Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
White House says Talks with Iran are Proceeding, Iran FM Denies Negotiations; Meta, YouTube Liable for Addicting Youths. Aired 3-3:45a ET
Aired March 26, 2026 - 03:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[03:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers from all around the world, I'm Rosemary Church. And we begin with developments in the war with Iran and the U.S. efforts to end it through diplomacy.
It has now been 27 days since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes and the U.S. Central Command says it is still targeting Iran's military infrastructure and capabilities. At the same time, the White House says talks with Iran are proceeding and they are productive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: They are negotiating by the way and they want to make a deal so badly but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people. They're also afraid they'll be killed by us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: But Iran's foreign minister denies any negotiations saying there's only been an exchange of messages.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABBAS ARAGCHI, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): They talk about negotiations. They talk about other things. This is precisely an admission of defeat.
Weren't they calling for unconditional surrender? Then why are they now speaking about negotiations as the right course?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: We're now learning Iran is building up defenses on Karg Island to protect against a potential U.S. ground attack. The tiny island handles nearly all of Iran's oil exports.
Meantime, two sources tell CNN that Trump administration officials are working to arrange a meeting in Pakistan this weekend to discuss an off-ramp to the war. The current plan has Vice President J.D. Vance traveling to that country. But officials caution the timing, location and who may attend are still fluid.
Well CNN correspondents are covering all the developments for us. Eleni Giokos is in Dubai tracking the war's effect on fuel prices and supply.
But let's begin with Paula Hancocks in Abu Dhabi. So Paula, what more are you learning about these diplomatic efforts to end the war?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, we're hearing optimism from the Trump administration, but we're not hearing that optimism matched by either Israel or Iran at this point. And what we're seeing on the ground is that the military activity continues.
We've seen in Israel, for example, in Kfar Qasim in central Israel, there has been a strike against that area. It's unclear at this point whether or not it is intercepted drones and rockets that have caused damage there, but we can see on the streets that there is damage. And we have been seeing really an increased number of waves against Israel.
Here in Abu Dhabi, we have just had our third emergency alert on two occasions. We heard interceptions in the sky. So despite this diplomacy ongoing, what is happening on the ground does not appear to be affected at all.
Now, we have heard from the Trump administration they are sticking to their original plan or one of their original plans of a timeline of four to six weeks. We heard from Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary of the White House, that talks have not hit a dead end, saying talks are continuing and they are productive.
But what we're hearing from the Iranian side is that they don't believe there are talks at this point. Maybe discussions from other countries that are getting involved and have a vested interest in bringing this war to an end, so behind-the-scenes discussions, but they cast doubt on the way that President Trump is showing these talks. Let's listen to the Iranian foreign minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARAGCHI (through translator): I will explain that there is no negotiations, but the fact that the enemy who sought our unconditional surrender now talks about negotiations, requests talks, and mobilizes its highest officials to negotiate with the Islamic Republic. This means accepting defeat. So far, the people of Iran, our armed forces, and all segments of the nation are truly the winners.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANCOCKS: So sources familiar with what is going on say that the White House is working towards trying to have negotiations in Pakistan this weekend. Some, though, saying that Turkey may be an alternative location. No response from Iran on that at this point.
[03:05:01]
CHURCH: And Eleni, let's turn to you. What's the latest on the war's impact on fuel prices and supply?
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we've seen a chain reaction, Rosemary, frankly, in the 27 days that we've seen the effect of closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has not only weaponized it militarily, but also financially, and the effects have been absolutely enormous. We know that this is the largest supply disruption of oil in the history of markets.
I want to quickly check in on the Brent crude price, where we saw a drop earlier this week because of positive messaging out of the White House that potential conversations could be happening. And of course, there's a lot of back and forth in terms of the contours of these messages and discussions that could be ongoing. Brent crude now sitting at $104 a barrel.
But I want to show you the Strait of Hormuz, and really, this is sort of the big flash point in this war, where everyone in the world has been drawn into the impact of the strikes of Iran towards the Gulf region, and also the war that the U.S. and Israel have embarked on in Iran as well.
You can see in the Persian Gulf area, you see a congregation of a lot of vessels that are basically trapped there. The International Maritime Organization says there are around 20,000 seafarers right now on these vessels, on around 2000 vessels that are unable to get out.
We also know from experts, specifically Lloyd's List Intelligence, and they say that Tehran is applying a toll booth, a toll fee for some of these vessels to pass through if they coordinate secure passage with Iran. Importantly, they go through the Strait of Hormuz, going very close to Iranian territorial waters. They pass through Larak Island, and then they're able to get out.
A lot of these vessels actually turn off their A.I. data, which is essentially a way to sort of monitor these vessels. Some vessels are getting through. In fact, according to data, around 26 vessels have been able to pass through the Strait since March the 13th, so clearly just a trickle.
But I think with the enormous need for Asian countries to try to tap into supply out of the region, a lot of them are conversing with Iran. At this point, Iran has categorically said, vessels can pass through as long as they're not linked to what they say is the enemy, so we're talking about U.S. and Israeli links.
How that is, of course, implemented is another big question, but just the threat of a potential security issue in the Strait of Hormuz has stopped shippers from actually passing through. What experts are also telling me that it is very clear that Iran has control over the Strait right now. How long it will last, that's going to really determine the impact on oil prices around the world and whether we could potentially see a diplomatic off-ramp that is also going to be important.
But one thing for sure that we've been seeing is that Iran wants to claim some kind of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, of course, something that the Americans will not accept. Rosemary. CHURCH: And Paula, we need to go back to you. You're getting some news just in. What are you hearing?
HANCOCKS: Well, Rosemary, we are hearing that the death toll here in the UAE has risen after those waves of missiles and drones from Iran. As I said, there were three waves that we've had so far.
We've just heard from the Abu Dhabi media office that two people have been killed, resulting from the fall in shrapnel from a successful interception of one of the incoming projectiles. Also saying that three others have been injured in addition to damage to several vehicles.
Now, the death toll was at eight here in the UAE, now at ten. The confirmation that two more unidentified residents, it says at this point, have lost their lives. Rosemary.
CHURCH: All right. We appreciate you updating on that. Elena Giokos and Paula Hancocks, many thanks to you both for those live reports, I appreciate it.
Well, Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is expanding its military presence in southern Lebanon.
(VIDEO PLAYING)
The Israeli Prime Minister spoke as his nation launched new strikes in the area on Wednesday. He says the Israeli military has created what he called a buffer zone to keep Hezbollah further from Israel's border. He also says the threats from Hezbollah missiles or ground invasion have been largely eliminated.
Israel has issued widespread evacuation orders in southern Lebanon. And a top U.N. official says a staggering number of civilians had to flee their homes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARHAM SALIH, UNHCR HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES: Undoubtedly, the escalating violence in the region is of profound consequence. The situation is dire in terms of the humanitarian consequences that people across the region are faced with.
Look at Lebanon. We nearly have a million people who are internally displaced. In Iran, you probably, according to government figures, anywhere from 600,000 to one million households have been internally displaced.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[03:10:07]
CHURCH: And for more on efforts to help the people who had to flee the war, we're joined now by Aline Kamakian, a chef at World Central Kitchen, and she joins us from Beirut. Thank you so much for being with us. Thank you. Thank you for having me.
CHURCH: And you have been working in southern Lebanon with the World Central Kitchen since the early days of this conflict, serving hundreds of thousands of meals to people in shelters and, of course, communities hosting displaced families. What have you seen in that time in terms of the humanitarian crisis that's being experienced by so many as Israel continues to strike at Hezbollah targets?
ALINE LAMAKIAN, CHEF, WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: World Central Kitchen team is operating from Beirut. What we are witnessing on a daily basis is an endless stream of internally displaced people. We see families sleeping in the street, in cars, in improvised tents, we witness people arriving exhausted after 12 hours of a road for a road that normally takes us one and a half hours.
Roads are destroyed and traffic jam endless. Every day, more and more villages are forced to evacuate. We even met a woman who had to deliver her baby on the road because of the traffic, it's immense, people are desperate.
As they had to leave behind everything they worked for, people are angry at their injustice. They have become victims of a war that isn't their war. It's a war between Israel and Iran being fought on our land here.
They are exhausted and depressed since October 2024. There has been no peace. The ceasefire has never been respected and bombs of southern Lebanon continue daily.
Families are torn apart, there is difficulty of communication, no news of families, of their friends, whether their home is still standing or their pets and animals are still alive. We at World Central Kitchen--
CHURCH: Once they arrive, how safe are these shelters and communities hosting these displaced families? And of course for you and your organization, how safe is that environment?
KAMAKIAN: Well World Central Kitchen is now cooking 10 kitchens, but over two thirds of Lebanese territory. The part that is still considered relatively safe, but we need to adapt and move constantly as more regions are threatened by bombs. The number is increasing every day.
New villages, regions, parts of the city are threatened and forced to evacuate. The shelters, our shelters are schools. They are unequipped schools, sports, city warehouses, markets.
Families are cramped together, mattress and blankets are missing. There is no heating and the weather is still cold and wet. There is no decent or insufficient sanitary provisions and there is a big fear for epidemic and pests.
World Central Kitchen is cooking tens of thousands of meals every day, but the need is huge. We are scaling up fast, but the need is growing faster than us. Imagine there is more than 600,000 internally displaced people registered, there is more than 1.1 million, which is more than 20 percent of the Lebanese population.
The destruction is unimaginable. Villages, residential buildings, a whole block of the city is reduced to dust in just a blink of an eye.
Honestly, we are not optimistic. If the war stops today, which is we don't have any hope, these people have no more places to go for. It's all football fields.
CHURCH: And just looking at that, how do displaced families get accepted into these shelters? Because there is a process involved, isn't there? They can't just turn up to these shelters necessarily.
KAMAKIAN: Well, honestly, all the shelters are fully filled. It's overpopulated, overcrowded. But what it is, there is an app that they can register to go in.
You have to know that a lot of people does not have internet, does not have phone. So what we're doing, what the government is trying to do that the shelters, we have all the names and numbers and whoever it is inside.
But there is a line waiting to go into shelters. They open in the mountain, in the north, but still no more places. The quarter of the Lebanese population is internally displaced so there is no places anymore to go.
[03:15:05]
Lebanon is depending on charity and international aid. World Central Kitchen is doing an immense job. I wish we can do more, you know, we're providing one warm, nourishing meal, a little comfort in an ocean of misery.
CHURCH: Right, you are doing an incredible job. Aline Kamakian, thank you so much for talking with us and for all that you are doing right now. I appreciate it.
KAMAKIAN: Thank you.
CHURCH: The jury finds Meta and YouTube liable in a social media addiction trial.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNKNOWN: We've sent a message with this that you will be held accountable for the features.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Why critics hope this verdict could be a crucial moment for social media and accountability. We'll take a look at that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:20:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone.
A California jury has found YouTube and Meta liable in a landmark case about social media addiction. The companies were accused of intentionally getting a young woman addicted to their sites and harming her mental health. The jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in the design of their platforms, and they were ordered to pay a total of $6 million in damages.
YouTube and Meta are planning to appeal. CNN's Clare Duffy explains why this trial could mark a crucial moment for social media companies and accountability.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: This case was brought by a now 20- year-old named Kaylee and her mother, accusing Meta and YouTube of intentionally designing addictive features that got her hooked as a young woman and caused mental health challenges like anxiety and body dysmorphia.
And the jury sided with Kaylee on all counts in this case. They found that Meta and YouTube knew that their platforms could be harmful to young people, failed to warn users of these risks, and played a substantial role in Kaylee's mental health challenges. The jury has awarded a combined $6 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
And look, $6 million between these two companies is sort of a drop in the bucket when you're talking about companies as big as Meta and YouTube. But this is just the first step. This case now potentially creates a roadmap for lawyers to follow in hundreds of other cases that have been filed against these two companies, as well as TikTok and Snap, which settled Kaylee's case just before trial.
If these tech companies continue to lose in these hundreds of cases, we could see them potentially on the hook for billions of dollars in damages and also forced to make changes to their platforms. Parents and advocates who for years have been raising concerns about online safety issues for children are also certainly hoping that U.S. lawmakers are watching this decision closely, watching the evidence that came out in this trial, and that that could motivate them to create more comprehensive online safety legislation.
Now, Meta and YouTube do say they plan to appeal. They say they respectfully disagree with this decision. That could drag out this case for months, if not years.
But in the meantime, we will see these other cases starting to go to trial. This is an important moment and just a first step as we potentially start to see a shift in how we think about who is responsible for the safety of young people online. Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Critics of big tech companies have hailed the verdict. For years, they have been warning about the harm social media has caused their children.
Julianna Arnold was one of those advocates. She lost her daughter Coco weeks before her 17th birthday, after she was sold fentanyl on Instagram. Here's her reaction to the verdict.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIANNA ARNOLD, ONLINE SAFETY ADVOCATE: It's kind of bittersweet, you know. We're sitting in that room because the most horrible thing in our lives happened, and that's the loss of our children.
And at the same time, we got a unanimous verdict, which was phenomenal because we're working so hard and telling our stories over and over. And this is the first time we actually feel that we are being heard and action has been taken. And it came from a jury of our peers.
So that feels good. But I have to say it's very angering to understand what these companies have done knowingly and purposefully to increase their profits and not care at all about our children's lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: More U.S. forces are heading to the Middle East. A look at what marine expeditionary units can do as the U.S. adds significant firepower to the region.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:25:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom," I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check today's top stories for you.
The White House says talks with Iran are proceeding and are productive despite initial resistance from Tehran to a U.S. plan to bring the war to an end. Iran's foreign minister is denying there are negotiations, saying there has been just a, quote, "exchange of messages."
President Donald Trump's visit to China is back on. Originally set for the end of this month, the trip was rescheduled after the war with Iran started. The White House now says it will take place May 14th and 15th, and there will be a reciprocal visit in Washington, D.C. later this year.
A jury in California has found YouTube and Meta knew their platforms were dangerous and failed to warn users of the risks. A 20-year-old accused the companies of intentionally getting her addicted and harming her mental health. The jury ordered Meta and YouTube to pay a total of $6 million in damages; both companies are planning to appeal.
Lawmakers in Washington received closed-door briefings on the war in Iran on Wednesday. One Senate Democrat says he thinks the Trump administration has no plan for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
[03:30:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): What they did confirm for us in that briefing today was that there is no way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. There is no military plan to open the Strait.
The Strait is effectively going to remain closed until the war ends. So that's bad news for American consumers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: The House briefing was reportedly acrimonious with one Republican storming out and another calling it the most contentious he's seen. But dissatisfaction was evident on both sides of the aisle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEM. JASON CROW (D-CO): We're not getting answers from the administration on the endgame, on the strategy, on how they're going to protect the 50,000 troops who are in that region, how we're going to de-escalate, and what our ultimate goal is. And our service members deserve better.
REPORTER: Will you support troops on the ground in Iran at this point?
SEN. DICK VAN ORDEN (R-WI): No, 100 percent. Crystal clear from the beginning, no.
The answer is no. We can achieve the strategic goals that Donald Trump wants to achieve without doing that. I don't support that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Sources tell CNN Iran is preparing for a possible U.S. operation to take control of Karg Island. The key island handles the majority of Tehran's oil exports. We are learning that Iran has been laying traps and building up the island's defenses in recent weeks.
The Trump administration is considering a ground operation there to try and coerce Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
An Iranian military source warns Tehran could open additional fronts, including around another key strait near the Red Sea, if the U.S. undertakes military action. I spoke about all this earlier with columnist and geopolitics analyst Bobby Ghosh.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOBBY GHOSH, COLUMNIST AND GEOPOLITICS EXPERT: All the lessons that the United States history in the Middle East suggest that anytime America puts boots on the ground, it eventually comes to regret that decision.
Karg Island is a very precious piece of property for the Iranians. It is not just a very important economic, they're not only important economic considerations with Karg Island, there's also national prestige attached to it. You can expect the Iranians to fight hard and for as long as possible in order to keep that island, even if it means enormous destruction to the infrastructure on it.
The President's appetite for American blood to be expended, not just American treasure, but the prospect of American soldiers dying on those shores, we don't know yet.
Comparisons have been made to Iwo Jima. I think these are very loose comparisons, very dangerous ones. When the United States took Iwo Jima during the Second World War against Japan, it cost 7000 American soldiers.
I don't think the United States or even this administration has an appetite for those kinds of losses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHURCH: Two U.S. Marine expeditionary units and amphibious ready groups have recently deployed to the Middle East. CNN's Paula Hancocks looks at what those thousands of additional service members may be preparing for.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANCOCKS (voice-over): This is what an amphibious assault looks like. A U.S. Marine expeditionary unit, or MEU, storms a beach with the forces and equipment needed for battle.
This was a joint exercise with South Korean Marines three years ago. An actual assault is more likely to take place at night. Two MEUs like this are on their way to the Middle East, officials tell CNN, their mission not revealed.
In the skies above this drill attack helicopters, Osprey transports and F-35 stealth fighters. 30 nautical miles out to sea, an amphibious assault ship, the USS Macon Island, bringing together all the components needed for a self-sufficient attack.
Some within President Trump's circle are pushing for the U.S. military to take over Iran's Karg Island to force the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. A tiny island off the coast of Iran that 90 percent of the country's oil exports passes through, considered its economic lifeline.
The U.S. says it has attacked its military defenses, the oil infrastructure remains intact. If President Trump does decide to take Karg Island, a Marine expeditionary unit would be ideal. Around 2200 Marines and sailors prepped for ground combat and air combat with the logistics command.
Considered the Swiss Army knife of U.S. military capability.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Dubai.
(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: Still to come, U.S. airports have become a travel nightmare because of a partial government shutdown. We will take you inside one Texas airport to show you the long security lines.
[03:35:07]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHURCH: Time for your Business Breakout. Here's a look at the headlines.
The U.S. music industry is taking a big hit from the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, the justices unanimously ruled that an Internet service provider is not liable for bootleg downloads.
[03:40:09]
Record labels fought to hold providers responsible on copyright infringement claims for failing to cut off users who weren't known to have pirated music.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink says the global economy could be headed toward a recession if Iran remains a threat after the war ends. He says the price of oil could hover around $150 a barrel if Iran remains a threat to trade and the Strait of Hormuz. And oil prices that high would have profound implications for the global economy for years to come.
Airport wait times in the U.S. continue to be long and frustrating as the Department of Security remains closed. Nearly 500 TSA officers across the country have quit since the partial government shutdown began. George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Texas has started to warn travelers they may end up missing their flights due to extended wait times.
And CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Houston, Texas with more on the massive security lines affecting some airports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SR. U.S. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The nightmare travel scenario will continue here in the coming days at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Officials tell us that even though on Wednesday we saw some of the lowest travel volume of the week and the lines were significantly shorter, they expect traffic at this airport to continue increasing going into the weekend, heavy travel days like Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. And those lines of four-plus hours long could very much be in the cards once again.
The area where you're seeing behind me, even though today is a lower volume day, there's still a great deal of waiting having to be done by these passengers who are simply trying to navigate all of this situation here and they will have to continue to do so. We're told, according to TSA officials, that there was a callout rate
of about 43 percent here at this airport on Tuesday. We don't have Wednesday numbers until the day after, the next day, so those are the latest numbers. But those significant number of callouts at this particular airport that happened on Tuesday, which are the latest figures, and they have been close to 40 percent throughout much of the week.
And that is the reason why at the airport like here at George Bush Intercontinental, you're seeing only two of the terminals open to security screening and that is expected to continue as TSA officials are trying to make the most of where they have their manpower and how many lanes they can keep open at any given time.
But here, the bottom line though is that officials here at this airport are really urging people to plan ahead, to expect incredibly long lines once again come Thursday and Friday here at this airport.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: Thanks so much for your company, I'm Rosemary Church. Enjoy the rest of your day. "World Sport" is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[03:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
