00:00What's the status of extending the Iran ceasefire in Carolina?
00:03Yes, so I saw some reporting, again, bad reporting this morning that we had formally requested an extension of the
00:09ceasefire.
00:10That is not true at this moment.
00:12We've remained very much engaged in these negotiations, in these talks.
00:16You heard from the vice president directly and the president this week that these conversations are productive and ongoing, and
00:23that's where we are right now.
00:24I've also seen some reporting about the potentiality for in-person discussions.
00:28Again, those discussions are being had, but nothing is official until you hear it from us here at the White
00:33House.
00:33But we feel good about the prospects of a deal.
00:36The president mentioned that in his interview yesterday, and it's obviously in the best interest of Iran to meet the
00:42president's demands.
00:43I think he's made his red lines in these negotiations very clear to the other side, and so we are
00:48continuing to see how these conversations go.
00:51Would those talks be in Islamabad, or where would they be in the next round?
00:55They would very likely be in the same place as they were last time, yes.
00:59With the same, I would just want to make one point that's important to the president.
01:03The Pakistanis have been incredible mediators throughout this process, and we really appreciate their friendship and their efforts to bring
01:10this deal to a close.
01:11So they are the only mediator in this negotiation.
01:14While there have been many countries around the world who want to offer their help, the president feels it's important
01:20to continue to streamline this communication through the Pakistanis.
01:23And so that's what continues to take place.
01:25Will.
01:27Thank you, Caroline.
01:29How much room do you see for additional sanctions being placed on Iran?
01:36And do you feel like the United States is getting enough support from allies on that front?
01:40There was a letter that went to Oman and some other allies that suggested maybe the sanctions weren't – this
01:47could be for the Secretary of Justice as well –
01:48But that the sanctions basically weren't having the effect that the United States wanted.
01:51I'll let the Treasury Secretary who's in charge of sanctions answer that question.
01:55Yeah, I think that's not a correct characterization.
02:00Yesterday, we announced Operation Economic Fury, and we – for over a year, we have had maximum pressure on the
02:09Iranians,
02:09both on blocking payments into the Iranian state and going after the accounts of the IRGC.
02:18One of the – what may prove to be fatal mistakes that the Iranians made was bombing their GCC neighbors,
02:26and who are now willing to be much more transparent in terms of the funds or do a deeper dive
02:34in investigating the funds that are held within their banking systems.
02:37So, we have pushed out to them the request that we want to freeze more funds of the leadership of
02:47the IRGC and any members of Iranian leadership.
02:51The other thing that we have done is we have told company – we have told countries that if you
02:57are buying Iranian oil,
02:58that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions,
03:04which is a very stern measure, and the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent
03:12of what we saw in the kinetic activities.
03:15Is this an example of expanding the world economically as opposed to militarily?
03:19Is this another phase of that?
03:20Exactly.
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