- 2 months ago
Joint US-Israeli airstrikes have targeted Mehrabad airport in Tehran and Bushehr airport, where Iranian media reported a passenger aircraft was destroyed on the ground.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00.
00:00.
00:00.
00:00.
00:01.
01:32And following the U.S.-Israeli attack on Bucheher airport, there is no information at the moment whether the plane had
01:42any occupant at the time of this incident, whether there was any passenger when this incident actually took place.
01:51So the situation certainly is grim.
01:54And as we have been saying, that the cost of this war is increasing and it's moving beyond the region
02:04as well.
02:05And the civilians are now becoming a casualty in this war.
02:29The airport in Tehran has been struck by Israel.
02:33There are reports and the visuals coming in.
02:35You can see a totally damaged airplane, which was there at the Bucheher airport.
02:42And there's no information at the moment whether their plane had any passenger.
03:04Missiles in the sky, diplomacy on the line.
03:06And as Iran faces a U.S.-Israel joint offensive, two countries that have openly now come out in support of
03:14Iran are China and Russia, with China saying that it respects the sovereignty of Iran.
03:19And it has, and it has, and also this, that Iran has the right to self-defense.
03:25And as the new vector emerges in this war, are the countries now being forced to pick a side?
03:33Maa Shweta has this report.
03:47Will Iran survive this war?
03:50Well, only time will tell.
03:54As Iran fights for survival and puts tactical pressure on its neighbors, hoping that they will in turn pressure the
04:03United States and Israel to slow down, an old ally has stood in support of it.
04:08Not militarily, but verbally.
04:14Chinese Foreign Minister Wangi dialed his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Arachi.
04:19After Arachi briefed Wangi about the latest development in the U.S.-Israel coalition-led war against Iran, the Chinese Foreign
04:27Minister said Beijing supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and in upholding its legitimate
04:37and lawful rights and interests.
04:41China and Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement in 2021.
04:45But the question remains, how Beijing will extend its support to a strategic ally when they are constantly under attack?
04:55Iran and China have been connected by rail for over a decade.
04:59The first direct freight train from China arrived in Iran in February 2016.
05:04After the Kazakhstan-Turkministan-Iran rail link opened in December 2014.
05:10That link created a continuous overland corridor from China through Central Asia into Iran.
05:18China again called out to the U.S. and Israel to immediately seize military actions to avoid further escalation of
05:25tensions and prevent the conflict from expanding and spreading to the entire Middle East region.
05:32After the fall of Venezuela and the capture of Nicolas Maduro, Beijing had followed the old playbook of offering diplomatic
05:39backing instead of engaging in direct military support.
05:43Washington's attack on Iran is also seen to cripple the energy sector of Beijing.
05:48This is a second attack aimed to affect the Chinese energy sector after Venezuela by the U.S.
05:58China firmly opposes the use of force to violate the sovereignty and security of other countries in international relations.
06:04Energy security attaches great importance to the world economy and all parties should ensure stable and smooth energy supply.
06:11China will take necessary measures to safeguard its own energy security.
06:18Another old ally, Russia, has assured of acting as a dialogue channel between Iran and the neighbouring Arab countries.
06:29Putin is certainly making every effort and will do so to help bring at least a small reduction in tension.
06:34In that context, he discussed with almost all his interlocutors yesterday that he would convey to our colleagues in Iran
06:41the deep concern over the strikes on infrastructure using the dialogue channels we maintain with the Iranian leadership.
06:53As of now, Iran is alone to fend for itself.
06:56But kind words from friends at a critical juncture will probably boost the morale of the already unsettled Iranian leadership.
07:05Mahashwet Alala, Bureau Report, India Today.
07:11And even as we look at this new vector, one thing is becoming clear that Donald Trump perhaps may have
07:18got his calculation very, very wrong.
07:21Geeta is joining us on this broadcast as well.
07:24Donald Trump, remember, has now said that he's ready to support armed Iranian groups to overthrow the regime.
07:31And to discuss this, we have someone who is in fact backing the crown prince in exile, Raza Pahelvi, Iranian
07:38actress.
07:40Mandana Karimi is joining us live from Mumbai.
07:44Mandana, it certainly appears that on the streets of Iran as well, there is now support for the current regime.
07:51It's largely the Iranians outside Iran who may be backing Raza Pahelvi.
07:58Yes.
07:59And I just want to correct you on a statement that you just made.
08:05This support hasn't been today or just because of the Khamenei's death.
08:11It's been there since January 8th and 9th.
08:16And the gathering that we had in Munich, specifically in Munich, of millions of Iranians that came on the streets
08:27in United States and Europe and a lot of other places.
08:32It was the call of Raza Pahelvi.
08:37And I want to be very specific with that because I feel like a lot of media, a lot of
08:44people, a lot of West and East and the lefties, they're making this to be some sort of other conversation
08:53that, oh, what's going to happen now that the Khamenei is dead?
08:56And what's going to happen while Israel and America, they have hit Iran, right?
09:03So I just want to say very clearly, Raza Pahelvi's name has been chanted by Iranian people from Iran and
09:16the people outside of Iran, the diaspora of Iranians for past two months.
09:22But unfortunately, the media, specifically Indian media, have been seeing this or hearing it just because Khamenei is dead and
09:31the war has happened.
09:35Well, Mandana, I was in Tehran and I know that there is a lot of disillusionment against the regime, but
09:44certainly not as much popularity for Pahelvi as you're suggesting.
09:50There might be some sort of, you know, a faction that really would want Pahelvi, but many others do not.
09:57Maybe they'd be looking for a democratically elected government.
10:00I'm so sorry. I don't want to be disrespectful. I don't want to cut you out.
10:06A lot of Indian channels, and I have been specifically spoken about it by knowing my life would be in
10:15danger by living in India and having this opinion.
10:19No, absolutely not. Mandana, no. Your life is not going to be in danger. No, I'm sorry. You're in India.
10:25You're in Indian soil. You can say what you want to.
10:27We are actually a democratic setup. Your life is not going to be in danger.
10:30Let me clear something to you, because it seems like you don't know where I come from and what I've
10:36been doing in India for so many years.
10:38So let me give you a back forward of what I've done in India.
10:45In 2010, I came to India. I'm not a political person. I'm not part of any parties. I'm not part
10:52of any organization.
10:53Okay. 2010, I came to India as a simple, basic model.
10:59And if you know a backstage of any modeling shows that happens, a reporter asks a question of the models.
11:09Where are you from? How do you feel about the show? Whatsoever.
11:12And 2010, I just said, simply, I just said, I am from Iran.
11:19And the next day, there was an article saying there is a new model in town in Delhi whose name
11:26is Mandana Karimi, la, la, la.
11:29And in a matter of like 48 hours, I was called to the embassy and I questioned.
11:34And I've been questioned for so many years in India.
11:38And that's not the point of this interview or a conversation.
11:42But to answer to your question, the reason I'm so disheartening by the Indian media is the fact that a
11:50lot of people, and so as your platform, has given a platform to the regime that has been murdered thousands
11:59of its own citizens for years and years and years.
12:04But Mandana, the fact is that the regime also had support and continues to have support on the streets of
12:12Tehran.
12:13Geeta has reported from that.
12:14So let me ask you another question, Mandana.
12:16I'm sorry to say that.
12:17I'm sorry to cut you again.
12:20I'm sorry to cut you again.
12:21I posted a post actually on my social media about your platform of sending so-called and a reporter to
12:30Iran and talking about, oh, Iran, it looks like another city or a country in Europe.
12:39Why?
12:39I am from Iran.
12:41The reason I left Iran, because at the age of 18 years old, I was watched my own friends to
12:48be lashed, 75 lashes in front of my own eyes, OK, because of the morality of the police, because of
12:56the basic human rights as a woman to be accepted, to have a boyfriend, to be in public places.
13:04And I watched my friend to get lashes.
13:06And that's why I left Iran.
13:11But Mandana, that so-called reporter was me.
13:14I was there in Iran.
13:15I had gone to interview Araqji.
13:18And I'm telling you very clearly that what we saw is what we were reporting, that not everybody, which means
13:24the protests after Mahasar Amini actually shook the regime, that they had relaxed moral policing is what we were reporting
13:31about.
13:32And I'm also the person who actually cut my hair on live television, protesting the regime and supporting Mahasar Amini.
13:40So I'm sorry.
13:41I don't think you know my work well enough to say that I just went there to do that.
13:45My dear, I've been watching your news, I've been watching, I've been following your reporting.
13:47I very clearly went there, no, you have to give us an opportunity too.
13:51I went there to interview Araqji because he was going into talks with America, just ahead of the talks in
13:58Geneva.
13:58I cover foreign policy.
13:59It is my job to interview foreign ministers who are going for important assignments.
14:04When we went there, we were talking about how the moral policing in Tehran has come down after the protests.
14:13And it is true.
14:14I did not wear a headscarf anywhere in Tehran except for when I was doing the interview because it was
14:21the official building.
14:22My dear, I respect you woman to woman.
14:28Forget the politics.
14:29Forget the fact that you are a reporter and this is a news channel or whatsoever.
14:34I respect you as a woman.
14:36I respect you, the fact that you put your life in your hand and you went to Iran.
14:44I could use you for that.
14:46I bloody respect you for that because I know as a woman going to Iran as a reporter, right,
14:55if you're going to say something that is not as far as what the government wants, what your life is
15:02going to be.
15:02I could use you for that.
15:04I do not doubt that.
15:05And I respect you.
15:06I salute you that.
15:11All right.
15:12There seems to be some problem with that line of Mandana.
15:15There are reporters that they go to Iran and they see what you see and what the government wants you
15:27to see.
15:28What I'm saying, please have an empathy with the Iranian woman who I have lost my childhood.
15:37I have lost my teenager time to the government.
15:41Mandana, we absolutely do.
15:43There is no question about that.
15:44I do.
15:45I know you do.
15:46There is no question about that.
15:47Let me finish.
15:48Let me finish.
15:49Please let me finish.
15:50I respect your love, but the fact that you give a platform to murderous regime who has killed my own
16:01friends.
16:01I'm not talking to you as an organization.
16:04I'm not talking to you as a political party or whatsoever.
16:07I'm talking to you as an Iranian woman who's been arrested and watched her best friends to get lashes.
16:17And I have a mourn in my own body from that.
16:21Okay.
16:21I just need one.
16:22I just need to ask you one question then, Mandana.
16:25Please allow me the time, Arya.
16:26Sure.
16:28Mandana, I need to ask you this.
16:30Please do.
16:30And we're talking geopolitics here.
16:32You're here because there's a war that's on, right?
16:35Yes.
16:36And that war is being waged by Israel and America, not America alone.
16:41If Iran loses, Israel wins a very strong Netanyahu who also has completely taken Gaza by storm, raised it to
16:53the ground.
16:53You're okay with a stronger Netanyahu in the region?
16:56Can I tell you, can I answer you in this way?
17:01Again, three months ago, for the first time in my life, I went to Israel.
17:06For the first time in my life, I've studied in Iran.
17:09I went to Islamic Republic private school in Iran.
17:14Every day in the morning, they taught us, dead to Israel, dead to America.
17:19When I was a kid, I was punished because I asked my teacher, who is Israel and who is America?
17:26Why do we hate them?
17:28And they didn't have an answer for me.
17:29They punished me.
17:31At the age of 39 years old, as an adult, I went to Israel three months ago.
17:37I have Israeli friends and I went to the border of Gaza and I saw it with my own eyes.
17:44And the reason I was able to do that, because I don't have an Iranian passport anymore.
17:49I have a different passport now.
17:51It's not Indian, but I have a different passport now.
17:54I went to Israel and I saw it.
17:57The bullshit that Iranian regime, the school that I have studied, they teach us to hate Israel for no reason.
18:08It absolutely doesn't exist.
18:11And I'm sorry to say that if my country has been oppressed for 48 years and I have lost my
18:20school friends.
18:21All right, Mandana, we certainly understand your sentiment.
18:24Thank you so much for joining us.
18:28In fact, there's a piece of breaking news which is just coming in that Donald Trump has told U.S.
18:33media in an interview that Iran is running out of launchers and that U.S. defense companies are under emergency
18:40orders to build weapons.
18:42Donald Trump has said 49 were killed.
18:45Don't forget.
18:46So that goes pretty deep, right?
18:49He has also said new ones are emerging.
18:52A lot of people want the job.
18:54Some of them would be very good.
18:56Donald Trump saying they are running out and they are running out of launchers.
19:00We have unlimited of the middle and upper middle ammunition and things.
19:05We save it and we build it.
19:08I mean, it's a soundbite a day, a new strategy being projected by Donald Trump every hour, every time he
19:16wakes up in America.
19:18And, you know, Geeta, a few minutes ago you were discussing that he would be perhaps waking up and then
19:23putting out something on Truth Social.
19:24So what are we prepared for here when he says that it is Iran which is running out of launchers?
19:31Well, he said that and then Masoud Dazashkian, the president of Iran, came out and said that they have enough.
19:39They are not and they've not emptied out and they have enough to sustain and for the long haul and
19:45for a long war.
19:47It's his word against Iran's word.
19:50It is about ensuring that there is peace more than the fact that they want to carry out war.
19:56But the messaging over here is absolutely clear.
19:59America over here digging in its heels, not giving way to or moving towards talks.
20:05At this point in time, there were some indications that they both would come to the talking table after all
20:10the bombings of US bases in West Asia.
20:13But this message clearly shows that America wants to stay in for a bit longer.
20:19But, Geeta, isn't this full of contradictions?
20:22On one hand, here is US President Donald Trump saying that there is unlimited, then why do they need rapid
20:31production?
20:32Well, if they have unlimited stock, unlimited weapons, then why are US defense companies also building weapons?
20:40We have been seeing statements that have been contrary in nature, contradictory in nature as well.
20:45And yes, production is slow.
20:48And he's also mentioned that in the past, Maria.
20:50He said that, you know, I've tried to, I've told them they're producing very slowly, they manufacture very slowly.
20:57And I've told them that they need to produce fast.
20:59So yes, the munition that they have, no matter what he says, is finite.
21:03It's not infinite, it will last only, there's a count when it comes to strategically how long can they go
21:10on in the Middle East,
21:12given that it's not close to America.
21:14So it has to be shipped, brought to the aircraft carriers and the ships that are there in the Mediterranean
21:20right now,
21:21or in the region for that matter.
21:22And that's a slow process too.
21:27So he might have days, how long, we'll have to wait and see.
21:31And how long can Iran sustain is also another very important aspect of this war.
21:37Yes, absolutely.
21:38Because this war, the West Asia war has now spilled into one of the world's most critical energy lifelines,
21:47which is the Strait of Hormuz.
21:49In fact, Iran has said that the Strait is effectively closed and has warned that any vessel attempting to pass
21:57through could be set on fire.
21:59Shipping through the narrow waterway, which carries nearly one-fifth of the world's oil and massive volumes of gas,
22:07has slowed dramatically.
22:08At least five tankers have been damaged, two personnel killed,
22:12and around 150 ships are stranded near the passage between Iran and Oman.
22:18With few alternative routes now available, global oil prices are surging and energy markets are on edge.
22:25Take a look at this report.
22:43The Strait of Hormuz, the short stretch of water between Iran and Oman, is barely 33 kilometers wide at its
22:51narrowest point.
22:52But block it, and the world economy trembles.
22:56The escalating conflict between the United States, Israel combined, and Iran has now impacted the Strait of Hormuz.
23:03Iranian commanders have declared the Strait closed, warning that any vessel attempting to pass through would be set ablaze.
23:11At least five tankers have been damaged, two crew members are dead, around 150 ships are stranded.
23:19The Strait of Hormuz is not just another shipping lane.
23:23It carries nearly one-fifth of the worst seaborne crude oil, one-fifth of global LNG supplies, and here is
23:31where it hits home.
23:32With tanker movement suspended, nearly half of India's crude imports are directly exposed.
23:4050% of India's oil imports are through the Strait of Hormuz, and the country is dependent on imports for
23:47over 88% of its oil needs.
23:49Refiners currently hold over 10 days of inventory, and strategic reserves can be tapped.
23:55But a prolonged closure would significantly tighten global supply.
23:59Every one-dollar rise in crude adds nearly $2 billion annually to India's import bill.
24:06And prices could surge sharply if the blockade persists for a long period of time.
24:13India could explore other sources for its oil, but imports from Russia could face U.S. sanctions.
24:19Sourcing from the U.S. and other regions is possible, but at higher freight, insurance and procurement costs.
24:28A sustained closure could push crude towards $100 per barrel, raising inflation risk, widening the current account deficit and putting
24:37pressure on the rupee.
24:40The closure is just not another crude oil. LPG and LNG are even more vulnerable.
24:48India imports 80-85% of its LPG needs, largely from Gulf suppliers, almost entirely via Hormuz.
24:57Around 60% of LNG imports also pass through the Strait.
25:02Unlike crude, India does not maintain large strategic reserves for LPG or LNG, and spot cargo availability is limited.
25:11If the closure continues, cooking gas supplies and gas-based industries could face sharper price pressure.
25:21Government sources say India currently has crude oil and petroleum products stocks sufficient for 50 days.
25:27The government, however, is exploring alternative suppliers for crude oil, LPG and LNG to meet demand if the conflict continues
25:36to disrupt energy flows.
25:37This is what Petroleum Minister Hardy Puri said last month on India's contingency plan to meet the energy needs.
25:46The country must have a very viable and secure reserve so that in the case of global turbulence, etc., we
25:57should not be found in a vulnerable situation.
26:00We are the world's third largest consumer of crude oil.
26:07We have the world's fourth largest reserve.
26:16And they had no problems with it.
26:18Also hitting only civilian places, hotels and apartment buildings.
26:24And we're hitting them where it is much more appropriate.
26:28We're hitting them very hard.
26:29And the big-scale hitting goes now.
26:33They no longer have air protection.
26:34They no longer have any detection facilities at all left.
26:40And so they're going to be in for a lot of hurt.
26:44These are bad people.
26:45These are people that killed, I guess it's 35,000.
26:47And it's coming out, 35,000 over the last three weeks, protesters, 35,000 violently killed.
26:55So these are bad people.
26:58And the leader of the pack is gone.
27:01And as you know, 49 people were taken out in the first hit.
27:04And I guess there was another hit today on the new leadership.
27:07And it looks like that was pretty substantial also.
27:11So they're getting hit very hard.
27:13And we'll see what happens.
27:15A lot of people are coming forward.
27:16A lot of the people you would least suspect want to quit.
27:21They want to have immunity.
27:23They're asking for immunity.
27:25And probably at some point they'll be dropping, as you would say, laying down their guns.
27:30We'll see what happens.
27:31In the meantime, we're just continuing to go forward.
27:34Our military is the number one in the world by far.
27:37And we are — this is — everything's big in my book.
27:42Venezuela is big.
27:43This is big.
27:44The original hit, Midnight Hammer, was big.
27:47Everything you view is big.
27:49But it's not considered very big by some standards, by some of our standards.
27:55We have a military like no other military that's ever been built.
28:01Mr. President, what's the worst-case scenario that you have planned for in Iran?
28:05Worst-case scenario.
28:06Okay.
28:07Multiple statements coming in from Donald Trump.
28:10Yesterday, he had said the cost of war is around 3,000 casualties.
28:16Now that number seems to have gone up.
28:17Donald Trump said 32,000, and today he's saying 35,000.
28:20Iran officially says 3,117.
28:23Okay.
28:24So, joining us now is Gazelle Sharmaad.
28:27She is a German-Iranian human rights activist and daughter of Jamshid Sharmaad, who was, in
28:32fact, executed by the Iranian government.
28:35Before I bring in Gazelle, let's try and understand the choke point that we are looking at, which
28:41is now the Hormuz Strait, which is actually choked or blocked.
28:48So, let's try and look at this map, Geeta.
28:51So, this is the entire GCC that we are looking at, Geeta.
28:54The Strait of Hormuz has now been choked or blocked.
28:58So, now what happens?
29:00Okay.
29:01So, this is the entire peninsula, the Arab peninsula.
29:04And why is it important is because the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, this is where the GCC
29:11countries, like you said, Maria, are.
29:13And all the oil flows from here through here.
29:16And this is where the Strait of Hormuz is.
29:18This little sliver that you see of water body is where the ships really come out from.
29:25It's around 30 kilometers.
29:26And Iran controls it.
29:28Yes.
29:28So, Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz.
29:30There's no oil coming in from here.
29:32The Houthis have threatened the entire Bab el-Mandeb, which is the Red Sea.
29:38So, the two very important choke points or straits that actually let tankers and ships out to the
29:47whole world are choked, blocked.
29:51And we could be seeing the ripple effect of that in days to come.
29:55Help us understand, when there was that 12-day war, it did not really spill on to the West
30:02Asia.
30:03At that time, the movement of the oil ships and all were continuing.
30:08They were.
30:08But back then also, the threat was of Strait of Hormuz.
30:12And everybody said, if this war continues, Iran will choke Strait of Hormuz.
30:18And during the 12-day war, the Houthis did take on the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb.
30:23And there was hardly any ship that had an American flag, Israeli flag, or any company or shipping
30:31company that supported Israel or was part of the American economic structure were not allowed
30:39in.
30:39And this is where Israel is.
30:42This is where Israel is.
30:43So, for all the transport, for all the shipment that they need after Gaza shuts down, this
30:49is where they get all their shipments from.
30:52So, for this entire region, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb.
30:59These are areas that are important.
31:01And during the 12-day war, because it was very specific, there were attacks.
31:07They were very specific, and they were Israel versus Iran.
31:11Nothing had spilled over is the reason why it was contained.
31:15And the fear was, Iran is going to use the Strait of Hormuz to ensure that there's pressure.
31:20And the pressure did come about.
31:22Okay.
31:22So, that's why the role of Qatar becomes important, because Qatar could be the dealmaker or ensuring…
31:29Qatar and Oman.
31:30Qatar and Oman.
31:31So, Oman was the mediator.
31:33That's right.
31:33Oman is the only country, if you see, that is outside of this strait.
31:38So, this is a country that can still do business.
31:41You can still do business.
31:43But you cannot get your oil all through like this.
31:46The easier way is always doing, you know, the ships coming through the Persian Gulf.
31:50And that's not going to happen.
31:52So, yeah.
31:52It's a huge, huge…
31:53So, as we explain this choke point, let me bring in Gazelle again.
31:58Gazelle, my question certainly would be to you that we are witnessing an Iranian aggression as well.
32:05And they have involved and started targeting ports, other infrastructure, crucial military assets of U.S.
32:13in other parts of West Asia.
32:16The question is, did the Iranians also get the sentiment that the reaction could be very different from what, you
32:26know,
32:26the Iranians who are outside Iran have been thinking, that there would be some kind of uprising on the streets,
32:33and the regime change would be smooth?
32:37First of all, let me correct.
32:39When you say Iranians, I think you're talking about the Islamic regime, which is not Iranian.
32:44This is an Arab Islamic occupation of the soil of Iran to erase Iranians.
32:50So, we have to differentiate between the Iranian people who want liberation,
32:55who are so excited right now that after 47 years of war with this Islamic regime,
33:03they finally have allies on their side, military allies that are going against the military of this Islamic regime
33:11that has been raping and killing.
33:13Just hold on to your thoughts.
33:14In fact, let's look at what U.S. President Donald Trump is saying.
33:17I'm cutting across to that.
33:24They have no air force that's been knocked out.
33:26They have no air detection that's been knocked out.
33:29Their radar has been knocked out.
33:33And just about everything's been knocked out.
33:35So, we'll see how we do.
33:37But we're doing very well.
33:39We have a great military.
33:41Extra hours.
33:42So, we are very surprised.
33:44This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with.
33:48Mr. President, what's your expectation towards Germany?
33:51What can Germany do and what should Germany do to help you in this moment?
33:55Well, I think they're doing it.
33:57I mean, they're letting us land in certain areas.
33:59And that's, we appreciate it.
34:01And they're just making it comfortable.
34:03We're not asking them to put boots on the ground or anything.
34:05I mean, we're just, they're a respected country.
34:10We, I have a very good relationship with the country.
34:13We have, in particular now, with this leader, with this new leader.
34:17I think he's an excellent leader.
34:19I had my differences with Angela.
34:22I said, you're hurting your country with immigration and you're hurting your country with energy.
34:28And we have a man sitting on my right that is, I think, pretty much the opposite of her on
34:34energy and the opposite on immigration.
34:38And I think he's doing very well.
34:40Mr. President, what is this we are going to do with Israel?
34:44Commercial air travel right now is severely restricted in the Middle East when thousands of Americans are stranded.
34:49Why wasn't there an evacuation plan?
34:51And who do you send planes to get people out?
34:53Well, because it happened all very quickly.
34:56We thought, and I thought maybe more so than most, I could ask Marco.
35:00But I thought we were going to have a situation where we were going to be attacked.
35:05They were getting ready to attack Israel.
35:09They were getting ready to attack others.
35:11You're seeing that right now.
35:13And a lot of those missiles that are heading in, those are stationary.
35:16Those were aimed there for a long period of time at these other countries.
35:19So I think I was right about that.
35:21We attacked first.
35:22And if we didn't, it could have been, you know, look, we're really decimating them.
35:27They're being decimated.
35:30And if we didn't, if we didn't, and by the way, we have massive amounts of ammunition.
35:35We have the high end.
35:37A lot of it was given away stupidly by Biden, very stupidly, for free.
35:42And I'm all for Ukraine, but they gave away a lot.
35:46As you know, when I give away ammunition, everybody pays for it.
35:49The European Union is paying for it.
35:51Then they can do what they want with it, but they are giving it, let's say, to Ukraine.
35:55And it's okay.
35:56But we gave away a lot of high end.
35:59But we have plenty.
36:00But we have unlimited middle and upper ammunition, which is really what we're using in this war.
36:07And we have really an unlimited supply.
36:11We also have a lot of the very high end stored in different countries throughout the world.
36:16We're literally storing it there, which is actually something that I insist on in my first term.
36:22I rebuilt the military in my first term.
36:24The military is great.
36:26A lot of, a lot, unbelievable amount of ammunition or munitions, as they say, were given away to, you know,
36:37the Wall Street Journal incorrectly covered the story when they said that it was given away to the Middle East.
36:42Not to the Middle East.
36:42It was given away to Ukraine.
36:44Very little was given to the Middle East.
36:46Middle East would buy a lot.
36:48And some of the nations, because they're rich, they have a lot.
36:51But it was given away to Ukraine.
36:55And it just should have been done.
36:57Look, it's a war that should have never happened.
36:59If I were president, that war would have never happened.
37:02But we have a tremendous amount of munitions, ammunition, at the upper level, middle and upper level, all of which
37:12is really powerful stuff.
37:13Mr. President, I have a question to both of you.
37:19How worried are you that the rising prices for gas and oil are damaging the American economy?
37:26And also, Mr. President, do you want me to go ahead?
37:28Yeah, sure.
37:29This is, of course, damaging our economies.
37:32This is true for the oil prices and this is true for the gas prices as well.
37:36So that's the reason why we all hope that this war will come to an end as soon as possible.
37:41And we are hoping that the Israeli and the American army are doing the right things to bring this to
37:47an end
37:48and to have really a new government in place who is coming back to peace and freedom.
37:53Yeah.
37:53Something had to be done.
37:55And it's been 47 years.
37:57They've been killing people all over the world for a long time.
38:02They were the kings and fathers of the roadside bomb.
38:06Soleimani, we killed him last term.
38:08If we didn't, I think it might be a different story today.
38:11They would have been much stronger and smarter than they are.
38:15But they did the roadside bombs.
38:17Ninety-five percent of the people lost their legs, arms, had their face wiped out, just wiped out.
38:23I've seen some young people that it's so sad to watch.
38:27And that was all, almost all.
38:30Ninety-five percent comes from Iran and with Soleimani.
38:36Soleimani loved his favorite weapon.
38:38He loved the roadside bomb.
38:40And when you see people walking around with no legs and no arms and a face that's been blown to
38:46hell, these people, what they have to go and the way they have to live.
38:49This is, this is Iran.
38:51And when you look at the barracks, the famous barracks, when you look at the hostages, when you look at
38:57a lot of hostages, when you look at all of the problems, they were really a purveyor of terror all
39:04over the world for many, many years.
39:06And it's something that had to be done, something.
39:09And I believe that if we didn't, because I see where Congress, you know, if I didn't do this, guys
39:15like Schumer, who are losers, the Democrats are losers.
39:19That's why they're not here.
39:21Guys like Schumer would say, well, you should have done this.
39:25In other words, if I did it, it's no good.
39:27If I didn't do it, they would have said the opposite, that you should have done this.
39:30But most people feel, I'll tell you what, I have never had more compliments on something I did.
39:36People felt it's something that had to be done.
39:38So if we have a little high oil prices for a little while, but as soon as this ends, those
39:45prices are going to drop, I believe, lower than even before.
39:49Mr. President, can you clarify on what exactly it is?
39:53Go ahead, please.
39:54Mr. President, how do you want to solve the conflict on tariffs between India and India?
40:01Between who?
40:02The conflict on tariffs between you and the U.S., what do you want to solve?
40:07And U.S. and who?
40:09The EU.
40:10The European Union.
40:11The European Union.
40:11How do you want to solve the question of the most?
40:12Well, we won on tariffs, actually.
40:16Somebody said you actually won the case.
40:18We won on tariffs.
40:19We had a decision that was wrong.
40:24It was a very bad decision from certain standpoints.
40:28From other standpoints, it was a very powerful decision because it reaffirmed all the fact that we have all these
40:34various forms of tariffs that we felt right.
40:38But it totally reaffirmed it.
40:39It said you can use all of these tariffs.
40:41So we have all these vast menus of tariffs.
40:44And tariffs have made our country very rich.
40:48We have to charge tariffs to nations who play with their money.
40:54You know, they move their money up and down like a yo-yo.
40:59We have to take care of nations that have been good to us and fair to us, and we're going
41:04to take care of them.
41:05Other nations, they haven't, and we haven't let them take advantage of us.
41:09But the whole thing with tariffs is we had a decision that, as an example, we have a license situation.
41:17And the license is something that allows us to immediately stop all business with nobody even knew we had this
41:25power.
41:26But we do now because of the decision.
41:28We have the right to stop all business having to do with a certain country.
41:33If a certain country is not treating us well, the president, without going to Congress, has the right to stop.
41:40Sort of interesting.
41:41I have the right to stop, but under that one law, I didn't have the right to charge him.
41:46So I have the right to license them, but I don't have the right to charge, which is, frankly, ridiculous.
41:51But the right was given to us by the Supreme Court.
41:54And we have the right, as an example, we talked about Spain.
41:57I could tomorrow stop, or today, even better, stop everything having to do with Spain.
42:03All business having to do with Spain have the right to stop it, embargoes, do anything I want with it.
42:10And we may do that with Spain.
42:11What do you think?
42:13Well, sir, I think we're going to talk about it with you.
42:15I know that you have strong power.
42:17The Supreme Court clarified.
42:19We know you can use it.
42:21And if you need to use it to assure national and economic security, we'll do it.
42:25Scott, do you have an opinion?
42:27Sir, I agree.
42:29The Supreme Court reaffirmed your ability to implement an embargo.
42:34And as we've talked, from your first term, the Section 301s and the 232s have withheld more than 4,000
42:42lawsuits.
42:43And USTR and Commerce are going to begin investigations.
42:48And we'll move forward with those.
42:50And we've instituted a 15% tariff on everybody, as you know.
42:55And just used a — I'll tell you, we had a couple of paragraphs written in that opinion that were
43:07really incredible.
43:09Justice Kavanaugh wrote a fantastic dissent.
43:13But in his dissent, he said what we should do.
43:16And we knew that, too.
43:17We just wanted to simplify it.
43:20And for some reason, I think, you know, very, very foolishly, the courts decided no.
43:28But they said you can do it many other ways.
43:31And that's what we're doing.
43:32And what we've done is we've gone to a very simple, straight 15% tariff.
43:38But it's taken in — we've taken in hundreds of billions of dollars in our country because of tariffs.
43:44So we've taken in all of this money, hundreds of billions of dollars.
43:49And, honestly, it's made us very rich as a country.
43:53Right?
43:53So it's been doing good.
43:54When will you have the full plan implemented?
43:57We have a five-month period, up to five months, where we can go at 15%.
44:04And while we're doing that, as you know, we're doing the —
44:07Just a few minutes ago, you heard, perhaps, a multiple contradictory statement of Donald Trump.
44:14He's the same man who once upon a time promised no new wars, but now faces accusations of pursuing the
44:21very regime change policy he criticized.
44:23While he says the conflict isn't about toppling Iran's leadership and has claimed it will be short-lived,
44:30mixed signals from Washington, D.C. and Israel, have raised questions about the war's true objectives, its timeline, and also
44:39the endgame.
44:40We are leaving you with this report.
44:41Geeta and I will see you tomorrow.
44:44They said, he will start a war. I'm not going to start a war. I'm going to stop wars.
44:49As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump vowed that he will start no new wars.
44:55Now he finds himself pursuing the exact kind of regime change he once criticized.
45:03We must abandon the failed policy of nation-building and regime change.
45:11When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.
45:16This will be probably your only chance for generations.
45:22While Trump has positioned U.S.'s action as a way to relieve Iranians from the regime, his own war secretary
45:29says this war is not about a regime change.
45:35This is not a so-called regime change war.
45:39But the regime sure did change.
45:43And the world is better off for it.
45:45From broken promises to self-contradictions, this conflict has brought to light a chain of misstatements from the United States.
45:54Just before launching joint strikes with Israel, Trump had said that he wants to give diplomacy a chance.
46:01But he didn't.
46:04Well, Iran has been always open to diplomacy.
46:09And I think we have a very good record of that.
46:12Contrary to Americans, that they record is very bad and very negative.
46:16You know, this is the second time that we negotiated with Americans.
46:20And they decided to attack us right in the middle of negotiations.
46:25Trump now says Iran has reached out for talks, but it is too late.
46:29Trump and Netanyahu claim that the war will not be an endless one and that they will wrap it up
46:34in four to five weeks.
46:37Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks.
46:41But we have capability to go far longer than that.
46:45We'll do it.
46:46Whatever somebody said today, they said, oh, well, the president wants to do it really quickly.
46:51After that, he'll get bored.
46:52I don't get bored.
46:53I hear the people are saying, oh, you're going to have an endless war here.
46:56You're not going to have an endless war.
46:58Now, of course, it's up to the people of Iran in the final count to change the government.
47:04But we are creating, America and Israel together are creating the conditions for them to do so.
47:10But the Israeli forces have vowed to continue the operation for as long as it takes.
47:15Something that the U.S. State Secretary has also seconded.
47:22We have objectives.
47:23We will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives.
47:26And we will achieve those objectives.
47:28It's a war that's not just being fought on the ground.
47:31It's also being fought through ambiguous messaging.
47:34With the war's timeline, nature, objectives and consequences all on the line.
47:43Preksha Jain for India Today.
Comments