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The big talking point of this edition of News Today is the escalating West Asia crisis as US President Donald Trump issues a fresh threat to Iran as deadline approaches.
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00:01Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with the news today. This is your prime time destination news, newsmakers, talking points,
00:07news without the noise.
00:09The big question today, Donald Trump is upping the end ahead of his self-imposed deadline for Iran to accept
00:16a negotiated deal on his terms.
00:18He says the whole civilization will else die tonight. The West Asia war. What really are Trump's options? Is the
00:26world heading now for another escalated conflict?
00:31How far will Donald Trump go? That's the question. We'll have guests from Tehran and from Washington and from across
00:40the war zones.
00:42But first, as always, it's time for the nine headlines at night.
00:46Ahead of his deadline, which approaches at 5.30 a.m. India Standard Time, Donald Trump's big warning to Iran
00:54says the whole civilization will die tonight if it doesn't accept his terms.
00:59Earlier, he had hinted at a four-hour bombing plan to obliterate Iran.
01:04Tehran responds by shutting down all diplomatic and indirect channels with the United States.
01:12Hours after the Israel warning, eight railway bridges in Iran are struck. At least two civilians reportedly are killed.
01:20Netanyahu hails the move. U.S. forces also strike Iran's key oil hub, Kargaila.
01:31Amid the deadlock over the Strait of Hormuz, Iran vows to up the ante, threatens to shut down Bab el
01:38-Mandev waterway as well if the situation escalates, says won't open the Hormuz Strait in exchange of empty promises.
01:49Violence returns to Manipur. Two children are killed after their home was struck by a rocket-like projectile.
01:56Attack triggers a stir. Two protesters killed while trying to storm a CRPF post. Security tightened across the state.
02:06Ra over Assam chief minister's wife's passport and alleged properties in Dubai escalates.
02:12Assam police searches Congress media in charge. Pawan Khaira's home in Delhi.
02:18Cops claim incriminating material found. Khaira is not in Delhi, even as his party alleges it's a witch hunt.
02:28Ahead of the Bengal elections, over 90 lakh names removed in the SIR exercise.
02:33Mamata Banerjee claims votes of a specific community being deleted.
02:37In a number of places, Muslim-dominated districts have seen the highest deletions.
02:46Hearing on a plea challenging the 2018 Shabrimala verdict begins, Supreme Court says women can't be untouchable for three days
02:53a month.
02:54Petitioners argue that ban is about celibacy, not menstruation.
02:59One-man Sukesh Chandrasekhar gets bail in a connection to a money-laundering case related to the AI-DMK's two
03:06-leafs election symbol,
03:07but will remain in jail pending other cases against him.
03:12And Air India remains in turbulence after CEO Wilson Campbell resigns.
03:17Tata Group-owned airline carrier grappling with persistent losses and increased regulatory scrutiny after the Ahmedabad air crash.
03:39But the big story that we are breaking tonight, Donald Trump has once again upped the ante against Iran ahead
03:45of his self-imposed deadline of 5.30 a.m. in India.
03:50A whole civilization, he says, will die tonight.
03:54U.S. strikes Iran's export hub of Karg Island.
03:58Trump's deadline, remember, is set to expire at 5.30 a.m. Indian Standard Time or 8 p.m. Eastern
04:03Standard Time in America.
04:05Israel has continued now to target railways and bridges in Iran.
04:09Iran has hit energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia in retaliation.
04:15But for now, clearly, that deadline is approaching.
04:18Let's go straight across to Rohit Sharma, who's joining me from Washington.
04:22Pranay Upadhyay joining us from Tel Aviv.
04:26Rohit, we heard what the U.S. President said or tweeted a short while ago.
04:30Is the sense you're getting in Washington that Donald Trump believes that the next 48 hours will be used to
04:36strike Iran in a manner,
04:38as he claims, will completely destroy a civilization?
04:43Or is that a negotiating tactic again to push Iran to negotiate and have a deal?
04:49I think it's both, Rajdeep.
04:52I think it is definitely a negotiating tactic.
04:54I mean, we've seen President Trump do this over and over again.
04:56You know, he would threaten people and have these extreme positions.
05:01And then, you know, he has seen success with people, you know, coming to the table and negotiating with him.
05:07So I think it's kind of both.
05:08We learned earlier this morning that there are talks taking place with Iranian officials,
05:13that there are certain good steps and positive steps that have occurred since this morning.
05:19Some people even saying that, you know, we could possibly have a deal before the end of the day.
05:22So we'll have to wait and watch, Rajdeep.
05:24And just to inform our viewers, President Trump just...
05:27What a deal, Rohit.
05:27If I may ask, what kind of deal is at all there on the table when you're seeing U.S.
05:32forces bomb Khark Island,
05:33the Israelis strike the railway lines?
05:36Well, Rajdeep, what we've learned is the impasse is the state of hormones.
05:41I think President Trump wants the state of hormones to be opened without any preconditions.
05:45And Iran does not want to agree to doing that unless the war is stopped fully.
05:49So that is the last remaining piece is what we've been told.
05:53But again, you know, President Trump in his true form just spoke to Fox News a while ago
05:57and said, acknowledged when he spoke to Fox News saying,
06:01yes, you know, there are negotiations that are moving forward,
06:03but my plan for 8 p.m. stands as is.
06:07So he is continuing to do what he does the best,
06:10which is threaten and also fairly try to negotiate with the adversaries.
06:14Rajdeep.
06:15Whether it's brinkmanship or brink madness, we'll wait and see.
06:17But joining me also is Pranay Upadir.
06:20Pranay, we've seen the Israelis continue, in fact, intensify their airstrikes on Iran.
06:25They've targeted civilian infrastructure.
06:27They've targeted oil fields.
06:29And they're celebrating the fact that the United States is targeting Khark Island.
06:33Is Israel part of any of these negotiations or deals?
06:36Will they continue in their own direction or follow whatever Donald Trump does?
06:41Rajdeep, absolutely.
06:42There is no contact between Israel and Iran.
06:45Whatever negotiations, whatever direct or indirect diplomatic contacts are being maintained,
06:51that is only through certain internal locators or some countries who are, you know,
06:56so-called mediating for the process between Washington, D.C. and Tehran.
06:59But certainly, as far as the idea position, as far as the Israeli position is concerned,
07:03if you see the latest statement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
07:07he clearly said that we have started taking out the civilian infrastructure,
07:13the infrastructure which is used by the IRGC to mobilize their resources.
07:17And in fact, in the last of his statement, you know, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that
07:22this conflict has changed the dynamic between Israel and Iran forever,
07:26because Iran is much, you know, much weaker than it was at the beginning of this conflict,
07:33and Israel has turned out to be much stronger at this, you know, at this juncture.
07:38So clearly, you know, I think Israelis are utilizing this window, this narrowing window,
07:44to take out the maximum number of targets, you know, whatever they can engage in.
07:50We have seen in past 24 hours that how in the length and breadth of Iran,
07:54they have targeted various locations,
07:56from Marabad airport to Amesh airport, to the railway, eight railway bridges,
08:01to, you know, to Shiraz, to Isfahan, to various other cities of Iran.
08:06Okay. Pranay Upadhyay, Rohit Sharma, we'll keep a close watch
08:10as that deadline approaches in about seven, eight hours from now.
08:14But thank you both for joining me from Washington and Tel Aviv.
08:17Just to give you the latest on the war updates,
08:21unprecedented escalation in the West Asia war,
08:24just hours before Donald Trump's self-imposed deadline runs out.
08:28Iran has now cut off all communication channels they claim with the United States,
08:33after Trump warned a whole civilization will die tonight if the talks don't succeed.
08:39Let's look at the top latest developments on the war front.
08:43Explosions reported on Iran's Khark Island,
08:46following multiple strikes by the U.S. and Israel.
08:49Iran media reports power has been cut off in Khark Island following the U.S. bombing of 50 targets.
08:55Khark Island is Iran's main oil export hub,
08:57handling about 1.5 billion barrels of crude daily.
09:02Initial reports of a U.S.-Israeli strike targeting Kashan Railway,
09:06Yaya Abad Bridge, Qom Bridge.
09:08A railway bridge strike in Kashan has killed at least two people, officials claim.
09:12Israel has confirmed a wide wave of attacks on bridges, railways and Kree infrastructure,
09:16including a major link between Karaj and Tehran.
09:20Power outages are now being reported across parts of Iran after strikes,
09:24damaged sections of the electricity grid, including areas in and around Tehran.
09:28Initial disruptions were triggered when transmission lines and substations were hit,
09:32cutting supplies to several neighborhoods in Tehran and nearby Karaj.
09:36Citizens in Awaz and Tabriz of Iran formed a human chain around key infrastructure,
09:40including bridges and power plants,
09:42in a symbolic protest against threatened strikes on civilian sites.
09:46Iranian authorities have urged youth, students, artists to participate
09:50to protect vital installations ahead of the U.S. deadline.
09:55Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance says the ball is in Iran's court
09:59and that U.S. expects a response by 8 p.m. Eastern time.
10:03He expressed confidence in Tehran will reply,
10:05emphasize the need to keep oil and gas flowing for global energy stability.
10:10This is Iran Media Reports.
10:12Tehran has shut down all diplomatic channels with the United States.
10:16U.S. media says that military strikes are the most likely outcome
10:20ahead of the deadline set by Donald Trump.
10:22Options include no action, progress in negotiations or direct strikes.
10:26But Donald Trump's deadlines could include a follow-up this time
10:31and the strikes could come immediately after the deadline claimed that report.
10:36A ballistic missile reportedly fired from Iran struck the Thuraya
10:39telecommunication company headquarters in the central region of the United Arab Emirates.
10:44Two Pakistani nationals sustained moderate injuries and have been hospitalized.
10:49Fire and heavy smoke seen near the Mehrabad International Airport
10:53in central Tehran after the strikes.
10:54Iranian media reporting multiple locations across the capital were struck in the early hours.
10:59The extent of the damage and casualties are not immediately clear.
11:04Iranian drones have hit Bahrain's energy infrastructure.
11:07Saudi Arabia has shut the King Fahd causeway after missile threats,
11:12signaling that the war is no longer contained.
11:14It's spreading.
11:16U.S. oil prices have jumped more than 2% after reports that U.S.-Israeli strikes
11:20targeted Iran's strategic Khark Island, a key node in Tehran's crude oil export system.
11:25The spike reflects market fears of tighter global supply amidst the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
11:40And as that Trump deadline approaches, joining me now is a special guest, Jason Greenblatt,
11:46former White House Middle East special envoy joins me.
11:49Appreciate you joining us there, Mr. Greenblatt.
11:52Your first reactions, what are we likely to get from Donald Trump in a few hours from now?
11:58What's your expectation?
12:01I don't think the Iranian regime is going to come up with something that will be even close
12:06to what President Trump is expecting.
12:08I think it's not in their style.
12:10I don't think they're interested in surrendering.
12:12And I think President Trump is serious that if he doesn't get anything that is workable,
12:17that he could try to negotiate into a deal that makes sense for America, for the world, really,
12:22I think he's going to proceed with the attacks that he's threatening in terms of infrastructure
12:27and anything that remotely can help the Iranian regime continues to succeed in threatening
12:34the region and in threatening the world.
12:36So you're saying there's absolutely no chance, you see, even as this deadline approaches of
12:41a negotiated settlement, that could come or at least a temporary ceasefire?
12:46I think only if the Iranians realize, excuse me, how serious President Trump is and come
12:53up with a serious proposal.
12:55What they proposed before was completely unserious.
12:58It had no chance of ever succeeding.
13:00If they're smart and they want to actually continue to rule the Iranian people, they need
13:07to come up with a deal that makes sense, even if it's not 100 percent what President Trump
13:11is asking. But I don't see the Iranian regime doing it.
13:15But the point, Mr. Greenblatt, is the 15-point plan that Donald Trump had put out effectively
13:21was seen by many Iranians or the Iranian government as a surrender.
13:25And Iran is not willing to surrender.
13:27So obviously, in any negotiation, there has to be some give and take.
13:32Is there a possibility on the American side, you believe, of some willingness to concede
13:37a few of the points that the Iranians have made, particularly an assurance that there
13:42will be no further strikes?
13:44I don't see how President Trump could assure them that there will be no further strikes
13:48while they remain a threat.
13:50So when they came back with a proposal that suggested that America and Israel would have
13:54to pay reparations to them and that Congress would have to approve and the UN would have
13:59to approve and that they'd control the strait, it was a complete lack of seriousness.
14:03So unless they're going to come back with a proposal that completely gives up their ability
14:08to threaten the world with nuclear arms, and they come back with a proposal that makes
14:13sense on the missile threat, I don't think we have a chance at stopping the attacks tonight
14:17on Iran.
14:18So is it about the missile threat and Iran's nuclear capability, Mr. Greenblatt, or is it
14:24about reopening the Strait of Hormuz because that's what the President has been also calling
14:28for, is Strait of Hormuz on the table?
14:31Because the Iranians have made it very clear, they're not going to open the strait.
14:34In fact, they're saying they could even close the strait in the Red Sea using the support
14:40of the Houthis.
14:42Right.
14:43So I think it's all three.
14:44I mean, the nuclear threat for sure.
14:46And at the moment anyway, the nuclear threat is not an immediate emergency because whatever
14:50nuclear material they have left is buried underground.
14:54The missile threat remains real while the US and Israel have done a tremendous job destroying
14:59a lot of that capability, and the Arab nations in Israel have done a great job defending against
15:04that capability.
15:04It's clear they still have missiles.
15:07But the strait is an immediate issue, essentially for the world, much less for America, but even
15:13still for America.
15:14And most of the world has tremendous trouble because of the strait.
15:18So I do think that the attacks tonight are going to be moving toward figuring out how
15:23President Trump can reopen the strait, no matter what he says about how it's more Europe's
15:29problem.
15:29I think Europe is not, I think, let me just finish.
15:32I think Europe is not standing up.
15:34I think the Europeans are being cowards.
15:36And President Trump sees it as his role to help open it to save the world.
15:41You're saying the Europeans are being cowards.
15:43On the other hand, the Europeans could well turn around and say they do not want to participate
15:46in what they see as war crimes, attacking civilian infrastructure, power plants, bridges, the
15:53Israelis targeting railway lines.
15:55All of this is seen by many as war crimes.
15:58Do you believe that that doesn't bother the Trump administration a bit?
16:03I think journalists, and sorry, I'm sure this isn't you, but journalists in America that
16:08are saying that are being very silly, right?
16:11The United States, like India, is a nation of laws.
16:13There is no way that the United States would commit, knowingly commit, war crimes.
16:18And President Trump is not interested in committing war crimes.
16:21They're going to have a bunch of lawyers...
16:22But it is a war crime, sir.
16:22Sorry to interrupt.
16:23It is a war crime to target civilian infrastructure.
16:26It is a violation of the Geneva Convention, or these conventions no longer matter.
16:31There's a Trumpian world war, a world order where a rules-based order doesn't matter,
16:35Mr. Greenblatt.
16:36No, it's much more complicated than how you're shortchanging the law.
16:40If those civilian infrastructures are also used to advance war, everything has to be looked
16:47at in the complete context of what it is you're attacking, how you're attacking it,
16:51what it is that it does towards Iran's war aims.
16:54This kind of thing can't be done in a tweet by a journalist and an op-ed in the Wall
16:58Street
16:59Journal or the New York Times.
17:00There are teams of lawyers looking at this material, and there's no way that President
17:05Trump would knowingly violate, would knowingly commit a war crime.
17:10Absolutely insane to suggest that.
17:12But Mr. Greenblatt, at the end of the day, to find a solution, many believe both sides
17:18would like to claim victory.
17:20Do you see, how do you see the Americans, what will constitute victory for the Trump administration?
17:26A complete capitulation?
17:27A regime change?
17:29A complete surrender?
17:33So, I don't think President Trump really cares about whether the Iranians could claim victory.
17:37I think what President Trump cares about is making sure, and he's said this, and his administration
17:43has said this time and time again, that they're not going to be a nuclear threat, that they're
17:48not going to be a missile threat, that the Strait of Hormuz has opened.
17:52Of course, there would be a bonus if there's a regime change, but that benefits the people
17:55of Iran, and the United States is not into the business of regime change.
18:00If it happens, that's terrific, really terrific for Iran, but that's not the primary goal of
18:06this operation.
18:07But how do you win the, you know, a negotiated settlement requires trust.
18:13Even as we speak, Khark Island has been bombed, as I said.
18:16Railway lines have been targeted.
18:19Why should the Iranians really trust America, and especially Israel?
18:23It's not just America, it's Israel, which also is pursuing its own agenda.
18:27So, how do you restore trust, given all that has happened over the last month?
18:32In war, that's always hard to restore.
18:34But if the Iranians want to keep their country, want to be able to actually rule, what is it,
18:4190 million or so people have a successful country, then they have to realize that they
18:46can't stand up to the United States of America and threaten the world.
18:49If they're not interested in that, and they want their bloodthirsty theocracy to continue
18:54to rule over the Iranian people and threaten the world, trust doesn't matter, because they're
18:59just going to do whatever they have to do to try to stay alive.
19:01That, by the way, is what I'm afraid of.
19:03I think they will do everything in their power just to stay alive, to continue to threaten
19:08the world, and subjugate the Iranian people.
19:11So, what you're telling me, you expect a further escalation in the next few days.
19:17I do.
19:18Okay.
19:19Mr. Greenback, for joining me there and giving us a perspective in a sense that reflects perhaps
19:24the views of the Trump administration in particular, thank you so much for joining me on the show
19:29tonight.
19:30Thanks for having me.
19:32Okay, we've heard the American perspective.
19:34Let's get an Iranian perspective.
19:36I'm now joined by Milad Rabbani.
19:38He's a former Iranian diplomat.
19:40Joins me live from Istanbul.
19:42Appreciate, Mr. Rabbani, you joining us.
19:44It appears at the moment that Iran is unwilling to buckle at all.
19:48Are we saying that there is no deal now on the table, that Iran is prepared to take whatever
19:54Donald Trump has in store for them in terms of military strikes?
19:59Yes.
20:02Thank you for having me.
20:04First of all, I need to tell you, for the Iranian regime, when we mention Iran, we mean Iranian
20:13regime.
20:14And the Iranian regime, they don't care absolutely about the infrastructure and the life of people.
20:21And the more the casualties of the war increase, they will take advantage of this more and more.
20:31And it's better for the Iranian regime, because now they made an enemy, a foreign enemy, Donald
20:38Trump and Netanyahu, and they are invading Iran.
20:43Even the regime, they know the people don't care about the regime.
20:47And the Iranian regime used the country as a pretext.
20:51They said, okay, now the country is under invasion.
20:56And there is a minister, Donald Trump, who is invading us.
20:59So, come and help us.
21:02And some people believe that, and they will join them.
21:06So, the regime knows how to use it as a pretext and how to take advantage of this.
21:14This action, even the words today, Trump said, they are a blessing in disguise for Iranian regime.
21:24No, so you're saying the Iranian regime actually wants, is spoiling for a fight.
21:31This is what sustains them.
21:33Is that what you're saying?
21:34That their future, their survival is at stake, so they will do whatever it takes.
21:40They will never surrender, is what you're saying.
21:44Exactly.
21:45And if I want to give you an example, no need to go for the World War cases.
21:50You can see the praxis of this regime, like Hamas.
21:56Hamas, when they attacked Israel in October 7th, they knew they don't have the capability to fight with Israel.
22:04And Israel, in retaliation, attacked and destroyed the Gaza.
22:11They knew that, Hamas, I mean.
22:14They did.
22:15Because they don't care about this.
22:17They fight until they die.
22:19And you cannot change their mentality.
22:22Their mentality is to fight or to die.
22:26And the Iranian regime, it's in their policy.
22:29It's in their blood.
22:30They use crisis to solve the crisis.
22:34And just imagine if the war is ended and the Iranian regime, they will leave the nuclear program.
22:43No.
22:44They will leave the praxis.
22:45No.
22:46They will leave the missiles.
22:48Absolutely not, especially after these two wars.
22:51And now going to weapons of mass destruction is an urgent for Iranian regime.
22:59So, I believe there is only one victory for Trump.
23:04If Trump wants to be the victory of this war, he should just consider the regime change.
23:13Without regime change, it is not possible.
23:17But the images that we are seeing from Tehran are of people who seemingly are standing by the regime.
23:25There are images, and I'll play them on the screen, of people actually who are standing in solidarity in bridges
23:32at various places that the U.S. has threatened to target railway lines.
23:36Are you telling me the people want Iran to surrender or give up the fight?
23:43If I want to tell you about most of the Iranian people, most of the Iranian people want the regime
23:48to collapse.
23:50They don't want the regime or against the regime.
23:52And you see people, some people came, and that's the point I mentioned at first.
23:57I told you the Iranian regime knows how to take the advantages of this war, how to make a foreign
24:05invader like Trump as a monster and to use it as a pretext for the people of Iran to provoke
24:14them,
24:14to bring them on the streets, on the bridges, and to use it as a news feed, as a propaganda,
24:21and to show the world what we have.
24:24You know, the Iranian regime has got some capability.
24:27They are not disabled.
24:29If they were disabled, absolutely disabled, Trump is a person who believes the might is right.
24:35And now we would observe the U.S. troops, U.S. Marines were on the ground, but still they cannot
24:44do that because they know the capability of Iran.
24:48And Iran can continue to launching missiles.
24:51I believe there is a possibility even that Donald Trump use nuclear weapons, let's say, not nuclear weapons, strategic nuclear
25:04weapons to destroy the missile cities, because missile cities are impenetrable.
25:11And when he used that, we will see he came and he started exaggerating his achievement.
25:17We did a great job.
25:19We used the nuclear weapons after the World War II for the second time to kill an evil, to destroy
25:27the structures that no one can destroy.
25:30And there will be some exaggeration on this.
25:34So I believe...
25:36Mr. Rabani, you're basically saying the regime is not going to surrender, that the regime is not going to accept
25:44a negotiated settlement.
25:45They will continue because, as you rightly said there, in a way, the crisis has only strengthened in some way
25:52the regime, or this is exactly what the regime wants for its survival.
25:57But I appreciate you joining me there, Mr. Rabani, for giving us that perspective.
26:03This is someone who was, of course, once with the Iranian government.
26:07You are joining me there from Istanbul.
26:10I want to turn from there to Sandeep Unitan.
26:13He has been telling us...
26:15Sandeep, you've been telling us the options that Donald Trump has in terms of military strikes.
26:20We've seen today, Khark Island being targeted.
26:23If Donald Trump exercises what he calls this ultimate option of obliterating Iran, what does he do?
26:29Well, Rajdeep, he'd first look at, you know, the military option, that is, to target the islands.
26:35He could deploy the military force that he already has in theatre.
26:38There's about 50,000 soldiers there.
26:40There are more coming in.
26:41There are marine expeditionary units.
26:43One is already in theatre.
26:44The second one is coming in there.
26:46That they could look at, you know, with a ground invasion component to hold and seize the islands.
26:53That's one, of course.
26:54The other option before them is to degrade the regime.
26:58That's regime degradation operations that would involve intense aerial strikes.
27:03It would cripple Iran's infrastructure.
27:04It would paralyze the regime's ability to move troops, men and material, across the country.
27:10It would hollow the regime out in a way that it would not be able to survive for very long.
27:15And, of course, all of this actually leads to negotiations.
27:18And negotiations is what the United States wants.
27:21It desperately wants an off-ramp.
27:24It wants a victory that Trump can then say that, look, the Iranians surrendered.
27:29They gave me my win and I am exiting now.
27:32That, of course, is the ultimate goal.
27:35But so far, it seems like Tehran is unwilling to listen to Trump's terms
27:39because they have been holding out so far week number six.
27:43And it looks like they'll continue doing so, Rajdeep.
27:46Can I just ask you for a moment, Kharg Island, do you see that as a potential,
27:50the next locus of conflict that the Americans will look to, in some way, either degrade or take over Kharg
27:58Island
27:59and then try and use that as leverage to get the Strait of Hormuz opened?
28:04Absolutely. Rajdeep, they could look at not just Kharg Island, but also the other small islands at the mouth of
28:09the Strait of Hormuz.
28:10Because their priority is to get Iran, they need leverage to get Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz.
28:16And that could come by capturing all of those islands at the mouth.
28:19You have islands like Keshim, Larak, Hormuz, all of those very critical islands through which Iran controls the Strait of
28:25Hormuz.
28:26They could use that as leverage against Iran. And of course, at the very end of the Persian Gulf,
28:31you have the jewel in Iran's crown that is Kharg Island through which 90% of Iran's oil and gas
28:38flows out.
28:38So this is a strategy to get military leverage over Iran to try and get them to open up and
28:43try and get them to surrender.
28:45But easier said than done, presumably also, because at some stage that would require probably a ground presence,
28:51something that the president has been resisting so far.
28:54Absolutely. And that is, Rajdeep, that's the reason why you've got these expeditionary units,
28:58the 82nd Airborne, you've got the Marine Expeditionary units coming in.
29:02These are rapid response forces. They can't be used for a full-scale invasion,
29:06but they can be used for special operations like this to capture and hold small islands,
29:1120 square kilometer, 30 square kilometer islands.
29:14This is what they're really good at. The Marines are, you know, this is their only training that they're given
29:19to launch from the sea, capture island objectives. They've done that in the Second World War,
29:24in the island hopping campaign, they'll possibly be asked to do that again.
29:27But, you know, bear in mind that all of this looks very good on paper, but once it hits the
29:33ground,
29:34then, you know, it could just be an Operation Market Guard and a bridge too far kind of moment
29:39for the US troops on ground.
29:41Okay. I'm going to leave it there. Sandeep Unitan, good to have you on the show to explain that.
29:45Thank you very much.
29:46I want to turn from there to another special guest joining me. Ali Vais is Director of the Iran Project,
29:52Senior Advisor at the Crisis Group, joins me. He's a fellow also at Georgetown University.
29:57Appreciate you joining me, Ali. I want to understand the deadline that Donald Trump has set
30:04for Iran expires in just a few hours from now. Do you see any possibility of an agreement,
30:10if not a ceasefire? Or do you believe that's a distant possibility given the kind of rhetoric
30:15and indeed the strikes that we are seeing from the Israelis and the Americans in particular over the last 24
30:20hours?
30:23It's good to be with you. It's very hard to be optimistic about the prospect of any kind of
30:29deal at this point. The parties still have very divergent positions. They're sticking to a set of
30:35maximalist demands. And Iran doesn't want any kind of ceasefire or a pause because it believes that that
30:44would be used by the US and Israel to rearm, regroup and attack them again. Therefore, they're seeking
30:50some sort of a comprehensive solution, which obviously is not possible to achieve in the next
30:58few hours. So the most likely scenario, unfortunately, is escalation.
31:03What we've also seen, Mr. Vais, is Israel actually upping the ante, bombarding Iran,
31:09targeting Tehran in particular, targeting civilian infrastructure, even the South Par's oil field,
31:16given the kind of pressure, therefore, that the Iranian regime is coming under under these sustained
31:21attacks. Are you saying that Iran will still stick to a maximalist position that they will not accept
31:27reopening the Strait of Hormuz? Or are you seeing some quiet negotiations and deal making happening
31:34behind closed doors? Look, from the Iranian perspective, if they agree to anything that
31:43amounts to capitulation to US terms, this would not be the end of the conflict. It would basically just
31:49postpone the punishment, and Israel and the US would eventually come after the critical infrastructure.
31:56So now that they believe that they have the upper hand by choking off the Strait of Hormuz,
32:02they should go all the way by imposing a massive cost on the United States, on Israel and the rest
32:08of
32:08the world, so that this would never happen again. This is why, regardless of who is the interlocutor
32:14and what kind of messages are being taken back and forth, I think it is really the question of political
32:22will on both sides. And when you look at that, both sides still believe that they can deliver a decisive
32:29blow to the other. Both sides still are reluctant to pay the price of compromise and making concessions
32:37to the other. And that's why, again, unfortunately, it is very hard to be optimistic about any kind of
32:44diplomatic breakthrough at this moment. What you're saying, therefore, Ali, is that Iran wants to
32:49leverage the fact that they blocked the Strait of Hormuz, thereby disrupted supply lines for oil economy
32:54across the world. But at the same time, Donald Trump could well take advantage, one would argue,
33:00of the complete aerial domination that America and Israel have shown in this war. And he says he can
33:06take out Iran in just one night. Every bridge will be decimated. Every power plant will be put out.
33:12Is that just tough talk ahead of the deadline? Or do you believe that Donald Trump really means it?
33:18Well, that's right. And you would go after civilian infrastructure when you are frustrated that
33:27after six weeks of bombing, and as the president said, more than 13,000 targets in Iran have been
33:34bombed, you still haven't been able to achieve your strategic objectives. And indeed, if he carries on the
33:42risk of destroying Iranian critical infrastructure, the Iranians still have what it takes to retaliate
33:51in kind in the Gulf region and in Israel, there's a lot of vulnerability in all of these areas. And
33:57if
33:58we end up with a scorched earth stretching from all the way from Israel to the Gulf, it's not a
34:05catastrophe that would remain limited to the borders of that region. This is when we will be talking
34:12about oil going above $250 a barrel. This is when we will have an economic meltdown at the global
34:19level. And all of this is going to backfire on President Trump, who in an election year has
34:27created a catastrophe that he has lost control over. But for that very reason, for the very fear
34:32of a catastrophe that this could spiral out of control and it's going to hit the world economy,
34:38don't you see that offering possibly one of the windows of opportunity that some rationality could
34:43prevail that maybe one of the proposals that has been made apparently is a temporary 45-day ceasefire
34:49being brokered by Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey. I read a tweet where you said three options, Ali,
34:56were escalation, degradation and negotiation. From what you're saying now,
35:00you believe escalation more likely than degradation and negotiation?
35:06Yes. Look, Iranians accepted the ceasefire last year after the 12-day war
35:14in 2025, only to be the subject of aggression again eight months later. This is why under no scenario
35:22they would be able to accept just the pure ceasefire without any kind of guarantees that this would not
35:28happen again and without the U.S. actually making some serious concessions to them so that they can
35:35see that the U.S.'s strategic calculus has changed. That hasn't happened and that's why a ceasefire is
35:43unlikely. I think what the mediators could do, and so far they seem to have had more ambitious
35:51agendas in mind, is to at least put a ceiling on the level of escalation. If both sides would agree
35:59that civilian infrastructure would be off the table, that in and of itself would be progress.
36:04And then maybe from there one could make more incremental progress by, for instance, allowing food
36:11and fertilizer to pass through the Strait of Hormoz, an initiative similar to what the U.N. did
36:18in the Black Sea at the beginning of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. That kind of arrangement,
36:27especially if Iran can also benefit from it by collecting transit tolls, and Oman on behalf of
36:32the Gulf Cooperation Council could also collect tolls as part of the region's recovery from this conflict.
36:40Those are the kind of mutually beneficial win-win arrangements that would build a degree of trust
36:47that at the end of this war, one could come up with some sort of win-win scenarios. But again,
36:54at this moment that we're speaking, we're miles away from that process.
36:58Exactly. We're miles away from those scenarios. So I want to ask you in conclusion, in your view,
37:03Ali, can the Iranian regime withstand another month or two of such kind of relentless bombardment
37:10that's aimed at degrading the Iranian infrastructure? As I said, the Israelis in
37:14particular seem determined to carry on. How long can Iran hold out?
37:20Look, this is a game of endurance, and the Iranians believe that they can endure much longer than the
37:26United States and Israel can. Especially, again, in a scenario that the electricity grid in Israel is
37:33also targeted and destroyed. In a scenario that oil exports from the region are completely halted,
37:41because at this moment, two-thirds of UAE and Saudi oil is still going through the Red Sea and
37:46Babel Mandab to Asian markets. If the Babel Mandab is closed because the Houthis would do so on behalf of
37:52Iran, or if the pipelines in Saudi Arabia are targeted and access to the Red Sea is gone,
37:59then we will be dealing with a situation that is equally painful for the other side.
38:04This is why, you know, the Iranians also looking at US's experience in Afghanistan and in Iraq,
38:11their neighbors, they know that time is on their side. And unless the US was willing to put the kind
38:17of boots on the ground that could result in regime change, and here we're talking about
38:22half a million to a million US ground troops, which is just not on the cards,
38:26that would be the only thing that could topple the Islamic Republic. And so they believe that
38:31they can survive this, and they believe that through controlling the strait, they can reconstruct,
38:37because they will have a revenue. Interesting. You seem to believe that the Iranians are
38:42convinced that time is on their side. The big question, of course, does Donald Trump really have
38:48that kind of time on his side, or is he running out of patience? I appreciate Ali you joining me
38:55here
38:56on the show tonight. Thank you very much.
38:59Let's turn to the top national story. Manipur is once again on the edge, and this time the victims
39:05are infants, small children. A five-year-old boy and his infant sister were killed after a suspected
39:12rocket projectile slammed into their home in Bishnupur's Moirang, even as they were sleeping.
39:18Their mother remains critical. Their father is a BSF Jawan. What followed was anger on the streets,
39:24protests turning violent, and a direct clash with security forces. Twenty people injured,
39:31three now confirmed dead, as the unrest spirals. The Mete groups are blaming kooky militants for what
39:38happened, and the ethnic violence and the clashes are back to haunt Manipur. Take a look.
39:51The fragile calm of Manipur shattered in seconds. A powerful explosion in the early hours of Tuesday
39:59killed two children, a five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister. Their mother is critically
40:07injured. The attack took place in Moirang in Bishnupur district.
40:14The victim's house, hit by a projectile, suffered major damage.
40:38The killing has sparked angry protests. The situation escalated when a mob stormed a
40:46CRPF camp forcing security forces to open fire and use tear gas to disperse the crowd. At least 19
40:54people were injured.
41:13Curfew is now imposed in Bishnupur. Internet is shut across five districts as authorities scramble to contain the unrest.
41:22Bureau Report, India Today.
41:27Troubling scenes there from Manipur. Let's turn to the battle on the campaign trail. Remember,
41:33polling or campaigning ended in Assam today. And on this last day of campaign, there was high drama.
41:39Because the Assam police landed up in Delhi, outside the residence of the Congress media in charge,
41:45Pavan Kheda. This came a day after an FIR was filed by Chief Minister Hemant Abhiswa Sarma's wife,
41:53Rinqi Bhuya Sharma. Kheda had made allegations against the Chief Minister and his wife, accusing them of
41:59acquiring properties and illegal businesses in UAE and America and even three passports of his wife.
42:05Now those passports reportedly have turned out to be forged. Or certainly the Egyptian embassy claims
42:11they were forgery. The police searched Kheda's residence, claims to have seized material which
42:17they claim is incriminating. How is all this playing out and where is Pavan Kheda? Take a look.
42:30What began as a war of words has now turned into police action. Assam police, assisted by Delhi police,
42:38reached Pavan Kheda's Delhi home after an FIR was registered by Riniki Bhuyaan Sharma,
42:44wife of Chief Minister Hemant Abhiswa Sarma. Police claim incriminating material has been recovered
42:51from the residents and say a case has already been lodged with the crime branch in Goahati. But Kheda
42:58wasn't there. Police say they don't know his whereabouts and have made it clear that they will trace him.
43:23The crackdown comes after Kheda leveled explosive charges against Sharma and his wife. Kheda alleged
43:30that the Chief Minister's wife holds multiple passports. The couple owns properties in UAE and they have
43:36set up a company in the US. The BJP rejected the allegations outright as false, defamatory and politically motivated.
43:49Hemanth Abhiswa Sarma.
43:50Hemanth Abhiswa Sarma की धर्मपत्नी, Riniki Bhuya Sarma के पास एक नहीं,
43:59दो नहीं, तीन पासपोर्ट हैं.
44:03तीनों पासपोर्ट लिविंग पासपोर्ट हैं,
44:06एक्सपायर नहीं हुए हैं. हम यह जानना चाहते हैं, कि क्या,
44:11Riniki Bhuya Sarma बारत का पासपोर्ट भी रखती हैं.
44:17Riniki Bhuya Sarma has since hit back with an FIR,
44:20taking the battle from the political arena to the legal battlefield.
44:24These are all fake allegations, these are all AI generated,
44:29already been confirmed, so now we are just waiting for the justice because I have lost an FIR.
44:35And Himanta Bhetsu Sarma has gone on the offensive, mocking Kheda,
44:39claiming he has fled to Hyderabad, a Congress-ruled state.
45:00The Congress is refusing to back down.
45:22All of this unfolding when there is less than 48 hours left.
45:25Dharma questions the nationalism and the nationality of others.
45:32This election battle has crossed into legal territory,
45:36with the countdown to polling period only raising the stakes.
45:41Bureau Report, India Today.
45:48And of course, just a reminder that campaigning ended today in Assam, Keralam and Puducherry.
45:54All these three states will go to the polls on the 9th, that's day after tomorrow,
45:58and the stage is set for a high-stakes electoral battle in Assam.
46:01Of course, the BJP-led NDS pushing for a third straight term.
46:05The Congress has and its allies mounting a challenge to them.
46:09In Keralam, history is on the line.
46:11The left front is aiming for a third consecutive win under Pindrai Vijayan's leadership,
46:15while the Congress-led UDF is banking on anti-incumbency and a call for change with the BJP, hoping to
46:22play the role of a disruptor.
46:24In Puducherry, it is again a BJP-NRC-led government that is hoping to retain power against a DMK-Congress
46:34alliance.
46:34So, we'll see how those polls go, but that's on the 9th of April.
46:43Okay, now let's turn to a good news today story, and it is a good news story that you'd like
46:48to watch.
46:48A story that is inspiring millions across the country.
46:5218-year-old Payal Nag has done the unthinkable.
46:55A quadruple amputee from Odisha, she's now been crowned world champion in para-archery.
47:02Facing her own idol, Sheetal Devi, on the global stage in Bangkok,
47:06Payal didn't just compete, she conquered.
47:09From a life-altering tragedy to rewriting history,
47:13her journey is now being hailed across the nation.
47:16Good news today.
47:18Has a match arrow here.
47:20From a devastating accident to a defining moment on the global stage.
47:25And why not finish it with a 10?
47:27Wow, Payal Nag has got the victory.
47:30She has beaten the world champion, Sheetal Devi.
47:33Payal Nag, a limbless archer, is now a world champion.
47:41Facing none other than her idol, Sheetal Devi, in the World Archery Para Series final in Bangkok,
47:47Payal held her nerve, shot after shot, point after point.
47:54At just eight years old, Payal had lost all four limbs after being electrocuted.
48:01Years later, a viral video of her painting with her mouth caught the attention of coach Kuldeep Kumar Vedwan,
48:07who also trains Sheetal Devi.
48:10Sheetal Devi.
48:11I was the first drawing, so someone had tweeted me on Twitter.
48:15So my guru ji saw me on Twitter, I was the one who called me on the phone.
48:21I was the one who called me on the Twitter, I was the one who called me on the secretary,
48:22I was the one who called her secretary, then I called her to her.
48:40Pail's story caught the attention of industrialist Anand Mahindra, who took to social media to
48:45praise her extraordinary achievement.
48:48From national podiums to international glory, Pail's rise has been nothing short of inspirational.
48:55Bureau Report, India Today.
49:00What a wonderful, wonderful story.
49:02India's para-athletes over the years have done the country proud.
49:06Pail is the latest.
49:07We wish her well.
49:09Okay, I want to leave you with our image tonight.
49:11Donald Trump's deadline expires in a few hours from now and then he's threatening to virtually
49:17destroy Iran's civilization.
49:19But even as he threatens to obliterate Iran, Iranians are out on the street forming human
49:24chains to protect their bridges and power plants from US strikes.
49:29These are symbolic gestures, but clearly whether they are driven by what the regime wants or
49:34whether they are spontaneous.
49:36Iran has shown over the last six weeks that they are not going to surrender so easily.
49:44How it all plays out, we'll wait and see.
49:47There's a long night ahead with Donald Trump.
49:50You never know what comes next.
49:52But I leave you with these visuals tonight.
49:55Thanks for watching.
49:56Stay well.
49:57Stay safe.
49:59Good night.
49:59Shubratri.
50:00Jai Hind.
50:01Namaskar.
50:02Right.
50:03Jesus.
50:03Last time, there's a lot of problems that are historically disappeared.
50:07That's how I do.
50:07But Jesus really went forward.
50:10trorordnung.
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