- 19 minutes ago
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that there will be no strikes on Iranian energy sites for five days after “productive” talks with Tehran.
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00:00Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with the news today. This is your primetime destination news.
00:04Newsmakers, talking points are big talking point. Can Donald Trump's claims be trusted and verified?
00:12He claims that there is a pause in the war against Iran and a backroom deal.
00:18But is the truth that or something else? Is the war really any closer to an end game?
00:24Among my special guests is Jeffrey Sachs, who has a very strong opinion about Donald Trump.
00:31Also, what explains Pakistan's attempt at a peace bid? We'll try and decode that too.
00:37You're watching the news today. News without the noise. First, as always, it's time for the Nine Headlines at Nine.
00:45U.S. President Donald Trump dials Prime Minister Modi. They have their first conversation since the war began.
00:52And both leaders talk about restoration of peace in West Asia and a need for a secure strait of hormones.
01:01In an exclusive conversation with India today, Iran's foreign ministries spokesperson Ismail Bagel claims
01:08no talks are being held with the U.S. in the last 24 hours, says there is no question of
01:15negotiating with Donald Trump.
01:20U.S., Israel and Iran continue to exchange strikes a day after Trump puts Iran's ultimatum on hold.
01:27Pakistan's Prime Minister says ready to facilitate peace talks if U.S. and Iran agree.
01:35Amidst political uproar, Lok Sabha passes the Transgender Amendment Bill. Opposition slams what they call a draconian bill,
01:43say violation of basic principles of the right to human dignity are at stake.
01:50Supreme Court upholds Andhra High Court order which stated that an individual who converts to Christianity
01:56and actively practices the same cannot get the benefits of the Schedule Ka's Dalit community.
02:04Supreme Court flags systemic gender bias in armed forces grants relief to women officers who were denied permanent commission.
02:12Chief Justice notes that reports of women officers were evaluated casually.
02:20Harish Rana, who was allowed passive euthanasia by the Supreme Court, dies at Ames, Delhi after 13 years of pain.
02:30Darnataka High Court raps actor Ranveer Singh over the Kantara mimicry controversy
02:35as asked the actor to apologize in court for insulting the deity and visit the temple in the state.
02:44Rajasthan Royals sold for 15,000 crores to a U.S.-based entrepreneur.
02:49Bidding for RCB incentivized valuations expected to cross $2 billion after their historic win in 2025.
03:04But there's plenty that's happening on the war front, the war in West Asia.
03:09And let's get you up to speed with all the developments, even as tensions remain high.
03:14A day after, Donald Trump claimed that there was a pause to the,
03:18that America was putting a pause to their strikes on Iran and was looking for a deal.
03:25Well, the fact is that mediation bids may be continuing, but the strikes are also continuing.
03:31The top updates this evening.
03:32U.S. President Donald Trump has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
03:38And the two leaders have held their first conversation since the start of the war.
03:44The primary focus at the moment, restore peace in West Asia, ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz.
03:53Pakistan has positioned itself as a key mediator in the conflict.
03:57According to the Financial Times, Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Aasem Munir has spoken to Donald Trump.
04:03Islamabad has also offered to host high-level talks between U.S. and Iranian officials as early as this week.
04:10Iran has rejected U.S. claims of the ongoing negotiations.
04:14The Iranian foreign ministry speaking to India today said no talks have taken place in the last 24 hours.
04:20Tehran says it will continue to defend itself and adds that U.S. diplomacy cannot be trusted.
04:27Israeli and U.S. forces continued strikes inside Iran despite the announced five-day pause.
04:32Fresh airstrikes reported in central Tehran triggering widespread power outages across the city.
04:41Iran launched missile strikes on Tel Aviv.
04:43Buildings and vehicles have been damaged with at least two people injured.
04:47Visuals showed fires and destruction in residential areas following the attack.
04:54So there's plenty that's happening at the moment on the war front, as we said.
04:59Joining me now is our Diplomatic Affairs Editor, Geeta Mohan,
05:02who's also spoken just a short while ago to Iran's Foreign Affairs Spokesperson.
05:06Geeta, what are you picking up?
05:08Is there really an attempt being made to strike a deal?
05:11Backroom talks, are they on?
05:13Or is Donald Trump simply buying time?
05:16What are the Iranians saying?
05:18Well, they are absolutely skeptical of this offer.
05:22They're saying they do not believe in diplomacy with the United States of America,
05:25rejecting all forms of mediation in talks.
05:29I asked him very specifically on whether if Pakistan has offered
05:33and will they take that offer of being hosted in Islamabad.
05:37He said that many countries, almost accepting, many countries have offered,
05:41including Pakistan, have offered to mediate between America and Iran,
05:46but they are not going to go into talks.
05:49The experience with Oman being a mediator was rather a bitter one.
05:53And so no proposals have been accepted by Iran.
05:57In fact, all of them have been rejected because Iran officially rejects any talk with America,
06:04which is direct or indirect.
06:06So all questions were asked to him, direct talks, indirect talks, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman,
06:14absolute rejection.
06:15They're saying nothing short of an American retreat.
06:18They're defending their motherland and they will continue to do so unless or till the time America retreats, Rajdeep.
06:27Okay, let's listen in, Geeta.
06:28You spoke to Mr. Baki, the Iranian foreign affairs spokesperson.
06:33Just listen in to what he told, Geeta.
06:36This is very important.
06:36That's the big flash we're getting.
06:45Yeah, thank you.
06:47As we have made it clear yesterday, there is no talks or negotiations between Iran and the United States,
06:57as it has not been such a negotiation for the past 25 days of their illegal war against Iran.
07:04And you see, we have a very catastrophic experience, I should say, with the United States diplomacy.
07:13We were attacked two times within a span of nine months when we were in the middle of a negotiating
07:21process to resolve the nuclear issue.
07:24So this was a betrayal of diplomacy.
07:27It is a very famous phrase in Iran right now because it happened not once, but twice.
07:36So no one can trust the United States diplomacy.
07:41So our position is very clear on what they have claimed.
07:47Right now, our brave armed forces are focused on defending Iran's territory and sovereignty against this brutal illegal war.
07:57Right, Mr. Bagai, this is a very, very serious situation when it comes to the global economy.
08:05The world is watching what's happening in the Strait of Hormuz.
08:08In such a scenario, I'm just asking if there is a possibility of having mediators maybe get involved so that
08:17there is some trust factor in talks.
08:20So can somebody or can we look at indirect talks between Iran and U.S. at this point?
08:27You can ask the Umanifari minister.
08:31He can talk about his experience of mediating between Iran and the United States.
08:38So I think mediators, the institution of mediation, also was badly betrayed by the United States.
08:47Look, I understand that the world economy is impacted by what is going on in our region, but this is
08:56not our fault.
08:57You are concerned about the price of oil, the price of groceries, but we are concerned about the life of
09:06our citizens.
09:07Our people are being brutally killed and maimed by the United States and Israel.
09:13Only in a single accident, in a single case of attack on 28 February, more than 170 innocent kids were
09:23slaughtered in the city of Minab.
09:26So we are defending ourselves what the impact, the consequences for the world economy is directly because of the United
09:37States and Israel reckless illegal war they have imposed on Iran and on the whole region.
09:44So important there, Iran making it very clear that they believe the U.S. has betrayed them, therefore they are
09:51unwilling to have any talks with the United States.
09:55The question of course is, are there back channels talks going on or is Donald Trump simply bluffing?
10:02That's the big question because remember yesterday, just before the global markets opened, on Monday before the U.S. markets
10:10opened, 15 minutes before made all the difference.
10:15Just minutes before a surprise posed by Donald Trump on possible Iran de-escalation, traders and oil future marketeers placed
10:27a staggering $580 million bet on falling oil and rising equities.
10:34When markets moved exactly as predicted and some people seemed to have made a windfall, questions began to swirl.
10:43Was this sharp instinct or was this insider trading where even Washington has much to answer?
10:51Take a look at our top story.
10:54In global markets where fortunes are created and destroyed, often on information the question is not how much was made.
11:03But who knew, what and when?
11:09According to reports at precisely 4.25pm New York time on Monday, a burst of activity rippled through oil markets.
11:17It wasn't gradual.
11:19It was not organic.
11:20It was sharp and concentrated with unusually large volumes.
11:26In the next 60 seconds, 6,200 contracts were traded.
11:31In Brent and West Texas crude futures, that's equal to 6.2 million barrels of oil.
11:39An audacious bet worth a whopping $580 million.
11:45In those 60 seconds, traders placed massive bets, effectively wagering that oil prices would fall.
11:55At the very same moment, S&P 500 futures began to climb, hinting at a broader coordinated positioning across markets.
12:0415 minutes later, at 4.35pm, Donald Trump posted this on Truth Social.
12:10An update claiming very good and productive conversations with Iran and signalling a five-day pause on military strikes.
12:18Moments later, it was withdrawn, leaving the markets confused.
12:2318 minutes later, a new version with a corrected spelling of WHICH followed.
12:29Same message, same signal.
12:31De-escalation.
12:34Markets reacted instantly.
12:36Oil prices fell as geopolitical risk appears to ease.
12:41Equities rallied as investors priced instability.
12:44It was the exact outcome those early trades had bet on.
12:48But then came a sharp contradiction.
12:50Iran's IRNA news agency denied everything.
12:54The Iranian parliamentary speaker, Mohamed Bagher Ghalibaf, went a step further.
12:59Calling the claim fake news, directly accusing Trump of using it as a tool to manipulate financial and oil markets.
13:29As the dust settles, the 15 minutes reveals a world-weather line between a brilliant trade,
13:36and an unfair advantage has never been thinner.
13:40Bureau Report, Business Today TV.
13:51Which leaves me to raise the big question.
13:54Can you really trust a Donald Trump?
13:57Is there a deal or no deal?
14:00Are Trump's calls increasingly linked to market movements?
14:03And is the war any closer to an endgame?
14:09I want to be joined now by a very special guest.
14:11Professor Jeffrey Sachs joins me.
14:14World-renowned economist and also best-selling author, as well as public policy analyst.
14:19I appreciate you joining us there, Professor Sachs.
14:23Tell me, Professor, at a time when the world is once again turning upside down,
14:30Donald Trump's sudden announcement yesterday about a pause in the U.S. attacks on Iran power plants.
14:36Let's start with that speculation.
14:38Are Trump's announcements timed with the opening and closing of markets?
14:43Do you see that as a coincidence?
14:45Do you believe that it requires a deeper investigation into charges being made of insider trading and market manipulation?
14:53Could that at all be possible?
14:58Well, I think that his decisions are, of course, very short-term, very erratic, never truthful.
15:08And yes, they are related to the market, at least in the minimal sense that he saw coming a market
15:19disaster
15:20with the stupidity of his previous announcement, so he wanted to head that off.
15:27Given how corrupt everybody is in the Trump administration,
15:33you have to believe that there is front-running of these announcements,
15:38because he's surrounded by crooks.
15:40He himself is a grifter.
15:42So, yes, I would think that even if it's not the main motivation,
15:46they probably cash in each time you have these wild swings.
15:52But I think from a deeper point of view, we should take a deep breath
15:57and think about the reality of a man who is the president of the United States,
16:05who is so untruthful, so impulsive, so haphazard, so lacking in any honesty
16:20that he endangers the world through these very disturbed personality traits,
16:30not to mention American foreign policy.
16:33So what we've observed, even more interesting than the question of whether there's front-running
16:39of the markets by White House insiders, is the bizarre, I would say, delusional behavior
16:47of the president of the United States.
16:49You know, you are a critic of the president, and you've really spoken in strong words
16:55just now, yet again.
16:56But the fact is, Professor Sachs, he is the president of the United States,
17:00he's the chief executive, but he's part of a wider administration of a U.S. system
17:04that includes the U.S. Congress, to which he's gone with asking for more funding for the war.
17:11Now, if Donald Trump is taking irrational, impulsive decisions,
17:15including announcements like threatening to target power plants in Iran,
17:20which is prima facie, a war crime, where are the checks and balances?
17:24What does it say about the U.S. Congress and the system in the country
17:28if the rest of the administration is simply going to keep quiet?
17:34The U.S. system is in an extra-constitutional order.
17:42Our constitution is not functioning.
17:45Our institutions are not working.
17:48You see Congress is irrelevant to everything,
17:52though it is the branch of government that, under our constitution,
17:56is singularly responsible for the declaration of war.
18:01Even when it asks itself, do we want to get involved in this, it votes no.
18:07Don't bother us about this.
18:09So this is an executive branch government
18:15without almost any checks and balances,
18:18though I do want to salute the Supreme Court
18:21for knocking down the grossly illegal grab of power by Trump regarding tariffs,
18:31something that was blatantly against the law and against the constitution.
18:36And in that case, the Supreme Court knocked it down.
18:39But the Congress did not.
18:40The Congress did not try to assert its unique role in tariff policy,
18:47which under Article I, Section 8 of our Constitution
18:50is wholly the prerogative of the U.S. Congress.
18:54Now, within the executive branch,
18:56we're in a worse shape than any time in modern times.
19:02I've, of course, watched many presidents for many decades.
19:07Donald Trump is the most untethered from reality
19:11and from institutional control.
19:14He is surrounded by a small group of yes-men and toadies and sycophants
19:22that are all incompetent as well.
19:26Look at Mr. Hegseth, for example.
19:28This man should be nowhere near any kind of power,
19:33much less the power of the Pentagon.
19:36You know, those are very strong words yet again,
19:39but you've been saying this for a while, Professor Sachs,
19:42that this war is being driven by Benjamin Netanyahu
19:44and Trump, in a sense, is being strung along.
19:47Do you believe that even now,
19:49that Donald Trump is being strung along?
19:52Because the announcement that he made yesterday about the pause
19:54was followed immediately by Israeli strikes once again on Tehran.
19:59So it almost seems as if both the countries now are operating on different levels.
20:03Trump is talking about a deal
20:05and Israel continues with its attacks.
20:09Trump talks about the Strait of Hormuz being reopened as a priority.
20:13Israel doesn't refer to that.
20:14They want to decimate the Iranian regime.
20:16How do you explain divergent paths now?
20:21Well, I haven't said that this is a war caused by Israel alone.
20:26This is a partnership.
20:27The partnership operates at three different levels.
20:32One is the general Israel-U.S. alliance.
20:39That is longstanding.
20:41The U.S. has long sought global hegemony.
20:46Israel has long sought regional hegemony.
20:49The second level is the CIA and Mossad,
20:54which typically are the main drivers of action by the two governments.
21:00And this is a strong relationship that goes back many decades.
21:05Then the third level is the individual level of Trump and Netanyahu.
21:10We happen to have two leaders who are, as I said,
21:14from a clinical, psychological point of view,
21:17to malignant narcissists and psychopaths,
21:21meaning that there is no care for how many people die
21:25or are hurt by their policies.
21:28And so we have three levels.
21:30I would guess at this point that this war is largely personalistic
21:37because all of the reports that we are hearing
21:41is that Netanyahu and Trump decided together
21:45that they would kill the Supreme Leader Khamenei
21:50and they believed maybe it was Netanyahu's poisonous advice to Trump
21:57that by assassinating the Supreme Leader
22:01and other top government officials,
22:03there would be a quick regime change
22:06and a puppet regime would come to place.
22:09This is delusional.
22:11It was predictably delusional.
22:15But we have a president who was subject to delusions.
22:19But, you know, let me for a moment push back on that, Professor Sykes.
22:22You're using strong words about Trump and Netanyahu
22:25saying they're narcissists, delusional.
22:28But there will be those who will say,
22:30what about the Iranian regime?
22:33Many also see that regime as malevolent,
22:35a regime that has caused enormous hardship to its own people,
22:39brutalized its own people.
22:41And therefore, there are those who believe
22:43that this war was also necessary
22:45to see some kind of regime change,
22:48that you cannot, if not regime change,
22:50allow Iran to continue to export terror
22:52through its various militias.
22:54Do you believe to some extent
22:56that Donald Trump and Netanyahu could claim
22:59that this war therefore needs some kind of decimation,
23:05if not undermining, of the Iranian regime as it stands?
23:11Well, I reject this entire characterization
23:14of the Iranian government.
23:16It is, of course, the Israeli-U.S. propaganda,
23:22but it is wildly incorrect and false.
23:27The Iranian government, since at least 15 years,
23:32and very practically for a dozen years,
23:35has been saying at every moment,
23:38we want to negotiate peace
23:42and end any doubts about our nuclear intentions
23:46and end to the crushing economic sanctions
23:51that the United States has imposed on the Iranian people,
23:55sanctions that are illegal, by the way,
23:58under international law,
23:59because these are not U.N. sanctions,
24:01these are U.S. sanctions.
24:03Iran and the United States
24:05and the rest of the permanent members
24:08of the U.N. Security Council in Germany,
24:10so P5 plus one,
24:13negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2015.
24:17It was endorsed unanimously by the U.N. Security Council,
24:21and Trump and Netanyahu ripped it up,
24:24basically Netanyahu argued that it should be ripped up.
24:30Trump went ahead and ripped it up.
24:32Since then, the United States and Israel
24:36have been assassinating Iranian leaders.
24:39They have been bombing Iranian facilities.
24:45So this is a terror by Israel and the United States,
24:50assassinations.
24:52Can I, though, Professor Sachs, turn to the endgame?
24:57Are we finally seeing an endgame,
25:00a deal, as Donald Trump calls it?
25:02Do you see Donald Trump claiming victory in the next few days?
25:07He's already, as I said, spoken in a way,
25:10in terms that suggest so.
25:11And if so, what is the kind of victory or an endgame
25:15that we could possibly be seeing from a Trump perspective?
25:22I would like everybody to focus on something very basic
25:27and utterly bizarre.
25:29The President of the United States said,
25:33I have called off my threat because we have had two days
25:39of intensive, very productive negotiations
25:45that have brought us to a comprehensive agreement.
25:49And I like the tone and tenor of these negotiations.
25:54This is what the President of the United States said.
25:57Then, within moments, the Iranian government said,
26:02we have had no contact and no negotiation whatsoever.
26:07This is fake news.
26:09This is purely a lie,
26:11which overwhelmingly is the case.
26:15You have a President of the United States
26:17who either brazenly lies about issues
26:22that affect the fate of the planet
26:24or, alternatively, lives in a psychiatric delusion.
26:31We don't know which, to tell you the truth.
26:35I consulted one psychiatrist today to ask the opinion,
26:38and the opinion was that this was actually delusion.
26:43I don't know for that.
26:45But what I am saying is something very serious
26:47that I would like all grown-ups to examine.
26:52Trump made a detailed statement
26:54which was refuted immediately.
26:58Immediately.
26:59In other words, it was either a lie or a delusion.
27:03And the bombings by Israel of Iran continued,
27:07by the United States continued,
27:09and by Iran on Israel continued.
27:13So the whole thing was made up.
27:16So to go back to your original question,
27:19was it to front-run the market?
27:21Could be.
27:22Or maybe those around Trump used it for that way.
27:27But the President of the United States
27:30either brazenly lied
27:33or is detached from reality.
27:36Then to go on and ask,
27:38well, is there a peace agreement about to be reached?
27:41Of course not.
27:42Of course not.
27:43We're in a bizarre situation
27:47where there's no truth,
27:49no trust,
27:49and no negotiations.
27:51All we have is war.
27:53So we should not normalize what's happening.
27:58We should understand
27:59that we have a very, very unstable United States government.
28:05You know, you're saying this is in a way,
28:08what you're telling me today
28:09is that the U.S. President is lying.
28:13You're telling me that he carries on
28:15with this war of aggression
28:17and therefore you don't see an endgame.
28:22This is a war of aggression.
28:24What of aggression?
28:25Directly, completely dangerous,
28:27unprincipled,
28:28of grave threat to India, by the way,
28:30because India absolutely is dependent
28:34on the energy from this region.
28:38And the energy supplies
28:40are not only being temporarily disrupted,
28:43they are being destroyed.
28:47So, given what you're just telling me,
28:51what do we see at all as the endgame
28:53to this West Asia crisis?
28:55If there is so much of mistrust on all sides,
28:57there are no real negotiations,
28:59the U.S. President, according to you,
29:01is not telling the truth,
29:02is possibly lying to reflect what you're saying.
29:08And people here at the top
29:10are living in a make-believe world.
29:12Are you saying that we will not see an end to the war
29:15even when this five-day deadline expires?
29:18This is an illusion?
29:21Well, I have one hope,
29:23that the few grown-ups in this world
29:27that have grown-up behavior
29:30will speak to Mr. Trump.
29:32And that is Prime Minister Modi,
29:35President Putin,
29:36President Xi,
29:38President Lula.
29:39Because these are the grown-ups
29:41in the world right now.
29:42So, you're saying,
29:43you're saying importantly,
29:44you hope that the BRICS nations,
29:47you mentioned Lula,
29:48you mentioned Xi,
29:49you mentioned Putin,
29:51you mentioned Modi,
29:52you're saying BRICS has a key role
29:54to play in a negotiated settlement,
29:56not the Pakistan's,
29:57the Turkey's,
29:58and the Egypt's,
29:59as is being widely speculated.
30:03that is exactly what I'm saying.
30:05We need the world's superpowers,
30:08that is India,
30:10that is China,
30:11that is Russia,
30:13to play the role of responsibility right now.
30:16And to explain to the United States,
30:18you cannot,
30:20and to Israel,
30:21but it's really the United States,
30:22because without the U.S.,
30:23Israel could do nothing.
30:26That is,
30:27you cannot do this,
30:28Mr. Trump.
30:29You cannot blow up the world
30:31on your whim.
30:33No,
30:33it's been called a war of choice.
30:36But somebody rightly said,
30:38in a column that I read yesterday,
30:41this isn't a war of choice,
30:43this is a war of whim.
30:45Because we were having negotiations,
30:48the Omani mediator said,
30:51the moments before this bombing started,
30:54great progress has been made,
30:56significant concessions had been made
30:58by the Iranian side,
30:59and that was immediately followed
31:01by the launch of a war of naked aggression.
31:06It's interesting the way you're putting it.
31:08This is a war that has been fought on a whim,
31:11and therefore what you're telling me
31:12is that the grown-ups in the room
31:14need to send a firm message to Donald Trump
31:17and presumably to Benjamin Netanyahu
31:19that enough is enough,
31:21it's time to get back
31:22to a rules-based world order.
31:25Have I effectively summarized you,
31:27Professor Sachs?
31:32You have put it eloquently.
31:34Better than I.
31:35This is exactly the point.
31:37Okay, I'm going to leave it there.
31:39As I said,
31:40very, very tough,
31:41strong words coming from you.
31:42You're saying that the U.S. president
31:44is lying about a deal
31:46with Iran at the moment.
31:48I appreciate, though,
31:49you joining me on the show,
31:52Professor Sachs.
31:53Okay, let me turn from Professor Sachs
31:55to the other big breaking, of course.
31:57Remember, we mentioned this
31:59at the top of the show.
32:00Prime Minister Modi and Donald Trump
32:02held their first conversation
32:03since the West Asia war began.
32:06The Prime Minister said,
32:07exchange views on the situation
32:09in West Asia.
32:10We support restoration of peace
32:12in the region.
32:12The Hormuz Straits must remain open
32:14and secure for the world.
32:16U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gaur
32:18has spoken to India today
32:19and said Iran cannot hold
32:21the Straits of Hormuz hostage.
32:27The President had a very good call
32:30with Prime Minister Modi
32:31and the two leaders discussed
32:33the importance of keeping
32:35the Straits of Hormuz open.
32:36As you and your viewers know,
32:39the Straits of Hormuz is considered
32:41part of international waters.
32:43And so the United States
32:44maintains a position
32:45that nobody should be able
32:47to hold this area hostage.
32:49We fully support this area
32:53to be open.
32:54We want this area to be navigable.
32:56We want ships to go through
32:57so energy can go out,
32:59not just for India,
33:00but the rest of the world.
33:01And so tonight,
33:02the two leaders
33:03had a very productive call.
33:05President Trump
33:06not only considers
33:07Prime Minister Modi
33:08a dear friend,
33:09but India is a vital partner.
33:11And this was a very good call
33:13between the two leaders
33:14so the Prime Minister
33:15can be appraised
33:16of the latest efforts
33:17and what is going on
33:18on the ground.
33:20So it's interesting.
33:21Here is Prime Minister Modi
33:24in conversation
33:26with President Trump.
33:27But earlier today,
33:28General Asim Munir
33:29had also spoken of Pakistan
33:31directly to Donald Trump.
33:33And now Pakistan is saying
33:34they are giving
33:35an open invite to Iran
33:36and the United States
33:37to hold talks
33:38as early as this week
33:41in Islamabad.
33:43Let's understand
33:44the ramifications of that then.
33:46What role can India play at all?
33:48What explains Pakistan's
33:50open peace offer?
33:52Is the Islamic world
33:55undergoing churn
33:56where Saudi Arabia,
33:57according to some reports,
33:58wants the war to go on
34:00and Pakistan
34:01is pushing for peace.
34:03Joining me now
34:03is someone who knows
34:05a thing or two
34:05about that part of the world,
34:06Vivek Kaju,
34:07senior diplomat.
34:08Join me.
34:09Appreciate your joining us.
34:10Mr. Kaju,
34:11make sense of what we're,
34:13what we've been hearing
34:14in the last 24 hours.
34:16Pakistan through its prime minister
34:18making an open offer
34:19for peace talks
34:21to be held in Islamabad
34:23even as India
34:24speaks to President Trump.
34:27Explain the role
34:29initially that
34:30what role is Pakistan
34:31which shares a border
34:32with Iran
34:33really playing here?
34:34I think
34:35the Pakistanis
34:37are very eager
34:38to,
34:39I think largely
34:40to buff up
34:41their own image
34:41to play the peacemaker
34:44at the moment
34:45and they think
34:46that they have equities
34:47both with Iran
34:48as well as
34:50with the United States.
34:51To some extent
34:52they do
34:53but it's not very clear
34:55to what extent
34:56will these equities go.
34:58With the United States
34:59one can understand,
35:00yes,
35:01Asim Munir
35:02is on a good wicket
35:04with Trump
35:05but
35:06one doesn't know
35:08whether
35:08the Iranians
35:10will bite
35:10at least
35:11till now
35:11they haven't hit.
35:13So that is
35:14where matters stand
35:15as far as Pakistan
35:16is concerned
35:17but on the larger issue
35:18of
35:20an end game
35:21at the moment
35:23clearly
35:23the first
35:25question
35:26that we've got
35:26to look at
35:28is
35:29is there
35:29in Tehran
35:31a person
35:32who can really
35:33decide
35:35we have
35:36a supreme leader
35:37people have said
35:38that it's
35:39it's Mujtaba
35:40but we don't know
35:42what is his condition
35:43he's not come out
35:44and I put it to you
35:46that no other person
35:48in the Iranian system
35:50can really take
35:50this decision
35:51of
35:52such a vital decision
35:53as of peace
35:54and the nature of peace
35:56and that is a problem
35:57that truly is a problem
35:59at the moment.
35:59No, so you're
36:00you're saying
36:00Pakistan in a sense
36:01is keen to show
36:03that it is playing
36:03a role
36:04in global politics
36:07even now
36:08there have been reports
36:09Mr. Karju
36:10that Saudi Arabia
36:11and Prince Salman
36:13are pushing the Americans
36:14to try and complete
36:16the job
36:16in Iran
36:17the Iranians say
36:19there is no deal
36:20no backroom talks
36:21as well
36:22or certainly
36:22they deny those
36:24officially
36:24and you've got India
36:26which wants
36:27the Strait of Hormuz
36:29above all else
36:30to be opened
36:30I mean
36:31is there
36:32is there a sense
36:33that there is
36:34a sharp divide
36:35within the Islamic world
36:37that there are
36:38certain countries
36:39now keen
36:40for an immediate
36:41secession of hostilities
36:42the Turkeys
36:43and the Irans
36:44which share a border
36:45and there are others
36:46which are angry
36:47at the way
36:48Iran has targeted
36:50the Gulf nations
36:52I think there will be
36:53a lot of anger
36:54in the Gulf countries
36:55at the way
36:55the Iranians
36:57have behaved
36:58but this is part
36:59of their strategy
37:00when they were attacked
37:02they decided
37:02to expand the war
37:04and to take the war
37:05across the Gulf
37:06and they were successful
37:07in that
37:08and they were also successful
37:10in clogging up
37:11the Straits of Hormuz
37:13the Straits of Hormuz
37:14now with that
37:15they have certain
37:16a certain power
37:19in the negotiation
37:20because everyone
37:21wants the Straits of Hormuz
37:22to open up
37:23and it's a
37:24it's an excellent strategy
37:26I'm not saying
37:27it's a lawful strategy
37:28but from the Iranian viewpoint
37:30it's an excellent strategy
37:31to keep it locked
37:32so that
37:33everyone
37:34comes to them
37:35and says
37:35open up
37:36now
37:37quite clearly
37:38Trump
37:39did a rethink
37:41to his decision
37:42to bomb
37:44Iranian
37:45energy targets
37:46Iranian power plants
37:48because
37:49the Iranians said
37:51we'll go across
37:52an attack
37:52and we'll create
37:53absolute chaos
37:54in
37:55the Arab Gulf countries
37:57and no one wants that
37:58certainly
37:59we wouldn't like that
38:00we have
38:01close to
38:0290 lakhs
38:03between 90 lakhs
38:04and a crore of people
38:05living there
38:06we can't afford
38:06a thing like that
38:07so I think it's good
38:08that we also
38:10are appealing
38:11to the belligerents
38:12that look
38:14dialogue
38:15and diplomacy
38:16is the way forward
38:18every conflict
38:19if I may add
38:21just one
38:21one sentence
38:22every conflict
38:23has to be
38:24ripe for peace
38:26I do not know
38:27at the moment
38:28if this conflict
38:29is ripe for peace
38:31and it gets
38:32ripe for peace
38:33when the cost
38:34of the conflict
38:35become
38:36prohibitive
38:38but they already
38:39but they already
38:40seem to have
38:41become prohibitive
38:42and that brings me
38:43to the Indian
38:44perspective
38:44we are clearly
38:45sorry to interrupt
38:47are they
38:48prohibitive
38:49for Iran
38:50clearly
38:51they've suffered
38:52a lot
38:52they've suffered
38:52a decapitating
38:53strike
38:54they've suffered
38:55senior leaders
38:56after that
38:57decapitating
38:58strike to go
38:58but there will be
39:00a section in Iran
39:01I'm doing a little
39:02speculation here
39:03but there is a
39:03will be
39:04because one
39:05knows
39:05we all know
39:06what the
39:07what the
39:08revolutionary
39:08guards are like
39:09because everyone
39:11one other point
39:11everyone talks
39:12of a regime
39:13change
39:13what the
39:14Americans
39:15and the
39:15Israelis
39:16are after
39:16certainly
39:17the Israelis
39:17are after
39:18is not
39:18regime change
39:19it's a
39:20systems change
39:21they want
39:22the
39:22Volayate
39:22Faki
39:23itself
39:23to go
39:25now
39:25there is
39:26no one
39:26to take
39:27its place
39:27no system
39:29there
39:29unlike
39:301979
39:30when the
39:31Shah
39:32went
39:32and Khomeini
39:33came
39:33and he
39:33brought about
39:34a different
39:34system
39:35that's why
39:35there was
39:36a revolutionary
39:36system
39:37the Islamic
39:37Republic
39:38came
39:38it
39:39ruled the
39:40monarchy
39:40here what
39:41will happen
39:42we don't
39:42know
39:43as yet
39:45so what
39:46is India's
39:46role in this
39:47we've just
39:47seen the
39:48first conversation
39:49between Prime
39:50Minister Modi
39:50and the
39:52US president
39:52since the
39:53war began
39:53and there's
39:54been some
39:54criticism
39:55that India
39:56in the early
39:56days was
39:57seen to be
39:57far too
39:58close or
39:58perceived as
39:59close to
40:00the Iran
40:00to the
40:01Israel
40:02American
40:02axis
40:03we were
40:03silent
40:04for four
40:05days when
40:05Khomeini
40:06was assassinated
40:07we were
40:07silent
40:08when the
40:09school children
40:09were killed
40:10we were
40:10silent
40:11when a
40:11boat
40:12was
40:12an Iranian
40:14ship
40:15was targeted
40:15torpedoed
40:16by the
40:16US
40:17do you
40:17believe
40:17we've
40:18done
40:18cost
40:18correction
40:19pivoted
40:20do we
40:21have
40:21any role
40:22to play
40:22at all
40:23in any
40:23mediatory
40:24efforts
40:27look
40:27on the
40:28first point
40:29that you
40:29mentioned
40:29I do
40:30believe
40:30that
40:31condolences
40:32were in
40:32order
40:32when the
40:35ayatollah
40:35was killed
40:36we need
40:37not have
40:37gone
40:38further
40:38but
40:38certainly
40:39condolences
40:40should have
40:40been
40:40made
40:41after all
40:42that is
40:42part of
40:43our
40:43culture
40:43if
40:44someone
40:44has
40:45died
40:45we
40:45condol
40:46on the
40:49second
40:49I think
40:51the world
40:51recognizes
40:53our
40:53standing
40:54the world
40:55also
40:55recognizes
40:56our
40:56need
40:57for the
40:58for energy
40:59flows
40:59to take
40:59place
41:00from
41:01through the
41:03strait
41:03of
41:03home
41:03but the
41:05question
41:05is
41:06whether
41:07we have
41:08enough
41:09and I
41:09use that
41:10word
41:10again
41:10equity
41:11in
41:12Tehran
41:12and in
41:14Washington
41:14to play
41:15the
41:15peacemaker
41:16the
41:17Pakistanis
41:18are doing
41:19two things
41:20one
41:21they have
41:22approached
41:22Iran
41:23right from
41:23the beginning
41:24and I
41:24put it
41:25to you
41:25again
41:25that I
41:26suspect
41:27that in
41:28American
41:29thinking
41:29the
41:30the
41:33advantage
41:33that the
41:34field marshal
41:35brings
41:35or perhaps
41:37he may
41:37well be
41:38projecting
41:38it only
41:39is that
41:40he has
41:41access
41:41with the
41:42revolutionary
41:43guards
41:43and the
41:44revolutionary
41:45guards
41:45leadership
41:46he's a
41:47military
41:47man
41:47Pakistan
41:48is
41:48a
41:49neighboring
41:49state
41:50the
41:50Pakistanis
41:51and the
41:52Iranians
41:52don't have
41:53the best
41:53of relations
41:54but certainly
41:54they have
41:55linkages
41:55and I
41:56think that
41:57is the
41:57card he
41:57is playing
41:58at the
41:58moment
41:58and that
42:00is why
42:00Trump
42:01is
42:01entertaining
42:01him
42:02apart from
42:02the fact
42:02that he's
42:03a quote
42:04unquote
42:04favorite
42:05field
42:05marshal
42:06so in
42:07that sense
42:08would I
42:08be right
42:08in saying
42:09Pakistan
42:09at the
42:10moment
42:10has far
42:11more
42:12leverage
42:12with the
42:13main
42:13stakeholders
42:13than we
42:14have
42:16well let
42:17me put
42:17it like
42:17this that
42:18the Pakistanis
42:19are wanting
42:20to project
42:21that they
42:21have it's
42:23only time
42:23will tell
42:24whether they
42:25actually have
42:26it or not
42:26they're certainly
42:27making a big
42:28pitch for it
42:30we don't know
42:31whether the
42:31Iranians at the
42:32end of the
42:33day would like
42:33to go to
42:34Islamabad for
42:35talks or
42:35whether the
42:36Americans would
42:36like to do
42:37it
42:39yes at this
42:40time it's
42:42it would
42:42seem that
42:43Islamabad is
42:44a possible
42:45venue if
42:46if the
42:47situation becomes
42:48right for
42:49talks at the
42:51moment I don't
42:51know whether
42:52it is there
42:53are so many
42:54imponderables that
42:55we really don't
42:56know and that's
42:57the honest
42:57truth that no
42:59one at the
42:59moment knows
43:00what is the
43:01actual situation
43:02what is actually
43:03taking place
43:05let me leave
43:06it let me
43:07leave it there
43:08Mr. Kaju
43:09because in a
43:09sense you
43:10have explained
43:11to us just
43:12how difficult
43:13even this
43:14process of
43:15mediation is
43:16going to
43:16become and
43:17you made a
43:18fine point
43:18you believe
43:19that maybe
43:20maybe the
43:21time for peace
43:22is not yet
43:23ripe for the
43:25Iranians in
43:26particular
43:26appreciate you
43:27joining me here
43:28on the show
43:29tonight thank you
43:30very much now
43:30remember the
43:31costs of war
43:32right through this
43:32week we are
43:33bringing you
43:33stories from
43:34the ground
43:34of the costs
43:35of war for
43:36India because
43:37India is
43:38feeling the
43:39heat in
43:39Mumbai the
43:40city's iconic
43:41150 year old
43:42Dabbawala system
43:44is slowing down
43:44the severe
43:45shortage of
43:46gas cylinders
43:47has forced
43:48many community
43:49kitchens to
43:49shut different
43:50deliveries have
43:51halved the
43:52livelihood of
43:53thousands of
43:54Dabbawalas is
43:55under threat
43:56that's tonight's
43:57cost of war
43:58get real India
43:59story
44:20the impact
44:21of the
44:21West Asia
44:22war is now
44:23clearly visible
44:23on the ground
44:24in India
44:25in Mumbai
44:26it has
44:26disrupted a
44:27system that
44:27has defined
44:28the city
44:28for over
44:29150 years
44:30the iconic
44:31Dabbawanas
44:33from Churchgate
44:34to Dadar
44:34and Bandra
44:35the familiar
44:36sight of men
44:37in white
44:37Gandhi caps
44:38swiftly delivering
44:39thousands of
44:39tiffins is
44:40beginning to
44:41fade
44:41the reason
44:42a shortage
44:43of gas
44:43cylinders
44:45due to
44:46the ongoing
44:46war
44:46Mumbai
44:47is
44:47witnessing
44:47right now
44:48a shortage
44:48of
44:49LPSG
44:49cylinders
44:50due to
44:50which
44:50more than
44:5130%
44:52of
44:52Mumbai
44:52hotels
44:53has been
44:53shut down
44:54a 150
44:55year old
44:56Mumbai
44:56Dabbawala
44:56association
44:57has also
44:58got affected
44:58if this war
44:59continues
45:00and definitely
45:00this problem
45:01will going
45:02to mount
45:03high in the
45:04coming future
45:05as well
45:05with kitchens
45:06going cold
45:07different services
45:08have been forced
45:09to scale back
45:09leaving many
45:10without their
45:11daily meals
45:11but the worst
45:12impact is being
45:13felt by the
45:14Dabbawalas
45:14themselves
45:55customers who have
45:56depended on this
45:57system for years
45:58are now scrambling
45:59for alternatives
46:10till LPG supply
46:12stabilise
46:13the Dabbawalas
46:14a service that
46:15never stops
46:15will have to
46:16slow down
46:17with the
46:18pastry party
46:18in Mumbai
46:19Bureau Report
46:20India Today
46:24the great Dabbawala
46:25tradition
46:26through the week
46:27as I said
46:27we will bring
46:28stories on the
46:28costs of war
46:29the real issues
46:31that are affecting
46:32people on the
46:33ground
46:33let's turn to
46:34tonight's ground
46:35report
46:35in the middle
46:36of a raging
46:36West Asia
46:37conflict
46:38an emotional
46:38wave is rising
46:39in one corner
46:40of the country
46:41in Kashmir's
46:42Shia majority
46:43belt
46:44solidarity with
46:45Iran
46:45is turning
46:46into action
46:47donations are
46:48pouring in
46:48from cash to
46:49gold
46:50even household
46:51heirlooms
46:52take a look
46:52at this report
47:05a wave of
47:07sympathy
47:07for Iran
47:08is sweeping
47:09Kashmir
47:21just days after
47:22Eid
47:22Shia majority
47:23areas across
47:24the valley
47:24have turned
47:25into hubs
47:26of relief
47:26collection
47:29volunteers
47:30are going
47:31door to door
47:31gathering not
47:32just cash
47:33but gold
47:34silver
47:34and even
47:35traditional
47:35copper
47:36utensils
47:38around me
47:39you're seeing
47:39the kind of
47:40donation
47:40the outpouring
47:41of love
47:42that people
47:43have shown
47:43towards Iran
47:44be it money
47:45be it gold
47:46valuables
47:47copper
47:47utensils
47:48cars
47:49even
47:49people have
47:50donated
47:51their livestock
47:52like cows
47:53goats
47:54for the cause
47:56now people
47:56know
47:57that the kind
47:58of damage
47:59massive damage
48:00Iran has
48:00suffered
48:01this is
48:01quite little
48:03I mean
48:03this may not
48:04impact much
48:04but it is
48:05about
48:07showing of
48:08support
48:08it is about
48:09symbolism
48:09it's about
48:10showing solidarity
48:11with the people
48:12the movement
48:14is not
48:15isolated
48:15it's widespread
48:16across towns
48:18and villages
48:18people are
48:19contributing
48:20turning personal
48:21belongings
48:21into symbols
48:22of solidarity
48:24this
48:25is not
48:25anything
48:25for me
48:26if I have
48:27something else
48:27then I will
48:28donate it
48:29for me
48:30this is not
48:32important
48:33for me
48:34this is
48:35just
48:35important
48:53Even the youngest are joining in quietly, but powerfully.
49:11The Iranian embassy in India has acknowledged this outpouring, sharing images of donations
49:16and calling it a gesture they will never forget.
49:22With Meir Fareed, Bureau Report, India Today.
49:31Okay, let me end on that note with a good news today's story.
49:36We have good news and people who go well beyond the call sometimes.
49:40A promise made, a promise delivered.
49:43Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh handed over a brand new house to Sheikh Shahin Shah
49:48a year after committing to that during an iftar visit.
49:52But the outreach didn't stop there.
49:54Another family now stands short of the same support.
49:57And in time of religious polarization, take a look at our good news today's story.
50:16Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh keeps his promise.
50:21Sheik Shahin Shah and his family now have a new home.
50:34Last year, Lokesh had promised to build a house for Shahin Shah when the minister visited
50:40him for iftar.
51:04This year, Lokesh visited another family.
51:08Sheik Shahin Shah and his family, Sheikh Amir, Sheikh Amir, too, had got assurance he will get
51:11a new home after the family sought help from Lokesh.
51:16Nara Lokesh is an MLA from Mangalpuri constituency and he reaches out to the Muslim community every
51:22and he enters the city of the city of the country.
51:22And Kyi Ramzan Bureau report India Today.
51:30Okay, I'm going to leave it there with that positive story.
51:33We need to bridge all kinds of religious divides, reach out across communities to people from other communities.
51:42Thanks for watching. Stay well. Stay safe.
51:45Good night. Shubhraatri. Jai Hind. Rashkar.
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