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Expecting Announcement on Iran Nuclear Talks; Interview with Rep. Ed Royce; Iranian Leader Tweets; Two Arrested in Terror Plot. Aired 1-1:30p ET

Aired April 02, 2015 - 13:00   ET

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer. It's 1:00 p.m. here in Washington, 7:00 p.m. in Dusseldorf, 8:00 p.m. in Irobi, 9:30 p.m. in Tehran. Wherever you're watching from around the world, thanks very much for joining us.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BLITZER: And we start with the breaking news on the nuclear negotiations underway in Switzerland. The United States leading those talks over Iran's nuclear program. At any minute now, we expect to hear from some of the principals including the foreign minister of Iran. The original deadline for a framework deal came earlier this week but it came and went. On Tuesday, the representatives have pushed ahead though and now appear close to reporting that enough progress has been made to continue the talks to move forward to what they described as the next phase with an end of June deadline.

CNN's Global Affairs Correspondent Elise Labott has been following all of the developments in Lusitane, Switzerland for us. We're looking at live pictures. There's John Kerry, the Secretary of State of the United States, just got into that car. Presumably, he's going to be heading over to the microphones and start with a statement and then answering reports' questions as well.

But there's a formula that they have worked on on appearances. Alise Labott, you're there in Lusitane, Switzerland. Walk us through it, because I understand we'll be hearing first from the foreign policy chief representative of the European Union and then the foreign minister of Iran. Is that right?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Actually, it's going to be a joint statement by the two of them, Wolf. If you remember, Kathy Ashton, who was the foreign policy chief before Federica Mogherini, she was the one leading the talks with the P five plus one. So, this is really under the auspices of the European Union. So, they'll give that joint statement.

And what I understand is it's a statement of a broad agreement that will talk about a lot of the progress that's been made that will allow the parties to continue negotiating a comprehensive deal which is due by June. If you remember, what was due right now is just a political framework, political understandings that would really be the backbone of this comprehensive agreement. And we just saw Federica Mogherini tweeting, good news, I'm about to go speak with the Iranian foreign minister Zarif. And foreign minister Zarif himself tweeting, found solutions, ready to start drafting immediately. He's talking about that comprehensive agreement. And what we understand that it does, Wolf, is that it places restrictions on Iran's nuclear program, a lot more restrictions that were currently in place in this interim agreement agreed to in November 2013, but it will not destroy Iran's nuclear program completely. There will still be some infrastructure in place.

We've been talking about a lot of technical language on air. Over the last few weeks, I've learned a lot, more than I already did about nuclear technology. But we're talking about centrifuges that could enrich uranium. They'll be able to hold onto a certain number of that. There are certain facilities that will remain open but there will be curbs on this program.

And the international community thinks it can extend what they call the breakout time, the time that Iran would need to have enough (INAUDIBLE) material to go for a nuclear weapon. The goal has been a year. They think they have done that. But, again, the devil in the details, Wolf. They may have political understandings, but this is not a formal agreement.

The agreement itself will be negotiated in June. The Iranians were very strict about that. They didn't want to sign an agreement right now. So, it's entirely possible when they get back to the negotiating table, nothing has been agreed to -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Well, a very quick question, Elise. Based on what they've agreed to so far, will they at least make all of that public or will all of that remain secret?

LABOTT: Well, I think for today, it's going to be very vague. It's going to be very general, talking about political understandings, curbs on Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief allowing Iran to see some sanctions relief and a path forward. I think it's going to be more about general understandings, progress that's been made.

But what won't be mentioned is there are several things that have not been agreed to about the scope of the research and development that Iran would be able to resume in the end years of the deal. We're talking about a 15-year deal. After 10 years, Iran wants to be able to start resuming some of its nuclear activity, resuming some of its advanced research and technology that has concerned the international community.

The international community wants to keep those restrictions in place for the entire 15 years. They also haven't agreed on the complete scope of lifting U.N. sanctions. Iran wants them lifted on day one, but the international community wants to phase those sanctions out as Iran complies with the deal.

[13:05:07] They're also looking for some kind of flexibility, what they call a snapback provision, if Iran were to violate. That's a very contentious issue that has to do with United Nations, Security Council politics. So, there's a lot still to be addressed. I think that this is going to be a very vague statement. Not sure if it's going to be enough for President Obama to take to Congress to ward off sanctions because if the Congress were to impose sanctions, that would jeopardize, certainly in their view, chances of at full comprehensive deal -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Well, it sounds like the Iranians are clearly pleased, not only the Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif who tweeted that if there is good news. But now, we're getting a tweet, Elise, from the Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran. He just tweeted solutions on key parameters of Iran nuclear case reached, drafting to start immediately to finish by June 30th, hash tag Iran talks. So, Rouhani seems pleased as well.

I want to bring in our Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour. These are very, very sensitive issues, Christiane. It doesn't get a lot more sensitive than this. Give us your analysis on what we're expecting right now.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I do think similar to what Elise has said and similar to what I've been getting, certainly from the Iranian side, is that they were very concerned about quote, "proportionality." What they were trying to do, and I heard this from the top levels over the last several days, was get agreements on all these solutions, on all the outstanding things so that they could begin drafting. And proportionality for them means getting all this done sort of in the -- in the first several months of any agreement. And for everything they do, then to get relief sanctions-wise.

So, that was incredibly important for them and that is the key thing they have to sell back in Iran because that's the key thing that the government of President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif kind of rests on. The people wanted the -- you know, the parliament and everybody else wants that. So, that's the key thing.

Now, we did talk to a very, very highly placed source, in fact we've had him in the air, who was involved in previous nuclear negotiations. And he had some real detail about the outstanding issues. He talked, at least a couple of days ago, about annexes being attached to a general statement that might be released at the end of this process, saying that they could be somewhere within the region of six annexes.

In other words, dealing with such things as future enrichment at places like Nathans (ph), like Bordeaux (ph), like the Iraq heavy water facility, all those kinds of things.

So, apparently, at least until we know this evening, have not yet been ironed out. So, there is a lot of detail for the Iranians. It was always a June 30th deal. I know the P five plus one had this March 31st deadline for a certain framework. But the Iranians always wanted this to go down to the wire to June 30th. Let's see what they're going to announce this evening. But the, certainly, the German foreign minister also tweeted that enough understanding has been reached and they will be, you know, making the statement that we're expecting. BLITZER: Those negotiations, Christiane, as you know, they've been

going on now for 18 months. When they began the negotiations, there already had been a few extensions, as we all know, and this June 30th deadline, Rouhani, the President of Iran, says in his tweet, solutions on key parameters of Iran nuclear case reached, drafting to start immediately to finish by June 30th.

Javad Zarif, the Foreign Minister, the chief negotiator for Iran, he says, found solutions. Ready to start drafting immediately. Do you know if that June 30th deadline, like other deadlines earlier, is really hard and fast? Can they extend it even further? Because there is -- a lot of the critics say the Iranian goal is to keep extending and extending and extending.

AMANPOUR: Well, look, you know, who knows? Who knows? Every goal, so far, has been -- has been pushed. All sides are saying that this is a firm, firm, firm, firm deadline. You know, it depends on, politically, how any of the sides can keep going. Obviously, the Europeans can but the United States and Iran, it's very difficult to know whether they can actually keep going indefinitely.

But it has to be said and all those close to the negotiations said, that in these last 18 months, a totally different atmosphere has been created after 35 years of hostility between Iran and the United States. Not to mention, the other Europeans, obviously the Russians and the Chinese. But particularly between the United States and Iran, 35 years plus of hostility has had some of the edges sort of smoothed away by sitting around this table from early morning, late into the night, walking along river fronts, flying back and forward and keep trying to get a deal. It's clear that both of the main parties, both United States and Iran, very, very desperately want a deal to be made.

[13:10:00] It is also clear, despite the noise that's gone on around these negotiations, that tangible progress has been made in these past 18 months, that Iran's nuclear program has been curbed in these past 18 months and that they have received a little relief, a little relief.

But for the world, you have noticed a massive ratcheting down of tension between Iran and the United States. You remember, just a few years ago, the years of (INAUDIBLE) when every day brought another in your face, bluster and blundering about nuclear weapons and they'll -- I'm sorry, nuclear program and this and that. And it was very, very aggressive. And the whole tone has been dramatically changed. And, as I say, it's not just the tone, it's substance that, in the last 18 months, have been changed.

Now, it's also very important to recognize that the experts tell you that Iran has the wherewithal to build, if it wants, a nuclear weapon right now. The engineering, the ability to enrich, all of that kind of stuff. It has not done so and it has chosen not to do so. We're not in their minds to know why but that is the fact.

We also know that 35 years plus, certainly the last 10 or 12 years, of heavy sanctions, some of the most draconian sanctions known to the U.N. system have not stopped Iran from enriching or increasing sanction fuses. So, another route needed to be tried. This is the one they continue to pursue -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And we'll see what the announcement is. Christiane, I want you to stand by. We're about to hear from the European Union high representative, Federica Mogherini, and the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. They will be making the initial statement. And, subsequently, we'll hear from the U.S. secretary of state, John Kerry.

We're also anticipating a statement from President Obama at the White House. He was supposed to leave the White House at least an hour or an hour and a half or so ago. But he's delaying his departure for Kentucky and then onto Utah because he wants to know what's going on. Presumably, we're waiting for a statement from the president, presumably as well.

In the meantime, let's get some reaction to what's going on. Joining us now from California is the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, California Republican Congressman Ed Royce. Mr. Chairman, thanks very much for joining us. What's your reaction so far to what we know? We're anticipating a statement in which they say they basically reached a so-called framework agreement, but now they have to work out the technical details. They have to draft it with the goal of achieving that by the end of June.

REP. ED ROYCE (R), CHAIRMAN, HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: Well, my concern in talking to some of the experts who have been following the negotiations is that they -- the way in which they got to this point was, basically, by Iran so far to win on a number of different fronts. One of those was to have Iran keep the stockpiles rather than turn those stockpiles over to a third country, with respect to the enriched uranium they have. And another was not to nail down that issue of whether or not we are were going to have inspectors have the right to inspect any time anywhere. And a third point would be the Iranian position that they don't want to close Bordeaux nor do they want to close (INAUDIBLE) where they do their research work.

So, if inspectors, Wolf, are not going to be able to go into military installations and see what is going on, then we face the possibility of a creep out. Maybe not a break out but a creep out, in terms of their gradual ability to develop a more and more massive program. So that's -- that's the worry. Are we giving too much because we've never brought the full weight of sanctions down the way we could have. And that's the debate that Congress has right now over this issue.

BLITZER: Because, as you know, some of the administration officials say, yes, maybe the Iranians are not going to allow the export of their enriched uranium to Russia or some other country. But there are other ways to dilute that enriched uranium, keep it in Iran, for example, that'll do the same thing. You buy that?

ROYCE: Well, Wolf, to do that, you would have to inspect that on a constant basis. You would have to be able to ascertain that, in the future, they wouldn't kick inspectors out. Christiane made the point about Iran changing its attitude. And, yes, Iran feels they're winning in this negotiation based on those tweets, but it hasn't changed the attitude of the Ayatollah, who's the final decision maker who still, you know, as you and I know, about a week ago, again led those chants of death to America.

So, we do have an attitude problem with Iran, 10 years plus of negotiations with the Europeans and they've been able to incrementally move the ball and move the ball to the point where now we know they've worked on plutonium, enriched uranium. We need the inspectors to have the ability to go in there and verify. And until that happens, it looks to me like we're being rolled.

And I know that that's the view of many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle right now. Let Iran give us the ability to get the IAE in there, answer the 12 questions they've been asked about their past nuclear program.

[13:15:13] They've only answered part of one of those questions. And open up to the rest of the world and show us what's actually going on in those military facilities right now.

BLITZER: The foreign ministry of Germany, which is, of course, a key player in all of the negotiations, just tweeted that they have reached agreement on key points of a concluding deal. Stand by, they say, for a press conference.

Here's a key issue that members of Congress are going to have to decide, as you know, in the coming weeks. Do you go ahead and let this play out until the end of June without opposing new - voting on resolutions to impose new sanctions against Iran? Do you give the president that opportunity to finish the deal? Or do you go ahead, in the coming weeks, and vote in favor of new sanctions? The president says he would veto those sanctions, presumably. I don't know if you have the two-thirds override to deal with that kind of a veto. But what's your thought about sanctions.

ROYCE: Well, as you know, Wolf, I've always run the committee, my committee, in a bipartisan way and include the Democrats and the Republicans in the - in the consensus or discussions on this. The last time we brought up legislation, the administration was on the other side. Our vote in the committee was unanimous for additional sanctions on Iran, the kind that would really put the pressure on their ayatollah and give him the choice between economic collapse or compromise on the negotiations.

I - I am going to be in consultation with our members on both sides of the aisle and certainly with the Senate Democrats and Republicans who are concerned about this issue. As you know, there are about 12 Senate Democrats who share my concern. Certainly we had a majority of the Democrats in the House and most of the Republicans in the House signed my letter about a week and a half ago that we sent to the president asking that something be done about those four issues that I raised earlier with you, to ascertain that we really had control over verification of this nuclear weapons program and that we weren't lifting sanctions prematurely, immediately, as the Iranians want us to do. But, instead, keep the pressure on for a deal that we can actually verify.

BLITZER: All right, we'll see what happens. We're standing by for this news conference. Chairman Ed Royce of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, thanks very much for joining us.

I want to bring in our chief national security correspondent Jim Sciutto. He's over at the State Department here in Washington watching what's going on.

You're working your sources as well.

I just want to remind our viewers, we're standing by to hear the high representative of the European Union, Federica Mogherini, together with the foreign minister of Iran, Javad Zarif. He's been the chief Iranian negotiator. He's pretty optimistic. He's tweeted already, a deal looks good. They've got to work out the details now before the end of June. The president, Hassan Rouhani, of Iran, similarly has tweeted, looks like they've got a deal, but they've still got to work out the details.

What are you hearing, Jim?

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, I've got to tell you, the key here really is the details. I was there in November in Vienna when they last extended these talks, and in July, when they extended them previously. At that time, they said the same thing they're saying now, that there's been enough progress to continue talks.

The thing is, the way they outlined, the way they described these deadlines in November was a full political agreement by March and then just the technical details in the ensuing three months leading up to that June 30th deadline. If you hear today general parameters with the details still to be worked out, that actually means that there's still a lot of negotiating to do because, you know, they're really stretching the definition, Wolf, of what a technical detail is if you leave a lot of these questions open on the disposition, for instance, of Iran's huge stockpile of enriched uranium, on how quickly those sanctions are going to be lifted and if it's immediately or over time. I mean those are more than details. Those are key issues of disagreement.

And we've heard that leaking out in recent days as they've kept extending these deadlines. Doesn't mean they haven't made progress. But, you know, if you're leaving major details like that or really major areas of disagreement, you've got a long way to go to a final agreement. And that's - and it's interesting to hear them echoing some of the rhetoric. They were saying just four months ago and eight months ago when they said we've made enough progress to continue talking, but it does sound like it's possible they've got a long way to go.

BLITZER: Yes, well, they've been negotiating for 18 months already. Now they say they need another three months. We'll see what happens.

Jim, I want you to stand by. Once again, I want to remind our viewers, momentarily we'll be hearing from the representative of the European Union, together with the foreign minister of Iran. There's the microphones set up already. We'll have live coverage of that. That will be followed by a news conference by the secretary of state,

John Kerry. And presumably we'll also be hearing from President Obama at the White House. He's delayed a departure outside of Washington for Kentucky. Presumably he's going to make a statement as well. Much more of that special coverage coming up here on CNN.

[13:20:10] Also ahead, another major story we're following in the United States. Federal officials have now arrested two women in an alleged New York City bomb plot. The suspects apparently had ties to ISIS. We're getting new information on this very disturbing development. We'll have much more when we come back.

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BLITZER: We're waiting for the foreign minister of Iran, Javad Zarif. He's just left his hotel, heading to the microphones. He's going to be making a statement, together with the high representative from the European Union, Federica Mogherini. There you see Javad Zarif right in the middle of your screen. He's the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator. He has already tweeted, "found solutions, ready to start drafting immediately." The president of Iran has also tweeted, "solutions on key parameters of Iran nuclear case reached drafting to start immediately to finish by June 30th."

So they're going to make their statements. Presumably, the secretary of state, John Kerry, will follow. And we're also anticipating a statement from the president of the United States. We're standing by for all of that.

But there's other breaking news out of New York that we're following right now. A significant development. A U.S. federal law enforcement source telling CNN, two New York women, two New York women have now been arrested for plotting a terror attack on the United States. The suspects apparently influenced, according to these allegations, by ISIS. For the latest, let's go to our national correspondent, Jason Carroll. He's joining us from New York.

[13:25:10] Jason, what do we know about these two women?

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, let me identify both of them according this complaint. They are identified as Noelle Velentzas, 28-years-old. Also, Asia Siddiqui, 31-years-old. Both of them from the United States. In fact, according to the complaint, both of them were roommates together living there in Queens, New York.

According to the complaint, Wolf, both of them arrested now and charged with conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. That weapon being an improvised explosive device, and IED. According to the complaint, a lengthy complaint that we've had an opportunity to read through here, Wolf, Saddiqui was in possession of multiple propane gas tanks, instructions on how to transform those gas tanks into explosive devices.

They've been monitoring these two for more than a year. Many visits to a local Home Depot where they allegedly picked up their materials to carry out their plan. Apparently Siddiqui was obsessed with pressure cookers ever since the Boston bombing. Their goal here, Wolf, according to the complaint, was to blow up and use a bomb from afar rather than conduct a suicide mission. Another one of their goals here, Wolf, was to make history. Again, one of them 28, the other 31. Both of them expected to appear in federal court in Brooklyn later this afternoon.

BLITZER: Do we know how officials discovered this alleged plot, specifically the potential target or targets?

CARROLL: Well, this was part of a lengthy undercover operation that took place, according to the complaint, for more than a year. They have text messages. They have phone calls that they've been monitoring. A lot of evidence that they've gathered in terms of their case, here, Wolf. So in terms of the exact target, that's what we're trying to find out here. Somewhere in New York City. The exact target, undetermined. Although, at one point during the complaint, Harold Square, which is a popular destination here in New York City, a lot of shops there, that was potentially discussed and apparently allegedly one of them said, well, what we want to do - there are only normal people there at Harold Square. We want more than that. So Harold Square, at one point, was an area that was targeted as a potential target. But a lot more information we're trying to get out of this. Again, later on this afternoon, both of these two expected to appear in federal court. Perhaps we'll be able to get some more details at that point.

BLITZER: What do they mean when they want more than normal people? Did they - is that explained?

CARROLL: Well, I think, you know, when people think of Harold Square, you think of it as a place with you can get a lot of discount shops, things of that nature. Perhaps they wanted a higher target. You know, at one point during the - you know, in this criminal complaint here, the possibility of targeting police officers, how easy it would be to target a police officer, get a police officer's gun, that was mentioned in the complaint as well. So perhaps that's a possibility. Don't want to read too much into it. But all I can say is, according to this complaint, at one point when Harold Square was discussed, one of the suspects said, we want - we don't want just normal people here.

Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Jason Carroll, a very disturbing development. I know you're going to get more information. We'll be all over this story as well.

Once again, we're waiting for the official announcement from Switzerland. The negotiations, at least this phase, they have wrapped up. The representative of the European Union, together with the chief Iranian nuclear negotiator, the foreign minister, Javad Zarif, they're about to make a statement. We'll have live coverage. That's coming up next.

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