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As the West Asia war enters Day 27, US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran sought a deal while warning that further delays may lead to a point of no turning back.
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00:01Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with the news today, India's primetime destination news,
00:06newsmakers, talking points. This Thursday night, what's the big talking point? Donald Trump,
00:12what are his war options now? We're reaching crunch time in that war in Iran. Top military
00:20strategist Douglas McGregor will be joining me on the show tonight. Last time he was there,
00:27he went viral. We'll find out what he has to say on what comes next. That and plenty more.
00:33But first, as always, it's time for the Nine Headlines at Nine.
00:38Donald Trump's big warning to Iran amidst the escalating war in West Asia. Asked Iran to
00:46accept demands of face action. Iran officially conveys its response to Pakistan. Says the
00:52American plan, plan lacks minimum requirement for any negotiated deal.
01:00As the United States mulls deploying boots on the ground, reports say Iran laying miles and building
01:07up to defend Khark Island in preparation for a possible U.S. operation to take control of the
01:13island.
01:16Another top Iranian official is killed in Israeli strikes. Benjamin Netanyahu claims Iran Navy Chief
01:22Ali Reza Thangsiri, who was responsible for closure of Strait of Hormuz, has now been killed.
01:30Tanker Apollo Ocean carrying 17,600 metric tons of LPG docks at New Mangalore Port. Government
01:38claims 60 days of oil stock available warns to take action against those spreading disinformation.
01:46Amidst the West Asia war, Prime Minister Modi to interact with Chief Ministers of States on Friday to
01:51review preparedness. Poll-bound state Chief Ministers not to attend meet due to the model code of conduct.
01:5914 people are charged to death after a bus collides with a truck in Andhra Pradesh. Chief
02:03Minister Naidu expresses shock, directs officials to ensure medical aid for all the injured.
02:11Shocking Pranjwal Rewandana rerun, this time in Goa. BJP Neta's son accused of raping 30 minor
02:19girls. He allegedly coerced survivors into sexual acts, threatened to release their videos.
02:24He's arrested only after public outcry.
02:29Shocking incident from Maharashtra's Thane, caught on camp, speeding car, rams into a cyclist,
02:34victim flung into air, dies on spot, minor driver taken into custody, vehicle seized.
02:41And BCCI releases Phase 2 schedule of IPL 2026, which features eight double-headers,
02:4750 matches to be played on 12 venues across India. IPL 2026 to kickstart from the 28th of March.
03:05But the story that we are breaking right at the very top, Donald Trump has again spoken out this
03:11evening and said Iran is begging for a deal, not him. Trump says Iranians are lousy fighters,
03:18but great negotiators. Trump says can't give lunatics nuclear weapons. Donald Trump claiming
03:26Iranian leaders are sinister, sick people. Trump again lashing out, though, at his NATO allies who
03:31have refused to join the war. Trump says UK agreed to send their aircraft carrier, but we don't need
03:37them. The war is over now. So you've got Donald Trump once again railing and ranting. Let's just
03:45listen in to the U.S. president.
03:49They are begging to make a deal, not me. They're begging to make a deal. And anybody that saw what
03:55was happening over there would understand why they want to make a deal. But they say,
04:00oh, we're not talking to anybody would know that. And only a total for and they're not fools.
04:06They're very smart, actually, in a certain way. And they're great negotiators. I say they're lousy
04:11fighters, but they're great negotiators. And they are begging to work out a deal. I don't know if
04:20we'll be able to do that. I don't know if we're willing to do that. They should have done that
04:24four weeks ago. They should have done it two years ago.
04:29Okay, I want to go first to Geeta Mohan, our diplomatic affairs editor. Geeta, Donald Trump
04:35is clearly in some sense being even more belligerent today. Yesterday, he was talking
04:42about negotiations and they are going well. Today, he seems to have made a complete flip
04:46again. What's the sense that you're getting? What are your diplomatic sources saying? Are
04:52they bracing in a way for this conflict now to escalate further?
04:57Well, it could be either way. Nobody has an answer, Rajdeep. I've been speaking to diplomats,
05:02but nobody has an answer to which way this war is headed. This is rather the most unpredictable
05:07war when it comes to strategy, when it comes to how they're going about it, when it comes
05:13to even the negotiations. So it's a 15-point plan versus the five conditions laid down by
05:17Iran. And it does seem like there is a bit of frustration if you look at this entire press
05:25briefing, which is ongoing even as we speak. He's going on and on and it just shows the desperation
05:31because Iran is not willing to accept the 15-point proposal by America, reverting and saying that
05:38there are conditions that Iran has laid out and those also have to be met, which are rather
05:45stringent things that America might not be able to accept, but they are looking for an
05:51out. So yes, they're looking for negotiations, they're looking for a restart of the talks,
05:55but they're also deploying. So things could go on a downward spiral any time should Trump
06:02decide to go in to the Strait of Hormuz.
06:06Geeta, hold on. I'm also joined now by Ashraf Vani from Beirut in Lebanon. Remember,
06:11that's where some of the worst casualties have been reported. More than a thousand people dead
06:17there. Over a million displaced. Pranay Upadhyay is joining us from Tel Aviv, which has seen airstrikes
06:24from Iran through the day. I want to come to you, Pranay, first. There were reports of missile
06:30strikes in Tel Aviv. In fact, one of our guests in Tel Aviv dropped out a short while ago because
06:37he said he'd been asked to move into a bunker. Can you tell us what you're seeing in these reports
06:42that are coming out of an intensification of the fighting? A naval commander today being
06:50killed in an Israeli strike. What are you hearing?
06:56I just heard sirens blaring here in Tel Aviv, Rajiv. And we were also told to go to the bunkers.
07:02But
07:03since I have to give this live, so that's why I came out. But the situation remained tense because
07:09since morning, there have been sirens blaring and there are alerts coming on the mobile phones and
07:14everywhere. And the last night was relatively peaceful, relatively calm. But there is some
07:21intensification. And in fact, today, some of the Hezbollah rockets and Hezbollah missiles have
07:25also targeted the northern part of Israel. I'm getting reports that in Naharia city of Israel,
07:31there is some damage being reported. And in fact, in some part of Israel also, there were some
07:37splinters of the missiles did hit in this area as well. And as you mentioned that Ali Reza Tansiri's
07:44assassination or killing in Israeli strike has certainly made Iranians furious and there could
07:50be a backlash. And next 24 hours are said to be quite, could be quite tense in Tel Aviv.
07:57But certainly, amid all these diplomatic negotiation approach and some kind of via media contacts and
08:04everything, after long, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu broke his silence. And today he came out and he
08:11issued a statement saying that, you know, Ali Reza Tansiri, he was a rear admiral of and commander of
08:18the IRGC Navy. His assassination or his elimination is a big achievement and he thanked President Donald
08:23Trump and in fact, the joint effort of US and Israel. So clearly, as far as the ground situation is
08:29concerned, there is no de-escalation, what we can report from here. In fact, you know, as Geeta was also
08:35pointing it out, nobody can be sure that, you know, which way things can go from here. Because United
08:40States is also committing large number of troops in the region. And in fact, there could be a force
08:45augmentation in the region as well by the United States, as well as by the Israeli Air Force and
08:50Israeli Defense Forces as far as their operations in Lebanon and against Iran are concerned.
08:57Okay, I want to go, that's a good point in which to go to Ashraf Vani in Beirut. Ashraf,
09:02the Israelis have been saying that they will capture large, they've already taken large parts of
09:07southern Lebanon. Yesterday, you are reporting of a large number of casualties, civilian casualties in
09:14and around Beirut. Has it been any quieter today? Or is there still, has the bombardment continued in
09:21areas in and around Beirut? Rajdeep, actually, I am in the south Lebanon. I am in the tired city, which
09:28is the
09:29main city and main town of the southern Lebanon. And since morning, I have witnessed all those aerial
09:36strikes, almost 60 aerial strikes carried out by IDF during the last 24 hours. You can understand the
09:43damage created by those 60 aerial strikes. That means 60 big infrastructures had been demolished.
09:50I visited some of them and also many people died in these strikes to 12 is the number what the
09:57Ministry of
09:58Health is confirming from Beirut. And also, not only the people are getting the killed, but also the
10:06property, their livelihood, their logistics, everything is getting destroyed here in the south Lebanon. It is a
10:12policy which has been initiated earlier by the idea where they are first cutting off the area, then
10:19demolishing the infrastructure, and finally targeting the, what they say, Hezbollah logistics and Hezbollah
10:27paraphrase. But so far, we are seeing the response in a big way by the Hezbollah. In fact, we are
10:33getting
10:33reports that Hamas of Gaza is also now joining the Hamas so that the idea could not make ground invasion
10:39in
10:40the, uh, in the south Lebanon. Right. Also, a lot of, uh, Marupo tanks were targeted by the Hezbollah
10:46fighters. They claimed they have targeted 20 tanks. Yeah. So, some kind of a tough resistance being
10:51faced by the idea here in the south Lebanon. Okay. We've got ground reports from both of you. Both of
10:57you, please stay safe. You are really in the war zone and therefore, uh, please stay safe. Pranay Upadhyay,
11:03Ashraf Vani joining us from Beirut and Tel Aviv. Appreciate you being with us. I want to take you through
11:09those top war developments over the past 24 hours. U.S. President Donald Trump, as we once again,
11:15we said at the outset, claiming that Iran is begging to make a deal in the same breath. Trump
11:20warned Tehran against dragging its feet, saying they need to get serious soon because if Iran delays
11:25any further, he said it could be too late with no turning back. Iran, though, has flatly rejected the
11:31U.S. claims of talks, calling them false, made it clear it will not negotiate while the military
11:36operations continue. The U.S. President has once again lashed out at NATO, slamming them for not
11:42supporting Washington's war against Tehran. He asserts U.S. will no longer need anything from
11:46NATO, but will not forget their actions at this point of time. Multiple reports suggest the United
11:53States is planning to carry ground operations in the energy-rich Khark Island as Washington attempts to
11:58gain leverage over Tehran. Iran, in response, is increasing its defense by deploying additional personnel and
12:04missile systems in and around the crucial Khark Island. Iran has also warned the United States
12:10it will close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if Washington launches ground operations. Iran's backed Houthis,
12:17who are dominant in Yemen, have promised to support Tehran's push to block this strait,
12:22through which 12 percent of global oil passes through. Iran, meanwhile, says the Strait of Hormuz
12:28will remain open for friendly countries, announcing it will not impose a blockade on vessels
12:32belonging to five friendly nations, including India, Russia, China, Pakistan and Iraq.
12:39Abbas Araqchi, the foreign minister of Iran, said that the Strait of Hormuz is not entirely closed,
12:44a ship belonging to several nations with whom Iran shares friendly ties were being allowed to pass
12:49through. At least 13 U.S. military bases have been rendered uninhabitable by Iranian strikes across the
12:55Middle East, forcing American troops to abandon fortified installations for hotels and office
13:01spaces, according to the New York Times. The result is a fragmented battlefield, a conflict
13:05official described as a remote war. Israel claims it has eliminated the command of Iran's
13:11Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy, Ali Reza Tangsiri, in a strike in Bandar Abbas. Tangsiri was overseeing
13:17the Strait of Hormuz closure, headed the division that specialized in asymmetrical naval warfare.
13:23One of the two people killed in UAE's Abu Dhabi on Thursday by the debris from a missile
13:27interception was an Indian national, according to a message shared by Jordan's foreign ministry.
13:32Another Indian citizen and a Jordanian national were among the three who escaped with minor injuries.
13:38The Indian government has dispelled rumors of a fuel crisis in the country. Petroleum ministry
13:42asserting that India has sufficient oil and gas supplies to sustain for two months,
13:46and the energy situation remains under control.
13:50But all eyes are on what happens in the next 24 to 48 hours. What will Donald Trump do next?
13:56What are
13:57Donald Trump's war options now? When can Donald Trump really claim victory, if at all? Has Donald Trump
14:03lost control of the war and the war narrative? And what does he do next? Joining me now is Colonel
14:09Douglas MacGregor, former senior advisor to the Secretary of Defense under President Trump. And
14:15Colonel MacGregor, you were with us a couple of weeks ago. You really stirred it up. But in a way,
14:20you've been proved prophetic. You warned that Donald Trump was getting into a war that he didn't quite
14:24have a strategy for. Two weeks later, can you tell us what you believe happens next? Because there are
14:31all kinds of reports suggesting there could be a ground offensive, especially on the Karg Island,
14:36which I will put on the screen in a moment, why Karg matters. But do you see that happening now?
14:42Well, let me answer that question. But before I do, I'd like to clarify something that has been
14:48publicized over the last few days. My words were taken out of context in an interview that was
14:55conducted here in the United States. And I was accused of suggesting that India effectively had
15:00joined the war and had opened its port facilities to the US Navy for war fighting purposes. That, of course,
15:06is a lie. What I was referring to at the time was this agreement from 2016 called the Lemauri Agreement,
15:13which allows US ships from the US Navy to pull into Indian ports to make repairs, to resupply.
15:23People at sea have to eat. People at sea need fuel and so forth. So we were talking at the
15:30time about
15:31the very high probability, given all the ports closed to us, that we would go to Indian ports.
15:38But that had nothing to do with the war. And under those circumstances was I suggesting that India
15:43had a role in this war. So I just want to make that clear because I admire India's position.
15:49Now, having said all of that, you're asking the right question. We have this so-called ceasefire,
15:55which of course is ignored, as you pointed out by the Israelis completely. But we have effectively
16:00unilaterally said we were going to take a break for five days. And that's exactly what this has
16:05been. It's been a break for us for the purposes of preparing for future offensive operations.
16:11What we see happening right now is a buildup, massive buildup of air power and weapons for air power
16:17and missiles designed to launch a punishing strike that President Trump and his inner circle hopes
16:24will end the war by effectively causing the disintegration of the Iranian state. All of this
16:32is designed to happen in preparation for the use of the light infantry for the marines and the army
16:37to seize islands in the Persian Gulf. Karg, you mentioned, and of course that's a very important oil
16:43terminal for Iran. But the notion that if that is destroyed or it's occupied, that this somehow
16:49or another puts Iran out of the oil business is ridiculous. They have other ways to move oil.
16:54There are other islands closer to the strait itself they think they could seize that would have some
17:00impact on the strait. The truth is the straits are closed right now, as you pointed out, not because
17:06of anything the Iranians did per se, but because Lloyd's of London refuses to ensure ships moving
17:12through the straits. So a stroke of the pen by Lloyd's of London is really what closed the straits.
17:18But now the Iranians, of course, have the advantage of precision strike and persistent surveillance.
17:23So we can't surprise them in any way, shape or form. If we try to use ground forces, they will
17:29be picked
17:30up early and they will be subjected to precision strike. So are you saying that taking over Karg
17:37island, which is one of the options on the table, is laden with huge risks? There are also reports of
17:45smaller islands, which may be then taken as leverage to somehow or the other secure an entry point into
17:53the strait of hormones. Do you believe that that's what Donald Trump now wants? Is that why he's bought
17:58time in your view over the last five days? That's part of it. It's not the whole thing. As I
18:03said,
18:03the larger issue is how many missiles, how many bombs, how many explosives can be dropped on Iran
18:11in the meantime to defeat Iran? In other words, not only to silence its weapons and defeat its weapons,
18:18but also to punish its population and its cities. We are carpet bombing cities in Iran right now,
18:23something we haven't really done since Vietnam. And prior to that, we did it during the Second World War.
18:29But the other issue is, of course, the use of these small light infantry forces.
18:34Seizing an island in this day and age, given the enormous importance of precision strike and
18:39persistent surveillance, is suicidal. Whatever you put on the island can be destroyed from a distance.
18:45The weapons that can sink ships, destroy islands, and effectively make it impossible to control the
18:51straits, can be 150 kilometers away from the location where you're striking. That's the problem.
18:58So this is World War II thinking at its worst. And it's not an answer and it won't work.
19:05The fact, though, is you're saying that if the US troops were to even consider a ground operation,
19:12they would be vulnerable to precision strikes at the moment. The Iranians in that sense have prepared
19:19for this moment. Am I correct? Absolutely. They are very well prepared for it. And I don't see any
19:27upside to this operation. Light infantry is very vulnerable. It has to be protected. We can't protect
19:34the people that go onto those islands. We're short on missiles, increasingly, as the Israelis are,
19:40to protect ourselves. The whole thing is ridiculous. But I think this appeals to President Trump.
19:46And as I said, again, it's World War II thinking. Iran is the 21st century form of warfare. Missiles,
19:54unmanned systems, manned systems, whatever it is, linked to overhead space-based surveillance that is
20:00constant and uninterrupted. That is a very lethal combination. And the Iranians are proving that they
20:07don't need a navy. They don't need an army. They don't need an air force. What they need is what
20:11they've got, which is this ISR strike capability that can protect them.
20:17So are you saying that as of today, Iran actually has a slight upper hand?
20:24Yes. Strategically, I think Iran is in the driver's seat. And the only hope left for President Trump,
20:30who faces very real probability of humiliation at home and humiliation around the world, is that he
20:38can throw enough conventional explosives and firepower against the Iranian state and its population
20:45to bring it to its knees. Now, again, we did that to the Germans. It did not work. We did
20:51it to the
20:51Japanese and it did not work. It took the nuclear option to change the condition in Iran, excuse me,
20:58in Japan. So I think this is not going to produce what President Trump wants, which he wants to be
21:05able to stand there and accept the surrender of the Iranian nation to him. I don't see that happening.
21:11So what are the realistic options? There's so much of talk of a negotiated settlement,
21:16a 15 point plan that effectively disables Iran's nuclear arsenal, which Iran has rejected.
21:22Do you believe that that plan is is on the table in your view? Or do you believe the fact
21:28that so
21:29many Marines are being sent in the additional troops pouring into West Asia suggests that Donald Trump
21:35is preparing for some kind of a of a kinetic strike on Iran and hoping then for the best?
21:42Well, I think you're right. He's hoping for the best, but he's not going to get it.
21:46What makes you so sure? If I may, if I may stop you, Colonel McGregor, what makes you so sure
21:52that with the entire, with the Israelis on their side, the Americans with all their air power,
22:00the fact that they claim they've decimated 90% of Iranian Navy, they cannot now bring the regime to
22:08its knees. Well, remember, you're listening to claims made for strikes that we can't confirm.
22:15You're hearing people say, well, we've destroyed 90% of this and 80% of that. We don't have any
22:21evidence for those things. Those are simply claims being made in public. And the president talks about
22:27a Navy. I just told you what, what use is a Navy today? Anything that floats on the service can
22:33be
22:33targeted and destroyed quickly. So Iran doesn't need those things. We're trying to measure our,
22:39our so-called success on the basis of the way we've done business for 50, 60, 70 years. That's over.
22:47That way of war is at an end. What's happening now is a very different kind of war. And again,
22:53you know, you're talking about a little state, Israel, the size of Manipur, that is waging war
22:58in a country, half the size of India. They've dragged us into this thing. And we have willingly
23:03participated in an effort to destroy Iran, which presents no imminent threat whatsoever to the
23:10United States. And there's very little support in the United States for this. And President Trump
23:14knows it. So he's got to find a way to bring this to an end that conveys the impression that
23:20he's
23:20being successful and victorious. I don't think he's going to be able to do that.
23:24But the fact is every day, either a top Iranian commander or someone from their political leadership
23:31has been taken out or killed, assassinated. Use the word you want today. It's a Naval
23:36rear admiral. There's a question of morale. There's a question of leadership. Do you believe that
23:42Donald, the U.S. attacks, the Israeli attacks pinpointed on some of these senior officials
23:51have demoralized in any way? Have you seen any signs in the last few days of a demoralized Iran?
23:57Well, this is a nation of 93 million people. They don't seem to have any trouble finding successors
24:03for the people who've been killed. In fact, I would argue that what you've probably done
24:07by killing off the top leadership is bring up younger, more open-minded, innovative military
24:14men and women who can actually do things differently and more innovatively. We had this experience before
24:21World War II. Stalin destroyed tens of thousands of officers in the Soviet army. And the Germans
24:28thought that this was debilitating. They suddenly discovered that they had a new generation of officers
24:33in command of Soviet troops that were better than the ones that had been killed. So I don't see this
24:39as evidence for some sort of failure. On the contrary, I think it has stiffened people's spines.
24:45They're more determined than ever. The bad news for the rest of us, as you know, when it comes to
24:50fuel,
24:51feed, fertilizer, the world's in big trouble. Australia's in big trouble. England has got two weeks of oil
24:58supply left. I think the Iranians know that. And so the Iranians are saying to themselves,
25:03we have to withstand this next assault. We have to do what we can to defend ourselves. But ultimately,
25:09the global economy is working for us. So this is, in one way, economic warfare in this 21st century
25:16war, as you're calling it, where drones and missiles in a way can cause far more damage than all these
25:22sophisticated defense systems that the United States possesses.
25:26Yes. And eight out of 10 missiles, for instance, that have been launched against Israel are getting
25:31through. Why? Because they do not have enough missiles to fire back in response to try and knock
25:37down the missiles headed in their direction. We have a similar problem with the fleet. And remember,
25:43we're sitting out there. We've got thousands of sailors sitting on board these ships for months at a
25:48time. That's not a pleasant experience. It's not good duty. We've got pilots that have been flying and
25:54flying and flying. They're exhausted. They're tired. The Iranians are a great continental power,
25:59just like India. Iran can absorb a lot of strikes. And that's what they're doing. But they can also hit
26:05back. So this is the last gasp, if you will, for President Trump. He's got to go in there
26:10and effectively obliterate as much of Iran as possible and hope that this compels them to surrender.
26:16So what you're saying is in the next one week, they've got to go in there. In your view, launch
26:24this
26:24massive attack. If Iran withstands it, then the economic pressures will be such that America will
26:32find it difficult to sustain that kind of assault. And you feel that taking over Karg Island or reopening
26:41state of Hormuz is not going to be easy for the Americans at the moment. Am I correct?
26:46Oh, I think it's enormously difficult. I don't see the approach that they want to use as being
26:51workable. This is not going to work any more than the 1915 attempt by the British to seize the Dardanelles
26:58and force the Royal Navy through the Dardanelles straight to Constantinople. It didn't work.
27:06And that involved eventually 500,000 British troops and the Turks absolutely defeated them
27:12and drove them away. I don't see 10,000 light infantrymen landing on little islands. The Persian
27:19Gulf is changing anything strategically. Just one more point, which I saw you make
27:24in one of your interviews, Colonel McGregor was on Pakistan. Does that reveal the very fact that
27:30Pakistan is being put forward almost as a negotiator? Does that reveal US desperation in a way?
27:39Perhaps. You know, Pakistan obviously offered. You know, my view has been from the beginning that
27:45Pakistan doesn't have the credibility it needs in the international system.
27:49The Israelis are not going to take anything that the Pakistanis do or anything that's done in Pakistan
27:54and as a serious solution, which is why I felt strongly that these negotiations, if they happen
28:01at all, should happen in New Delhi. But we have to understand something. There have been no negotiations
28:06going on thus far. No one has figured out what President Trump is talking about. So we think this
28:13is all a facade. We are quite convinced that we're going to see a massive offensive after this five-day
28:18ceasefire is over, which was always fiction to begin with. So you're saying a massive offensive likely
28:26within the next 48 to 72 hours, almost a final assault. I wouldn't go that far. I would simply say
28:32that after the ceasefire has ended at some point, let's say within the next four or five days, this
28:38massive air offensive will begin. And I expect that during this air offensive, there will be an attempt to
28:44seize these islands. Colonel McGregor, as always, you've been very direct, very pointed and good to
28:54have you on the show and give us a perspective that cuts through some of the noise. Thank you very
28:58much
28:58for joining me here at the moment here on the news today. Appreciate your time. Thank you. Bye-bye.
29:06Okay. I'm going to go in a moment to another guest because I want to raise the Israeli dimension. We've
29:11heard
29:12where the Americans at the moment, the challenges they will have. What about Israel? Because many
29:16believe this is Netanyahu's war. Is it? Or is it Donald Trump's war? What are Netanyahu's war
29:22objectives? What will Netanyahu see as victory? Brinkmanship by Netanyahu, Trump and Iran. What
29:28happens next? I'm joined now by a very special guest. Avi Shlaim is a historian, Oxford University,
29:34and someone who's been a critic of the way Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted politics and indeed war.
29:41Appreciate your joining us, Mr. Shlaim. Good to have you on the show. What's your sense? We've heard
29:49from an American military man saying, look, this war could turn out to be Donald Trump's
29:55possible Vietnam moment. But what's your sense? Forget the military part for a moment. I want to
30:00understand from you, where do you see Israel's interest now in the war at this stage?
30:06I think this is Netanyahu's war, not Trump's war. And Netanyahu, for the last 40 years,
30:16has been calling for a joint American Israeli strike against the Iranian nuclear facilities. He has done more
30:28than anyone else to describe Iran as an existential threat to Israel. And what has changed is that
30:41Trump is the first American president who has been stupid enough to get along with this Israeli plan.
30:52Even Israeli defense and intelligence experts in the past were always opposed to this.
31:03One former head of the Mossad described it as the silliest,
31:08the stupidest idea he had ever heard. So it's something that Netanyahu personally is dedicated to,
31:18destroying the Islamic regime. That's his life's mission. And now he's managed to drag
31:26Trump into this gamble. And it's not doing very well for Trump. In fact, I would say that in this
31:35case,
31:36Trump is Netanyahu's poodle, although Trump would, of course, deny that.
31:43Trump is Netanyahu's poodle. That's a line, a headlinable quote from you, Professor Shrine.
31:50But I wanted to understand from you, while Trump's ratings are down, while there's growing pressure on
31:56Donald Trump, there's concern over ground troops being put by America. In Israel, there seems to be
32:02a lot of support for Netanyahu. In a sense, you're the first guest I've had in Israel who's actually
32:07sort of been critical of Netanyahu within Israel. Netanyahu seems to have got the nation to rally
32:16around a kind of nationalist outpouring, seeing Iran as the ultimate enemy that wants to destroy
32:21the Israeli state.
32:26Level of support in Israel for this war is very, very high. 92% of Jewish Israelis support this war
32:39so far. But Netanyahu and Trump vastly underestimated Iran's capacity to resist.
32:54So now Iran is hitting back. And Iran has a very sophisticated, long-term strategy.
33:01There have been, since the last Israeli attack on them, the American-Israeli attack on Iran,
33:09last June, the so-called 12 Days War, the Iranians have been preparing for the next assault.
33:19And they've built long-term, long-range missiles. And so far, they've only used the old missiles,
33:28which have been causing some damage. But they are prepared to use the much more sophisticated
33:34and effective long-range missiles against Israel and against American bases in the Gulf. And once the
33:44price for Israelis mounts up in casualties and in suffering, then support for the war is going to
33:54decline. But it's quite obvious that Netanyahu underestimated the Iranians. He hoped for a quick
34:04fix, for a quick, easy victory. And he was going to have early elections in June and to pose as
34:14the
34:14victor in the war on Iran. And this is what he sold to Trump. He said to Netanyahu, said to
34:25Trump,
34:26the Iranian regime is very weak. It faces a lot of internal opposition. Now is the time to strike and
34:34destroy this regime. And Trump fell for it. But the war objectives, the war aims are not the same.
34:43Right. But Professor Seif, I just want to stop you on that point. Because there will be those who will
34:49say that Netanyahu's objectives ensure the destruction of the Iranian regime. Not happened yet. But a number
34:58of their top leaders have been assassinated, including Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader. Slowly but surely
35:05ensure that all the militias, whether it's the Houthis, the Hezbollah, Hamas, are also destroyed. You're seeing
35:11the war being carried out in Lebanon at the moment against Hezbollah. And Netanyahu could well claim
35:17that the existential threat that Iran poses is substantially reduced. And Israel emerges as the
35:22dominant power of West Asia, even as the fault lines in the region grow, particularly with the
35:28number of Gulf states like Saudi and UAE also angry with the way Iran has struck them. So Netanyahu could
35:34well claim that some of my objectives have been met. Well, they haven't been met. And Israel has a policy
35:43of
35:45targeted assassination of enemy leaders. And it's unlawful, but also ineffective. And Israel should learn
35:55from its mistakes. It's been assassinating Palestinian leaders, Hamas leaders, and it only followed by
36:05hardliners. And the same is true after the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader on the
36:15first day of the war. So they killed him. But his son has taken over. And his son is more
36:22hardline. In fact, despite the
36:24misperception, the stereotype in the West, Ali Khamenei was a pragmatic and moderate leader, his son is much
36:33closer to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. And now what is happening as a result of this decapitation of
36:42the regime is that Iran is changing from a theocratic state to a state that is ruled by a military
36:51dictatorship.
36:53You know, you're therefore almost suggesting that the regime change option has not worked. If anything,
36:59it's brought in a hardline regime in Iran, that Israel, in a sense, is the has carried along Donald
37:06Trump as a poodle. But do you see Israel, for example, irrespective of what Donald Trump decides,
37:14that's pursuing its attempt to capture parts of southern Lebanon, to continue with its assault on Iran,
37:23that even if Donald Trump wants a negotiated settlement, Netanyahu no longer wants one?
37:30Israel cannot act independently of America. And so far, Trump has supported Netanyahu in this war,
37:41but he may change his mind, because he's under pressure, not least from the American right to end this war,
37:48which is incredibly costly for everybody. But Trump's idea of Trump's aim is regime
38:00collapse. Sorry, regime change. He's hoping that something would happen as in Venezuela,
38:05that one pragmatic leader from within the regime would take over and be amenable to American control.
38:13This is not going to happen. Iran is not Venezuela. But Netanyahu's aim is regime, not regime change,
38:22but regime collapse. Not that a more moderate group would take over and there'll be freedom
38:29and democracy in Iran. He wants complete collapse of the regime and chaos. And he also wants to
38:38encourage the secessionist sections within Iranian society, especially the Iraqi Kurds to invade
38:51Iran. So he hopes that there will be complete chaos, there will be no government,
38:56the military will be degraded, and Iran will become like Syria, a country that is unable to defend
39:05itself. And his goal is even greater than that. His goal is greater Israel, to make Israel the dominant
39:14power in the region, and to destroy not just the Islamic regime in Iran, but to destroy and dismantle
39:26Iran's proxies. That's the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and most importantly, Hezbollah in Lebanon.
39:35So in conclusion, do you believe that he will carry on till those objectives are met? That's his singular aim?
39:45And will he try and exploit these fault lines within West Asia, the Gulf nations versus Iran? Do you see
39:53Netanyahu
39:53playing for the long game? Or do you believe he too, like Donald Trump, is really now finding himself
39:59in a difficult situation as this war drags on? A quick answer.
40:06Both Trump and Netanyahu are in trouble because they haven't got an exit strategy. Trump doesn't
40:16have an exit strategy. And they both underestimated the limits of military power. You cannot achieve
40:27regime change from the air. And they both miscalculated very badly. And now America's Gulf allies are
40:36turning against America, because it abandoned them to devastation by Iran. And Netanyahu, in the long
40:48term, is undermining Israeli security, because Israeli security depends totally on American support. And
40:56because of his excesses in Gaza, the genocide, in Iran, in Lebanon, the destruction of Lebanon,
41:05because of all of these military actions, American support for Israel is declining. And therefore,
41:12Netanyahu is imperiling Israel's long term security.
41:17Okay. Avi Shlem, you've given us a very different perspective, and you've given it to us from a
41:23historian who understands his country. Well, I appreciate you joining me here on the show tonight.
41:28Thank you very much. You're welcome. Professor Shlem there from Oxford University joining me just to give
41:34you that big breaking news, Donald Trump's latest statement that he's made. He claims that the big
41:40gift he spoke about having received from Iran, Donald Trump says Iran gave us 10 oil tankers. Trump says he
41:47received Pakistani flag, 10 oil tankers. Trump says eight tankers loaded with oil were going up Hormuz
41:55and he's great and he's received them. So Trump claiming the gift that he's got is 10 oil tankers,
42:03Pakistani flag significantly. Okay, let me for a moment from there, turn to turn to what is our series on
42:15the
42:15costs of war. Because the fact is that while the war is taking place in West Asia, it has created
42:22chaos in this
42:24country as well. The prime minister has called a meeting of all chief ministers virtually tomorrow.
42:28One of the reasons, of course, is the panic buying of LPG that has sparked chaos across cities. Long queues
42:35at petrol pumps, despite officials assuring adequate supply. What is the reality on the ground? Take a look
42:42at tonight's cost of war reality check.
42:59Fuel panic is sweeping across cities, queues getting longer and rumours spreading faster than facts.
43:07From Hyderabad, Nagpur to Prayag Raj and Lucknow, petrol pumps are witnessing chaos like never before.
43:18In Maharashtra's Jalna, panic buying triggered by social media rumours led to massive queues,
43:24forcing authorities to step in with strict limits. 200 rupees for two wheelers,
43:292,000 rupees for cars and a complete ban on fuel in containers. Officials insist there is no shortage.
43:38In Nagpur, fuel queues spilling onto roads, traffic thrown into disarray and commuters left stranded in
43:45long jams. Hyderabad tells a similar story. Endless lines of autos and cars despite repeated assurances
43:57from authorities that supplies are stable. But the rush refuses to slow down.
44:06In Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow and Prayag Raj are gripped by the same fear.
44:14Midnight queues, temporary pump shutdowns and citizens scrambling with cans all sparked
44:19by rumours officials call completely baseless.
44:25And in a bizarre twist from Madhya Pradesh Devas, a bank employee ditched the fuel line altogether
44:31and rode a horse to work. Meanwhile, the opposition has criticized the centre for fueling
44:38panic and failing to ensure adequate preparedness.
44:43The party has nothing to do with the line.
44:47There is no decision to do with any of them.
44:50There is no decision to do with them.
44:51We will put them all in the line.
44:53But this time, the people have convinced that they will be able to do with the line.
45:09As panic peaks, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stepped in, warning against
45:14humour-mongering and urging people to buy fuel only when necessary. His message is clear.
45:20Don't let fear fuel chaos.
45:46Don't let fear fuel chaos.
45:53While petrol supplies remain stable, this episode is a reminder of how quickly fear can spread
46:00and disrupt daily life.
46:03Bureau Report, India Today.
46:08Okay, so there you've got politics being played over petrol shortages or petrol line,
46:17long queues for petrol in some parts of UP. But the aftershocks from West Asia are really
46:23being felt in Kerala, which sends thousands of workers to the gulf. People worried if it will
46:28now lead to job losses. Tonight's ground report from Shibi.
46:36The West Asia war has sparked concerns in Kerala from where thousands have gone to Gulf
46:40nations for jobs. In Muttanoor, this family is praying for an end to the conflict. Ashwini,
46:46who is pregnant, had gone to Bahrain to stay with her husband Janish for three months. The
46:51sudden outbreak of war means her return has been delayed.
47:18A few kilometers away in Kannur, Farida says her husband was planning to come home after two years,
47:23months. But he is now stuck. Farida and her daughter Ayesha were to visit Dubai after the
47:28ETH holidays. That too, now looks unlikely.
47:58The war, if it doesn't end soon, could be trouble for Kerala.
48:25Kerala is going through a severe economic crisis. High inflation rate rate,
48:31reported in Kerala. Is there any slight reduction or is there any slight impact? It will reflect
48:39on Kerala economy in general. From families to society, from education to health, every sector
48:45in Kerala will face an impact of a prolonged crisis in West Asia. Meanwhile, the economic
48:50resilience of the state will also be tested by its ability to manage a deep-seated remittance
48:55economy against all odds regarding the economic and geopolitical shifts that's taking place.
49:01With video journalist Tinkuraj Sheghar, Shubhi Molkeji for India today from Kasar Goon.
49:06Let's turn to our election special story today. A grieving mother entered West Bengal's political
49:11battlefield and has sparked off a fierce debate. Ratna Devnath, mother of RG car rape murder victim
49:18Abhaya, was announced as the BJP candidate from Panihati, turning personal tragedy into a political
49:24statement. But the question for many voters will remain. Will this be seen as a fight for justice
49:29or politics at play? Activists involved in RG car are clearly divided. Take a look at tonight's report.
49:48A city that once echoed with protests, a crime that shook the conscience of a nation.
49:59And now a mother steps into the battlefield. From seeking justice for a daughter,
50:05to seeking votes from the public. The BJP has named Ratna Devnath, mother of the RG car rape murder victim
50:15Abhaya, as its candidate from Panihati, transforming personal tragedy into a powerful political message.
50:23The biology of RG verification of Panihati.
50:27What happens to the Commencementー just really.
50:28It�d k envelop how they solve the problems we have to believe state of gun violence
50:43The hero being used because of the violence and violence.
50:45Truly has the causa of justice, and in relation to the police' Mont день,
50:56I feel, and the people of Bengal feel she has taken the right decision because wherever
51:02there is a BJP rule state and whenever there is some atrocity on women, women and that
51:08family, the girl gets justice.
51:11But in Bengal, we have a women chief minister and we saw that day on the 9th of August,
51:17how deliberately justice was not delivered to Dr. Abhaya.
51:25The Srinivas Congress has hit back strongly after the mother of the Ajikar victim announced
51:29her decision to contest the Panihati seat on a BJP ticket, questioning the timing, intent
51:35and political motivations behind the move.
51:38What they have chosen to do, it's humiliating for all the people who took it to the streets,
51:45seeking justice.
51:47One thing that I know that by becoming BJP's candidate or by joining BJP, your daughter
51:52is certainly not going to get justice.
51:54They asked for a CBI probe.
51:55They were absolutely, totally dissatisfied with how the CBI was working.
52:03Activists who joined the protest two years ago, divided on Abhaya's family's decision to enter
52:08the poll fray.
52:10He will join a political platform.
52:13It is his or her personal decision.
52:16I respect this decision.
52:17All are coming forward to give justice to Abhaya.
52:21So give their emotion, keep their appeal.
52:25They are always with this movement.
52:28Well, in a democratic setup, everyone has the right to pick up a party or contest an election.
52:37But the problem is that they are joining a political party.
52:42Within a few months, they will understand the limitations.
52:47The suspect in the Ajikar case, a civil volunteer named Sonjay Roy, was convicted and sentenced
52:53to life imprisonment after a CBI investigation, which was in line with a state police probe.
52:59Abhaya's parents, however, were not satisfied with the investigation.
53:04The friends, the doctors, the comrades of Abhaya are a little apprehensive of the fact that
53:10in this polarizing politics, the cry should not get lost.
53:14Nevertheless, as the campaign trail begins, the shadow of 9th August looms large on the
53:20Bengals' democratic process.
53:22With video journalist Orgo Ghosh, this is Tapo Sengupta for India Today in Kolkata.
53:29Okay, let me leave you tonight with an unfortunate story as our image of the day.
53:3314 people lost their lives, 23 sustained injuries as a private bus carrying over 37 passengers
53:40suffered a head-on collision with a gravel-loaded tipper truck in Andhra Pradesh, Markapuram area
53:46this morning.
53:46The victims were burned to death as the bus soon caught fire after the accident.
53:51The lethal perils of wrong side driving, once again evident on India's roads and highways.
53:56Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.
54:00Please drive safely, especially on the highways of this country.
54:05Thanks for watching.
54:06Stay well, stay safe, goodnight Shubratri, Jai Hind, Namaskar.
54:11That was the news without the notes.
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