don't know why there's any confusion on that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there a deal where -- for you where the Castro family remains in place and that's --
RUBIO: It's not about the Castro family. It's about a system of government in a regime that doesn't work. Guys, a couple things on Cuba. I didn't come
all the way to France to talk about Cuba, but let's talk about Cuba.
It's perfect. I happy to do it because we actually talked about it in the G7. So it's actually --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can't (INAUDIBLE).
RUBIO: None. Of course, not. Plus, we talked about it in the G7, OK?
Yes, everybody talks about these blackout. Cubans been having blackouts all of last year, all the year before. There isn't a naval blockade surrounding
Cuba.
The reason why Cuba doesn't have oil and fuel it's because they want it for free. And people don't give away oil and fuel for free on a regular basis,
unless it was the Soviet Union subsidizing them or Maduro subsidizing them. They just don't do it.
They may get a shipment here and there now and then someone, but not enough to sustain their country. OK? So that -- the reason why they're having
black -- that's why they don't have fuel.
And the reason why they're having blackouts is because they have equipment in the 1950s and '60s that they never maintained or kept up. OK?
But ultimately, the reason why Cuba is a disaster is because their economic system doesn't work. It's a non-sensical system. And the people of Cuba are
suffering because of the decisions -- because of the unwillingness of the people who govern that country to make the changes that need to be made so
they can join the 21st century.
It is sad that the only place -- Cubans can only be successful if they leave the country. That's a very sad thing.
You see, Cubans go all over the world and find success except in Cuba. That has to change. And for that to change, you need to change the people in
charge, you need to change the system that runs the country, and you need to change the economic model that it's following.
That's the only way forward if Cuba wants a better future. We've expressed that clearly and repeatedly over many years. And maybe now there's an
opportunity to do it, we'll see.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Secretary, going back to Iran. Is it your understanding that they'll convey their response to the 15-point plan
today? And are you looking for anything in particular --
RUBIO: We haven't gotten it yet. We haven't gotten it yet.
Look, we've got messages. We've had an exchange of messages and indications from the Iranian system, whatever's left of it, about a willingness to talk
about certain things. We're waiting for further clarification about who will we allow, who was it that we would be talking to, what we'll be
talking about and when -- when will we be talking.
I don't have any news for you on that yet. It could happen at any moment. It could happen today. It could happen tomorrow. We're not predicting it
in. We're going to continue with our operation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What will signal that they're still serious and in your own (INAUDIBLE) that --
RUBIO: Well, I mean signal is that they call you and say, these are the people that speak on our behalf now. This is what they're allowed to talk
about. And this is when we're prepared to meet to talk further. That would be a signal.
But in the meantime, we continue with our operation, a very successful operation. Every single day, Iran gets weaker and weaker. The Department of
War is doing a tremendous job of weakening that regime and its ability to lash out against its neighbors and threaten the world.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you (INAUDIBLE) what -- what was presented today (INAUDIBLE)?
RUBIO: Well, we had a good -- I mean, well, I'm happy about -- there was seem to be agreement in that room that we need to be ready to do something.
I mean, I think --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But is it OK -- is it OK with you guys if they don't come in and do anything until after?
RUBIO: Well, we are -- no, no, no. Hold on. We're not asking for anybody's help on this war. The president's been clear. We're not asking for anybody
to join the war. We're not asking for anyone to get involved in the war. We're not asking for anyone to get involved in this operation. We're not
asking for that.
We're not asking any country. We don't need it. We're doing it. We're doing the job. And we're -- we're ahead of schedule. So, that's not what we're
talking about.
We're talking about this. There are the -- some in the Iranian regime that are going around saying that they want to make the Strait of Hormuz tolling
thing. They want to make it permanent. That's unacceptable.
The -- the whole world should be outraged by it. We're impacted by it a little bit, but the rest of the world is impacted by it a lot more,
including many of the countries represented today here at the G7.
And so if those countries are deeply impacted by all, we've said is, you guys need to do something about it. We'll help you. You guys are going to
need to be ready to do something about it.
Because when this conflict and when this operation ends, that the Iranians decide, well now, we control the Straits of Hormuz, and you can only go
through here and pay us. And if we allow, you do. That's, not only is it illegal under international law and maritime law, it's unacceptable. And
that can't be allowed to exist.
[12:50:04]
And so what we've said is that the countries that are most impacted by that, should be willing to do something about it. And we'll help them. And
that's what I said today. I had a good reception to that message.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you hear it -- did you hear about the foreign minister or the Iranian foreign minister what he said at the U.N. human
rights (INAUDIBLE) accusing the U.S. and Israel of genocide, essentially?
RUBIO: The Iranian?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Abbas.
RUBIO: Oh, OK. Well, he's an expert in genocide. They're experts in that because, you know, they sponsor terrorism all over the world. And they've
killed thousands and thousands of people. OK.
Look at the Middle East. Look at the Middle East, guys. Every problem in the Middle East tracks back to Iran. Hezbollah, Iran. Shia militias that
are destroying and -- and threatening Iraq, Iran. Hamas, Iran. The Houthis, Iran. The -- the Assad, when he was in Syria, Iran.
The only kind -- the way -- I mean, everywhere you turn, they're behind all of it. They are a destabilizing, dangerous, evil force that had to be dealt
with. They have to be weakened.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can I ask you about the -- about West Bank? What's your level of concern about violence by settlers against Palestinians?
RUBIO: Well, we're concerned about that, and we've expressed it. And I think there's concern in the Israeli government about it as well.
I'm sure you've seen the reports of some of these individuals who also attacked security forces, Israeli security forces in the process. So, we're
concerned about that. And obviously, the president has expressed very clearly that he's -- he's against any sort of change in the status quo in
the West Bank.
Obviously, there's a lot going on in the world right now, but that is a topic we follow very closely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would there be repercussions if these attacks continue?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLODRYGA: All right. We've been listening to Secretary of State Marco Rubio answering questions as he's departing the G7 meeting of ministers
back here to the -- the States in Washington, D.C.
A couple of points that he made specifically as it relates to the war in Iran. He said that the war will be winding down in the next couple of
weeks.
He said it's not going to be going on for months, but the next couple of weeks. He said the United States is on the verge of accomplishing its
goals.
And in terms of what he addressed with his counterparts in Paris, it is concerns that Iran is trying to set up a permanent tolling system over the
Strait of Hormuz, which he describes as unacceptable and illegal. He also said that the Iranian people deserve better. They've been abused. And instead of the country's wealth being invested in its people, it's
being invested in sponsor -- sponsoring terrorism.
For more on this, let's bring in Nazanin Boniadi, an Iranian-born actress and activist, who has spoken out against the Iranian regime. And Nazinin
joins us now from Washington.
Nazanin, welcome to the program. I know you were listening to the secretary of state as well.
And what he said was that when the United States is done and what they will be able to achieve is a weaker regime, weaker than they've ever been
without the ability to have a nuclear weapon.
But I do want to focus on his comments on what the Iranian people deserve. And they have been in complete blackout now for months since the start of
this year, obviously since the start of this war. And yet, the Iranian people are able to still speak out somehow. And you are hearing from them
as well.
I want to get a sense of -- of what they are feeling and what you are hearing.
NAZANIN BONIADI, ACTRESS AND ACTIVIST: It's good to be with you, Bianna.
Yes, indeed, there has been more than 650 hours of consecutive internet shutdown, as of right now. Of course, the internet shutdown has lasted for
months. But -- but I'm talking about consecutive hours of no contact.
The only contact we've managed to have has been through satellite sporadically throughout this time.
Last night, I got a message from a civil society leader, a prominent advocate for human rights inside the country, who is in despair because she
doesn't understand why these negotiations are suddenly happening with someone who is an -- a regime insider that reportedly, Mohammad Bagher
Ghalibaf, who has, for decades, been instrumental in the machinery of repression inside the country and a longtime regime henchmen.
She feels that the people inside the country are once again being sidelined. And their -- their demands and their -- their calls for freedom
are not being heard by the international community.
Of course, this Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current parliamentary speaker inside the country, has a long history of -- of being instrumental in these
crackdowns.
In -- in the '90s, he was a senior commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, advocated for forceful crackdowns of the 1999 student protests. He
then became the police chief, and again, instrumental in cracking down on - - and as part of the machinery of repression. And -- and now, seemingly, he's being dubbed a pragmatist, which is -- is just not the case.
[12:55:08]
And -- and to be honest, when you -- when you -- when you're dealing with this long internet crackdown, the Iranian people are not only being
silenced once through that, but also advocates for them who are simply trying to echo their voices and their demands for freedom are also being
targeted outside of the country, being smeared as warmongers, being smeared as, you know, people who -- who somehow want to destroy Iran, when simply,
all they're asking for is some kind of a space, civil society space, to reach their own goals, which is freedom and democracy and self-
determination.
And -- and the -- really the question to me was, who is going to heed our calls? The international system is failing us.
GOLODRYGA: And you recently shared a powerful message on social media, on X, from a dissident, who said that people are actually panicking when the
bombardment stops because they are terrified that the U.S. may -- may -- may pull back and leave the war right now.
Is the sentiment that you're hearing -- and again, you can't speak for every Iranian. But we know from polling, even before the war, the vast
majority opposes this regime.
Now, one month in, we heard from the secretary of state that the regime is at its weakest in its 47-year history.
Do the people you are speaking with, do they want the U.S. to stop now before they say they've achieved their goals?
BONIADI: Well, you're absolutely right, Bianna. Iran is not a monolith. But anecdotally, and the people I speak to are civil society leaders, leading
activists, dissidents, former prisoners. And they very much tell us that -- that no, stopping now, essentially we've poked the bear and, you know,
leaving this regime intact.
Any remnants of this regime intact will -- will basically make the -- the crackdowns more brutal. They will go -- they're already going on an
execution binge.
Their videos on state T.V. being shown in Iran that -- that women are being armed not to confront a foreign enemy, but their own people. This is not
going to end well for the Iranian people if this regime stays in place.
It may have been a war of choice. They believe now it's a war of necessity. And to leave this, the -- the regime in place for the Iranian people to
deal with the -- the ramifications of what happens next is simply not -- not acceptable.
GOLODRYGA: Yes. And I know you've said that if the United States settles on a ceasefire now, you as an expert and speaking with others as well, are
very concerned about the potential ripple effects and the flood of refugees that that could mean for neighboring countries and the uncertainty there
and instability that that would generate as opposed to fulfilling all of the goals that the U.S. says that they are set out to do.
Nazanin, we'll -- we'll have to leave it there. It's so important to hear from you because the United States, obviously, they say they have a say in
how this war ends. The enemy as war terminology goes has a say as well. But most importantly, the Iranian people deserve a say in all of this.
Thank you so much for all the work that you do. Thank you for your time today.
BONIADI: Thank you, Bianna.
GOLODRYGA: And that does it for this hour of "One World." I'm Bianna Golodryga. Thanks so much for watching. "Amanpour" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
