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U.S.-Israel War with Iran; Qatar "Working Closely" with U.S. to Try to End War; U.S. MEUs Deploy to Middle East; Passengers at Many Airports Wait in Line for Hours; Iran Insists on Fees for Safe Passage through Strait of Hormuz; Nancy Guthrie Case; North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un Wins Reelection; Saudi Wants Iran Missile Capabilities Degraded; Mixed Signals from Washington and Tehran over Negotiations. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired March 25, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALANOUD HAMAD SAUD AL THANI, NONRESIDENT FELLOW, MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS:
[10:00:00]
(MUSIC PLAYING)
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Welcome to the second hour of CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Christina Macfarlane, in
London.
This hour, confusion swells around the state of U.S.-Iran talks as both sides make wildly differing claims.
Saudi Arabia's called to the center of the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran.
But what do the Saudis want and how much influence do they share with Donald Trump?
We'll take a closer look at that this hour.
Plus, would you wait for hours to clear airport security?
Well, that's the reality facing some American travelers. A report from a Houston airport coming up.
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MACFARLANE: Are the gears of diplomacy actually turning toward solution in the Middle East?
Sources tell CNN the U.S. has shared a 15-point proposal with Iran through Pakistan aimed at ending the war. That's as president Donald Trump again
hints that talks with the Iranians are going well, saying they've offered a goodwill gesture.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I'm not going to tell you what that present is but it was a very significant prize and they gave it to us and they said they were going to
give it. So that meant one thing to me, we're dealing with the right people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that nuclear related?
TRUMP: No, it wasn't nuclear related. It was oil and gas related.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, Iran, however, insists there are no negotiations underway.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ESMAIL BAGHAEI, SPOKESMAN, IRANIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: There is no talks or negotiations between Iran and the United States as it has not
been such a negotiation for the past 25 days of their illegal war against Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, that official also confirmed that Iran will continue to charge ships a fee to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is still
heavily restricted.
And further clouding the diplomatic picture, sources say the U.S. is set to deploy around 1,000 troops to the region while the war rages on. Israel
says it carried out several waves of strikes on Tehran today, while Iranian attacks were reported at Kuwait airport and in central Israel.
Let's get the very latest. Now joining us this hour, senior White House reporter Kevin Liptak and CNN's Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond,
who's in Tel Aviv.
But Kevin, first to you, majorly, majorly conflicting information here coming from the White House on where these talks stand.
So what, if anything, are you hearing this hour from the administration?
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And we've just learned in the last couple of minutes or so that officials are working toward some
in-person meeting, potentially this weekend, potentially in Pakistan.
It's all very fluid. And all of the details, of course, remain to be nailed down. But it does seem as if, at least as of now, midweek, that the U.S. is
trying to work toward some diplomatic arrangement to try and resolve this conflict.
The basis point of that being the 15-point plan that the U.S. has proposed. And that was delivered to Iran through Pakistan. That includes a number of
provisions related to Iran's nuclear ambitions, to its ballistic missile program and many other points.
But, of course, what we're seeing happening in Washington does seem to suggest that, at least from the military side, they do expect the war to
continue. You see the deployment of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne, all headed toward the Middle East.
They're joining the deployments that we had reported about last week from the Marines, those Marine Expeditionary Units that are also headed to the
Middle East. That suggests that, even as this diplomatic track continues, the U.S. is preparing for some ramping-up of ground troops, potentially
inside Iran.
And so you see these parallel, perhaps contradictory tracks. Of course, that is often the way that diplomacy goes. You have the discussions but you
also have the military side trying to ramp up the pressure.
I think for president Trump, it's clear he is looking, at least for now, for some off ramp to this conflict. Of course, it has extracted a political
toll on the president. You've seen costs rising for Americans when it comes to gas prices in the United States.
And I think it's evident that the president, in listening to his advisors and a number of his Republican allies, is looking for a way to resolve this
conflict, for it to avoid becoming a kind of the prolonged quagmire that he promised that it would not be.
[10:05:00]
And so how all of this diplomacy resolves itself remains to be seen. We do understand that a player involved here is the vice president, JD Vance,
which I think is notable. You know, he was not involved in the diplomacy before this conflict began. That was left to Steve Witkoff and Jared
Kushner, the president's foreign envoys.
JD Vance is someone who we know was somewhat skeptical in some ways about this conflict, about what it would portend for the president politically,
about whether it was a wise decision.
Since then, we haven't heard from him in a very active role at all in talking about it. Certainly, he talks about it when he's asked. But it's
not something that he's out every day, discussing or posting about on social media. And so the fact that he is now involved in potentially
diplomatic talks to bring it to an end, I think, is notable.
And we'll see how all of this proceeds. Of course, this could all fall apart, you know, at the drop of a hat and we could see the war escalate.
That's certainly something that the president seems ready to do, given the military assets in the region.
But at least for now, you do see these parallel diplomatic tracks and the president, in public at least, very confident and eager to suggest that
something could be in the offing very, very quickly.
MACFARLANE: Yes. Kevin. Thank you. Let's turn to Jeremy.
And Jeremy, we are now weeks into this war being waged by the U.S. and Israel against Iran. But also we've seen significant strikes in southern
Lebanon developing every day.
I mean, what is the mood among Israelis at the moment?
Is there a broad support for the war as it continues?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly what we've been witnessing in Israel over the last couple of days has been an
intensification of fire by Hezbollah or at least a success, more success from Hezbollah in terms of causing casualties on the Israeli side.
We have seen one woman who was killed by Hezbollah rocket fire yesterday, the first civilian casualty caused by Hezbollah rocket fire during this
round of confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah.
Today, yet another Hezbollah rocket injuring several people in northern Israel. And all of this, as we are learning that the Israeli military is
now -- has now increased the cap of the number of reserve troops that they can call up from 280,000 to 400,000.
All of this as the Israeli government is clearly preparing for the possibility of a major ground offensive inside of southern Lebanon. And
certainly the Israeli public is girding itself for that very real possibility.
We have seen, as Israel has continued to carry out strikes both in Beirut as well as in southern Lebanon, we also just learned from the Israeli
military of an overnight ground operation that they say targeted multiple Hezbollah operatives, who were firing anti-tank missiles toward Israeli
troops in southern Lebanon.
And a real ratcheting up of the rhetoric by Israeli officials, including the defense minister, Israel Katz, who indicated yesterday that Israel
intends to control the entirety of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River.
He didn't say whether that would be done through troops on the ground but it does come as, again, that cap was raised, as we also saw Israel strike
multiple bridges between -- going over the Litani River, between southern Lebanon and the rest of the country.
And it does seem like this government is preparing for a major ground offensive. Whether they pull the trigger is a question.
But the real question, I think now, is when do they do so?
Do they wait for the confrontation, you know, this war with Iran to wind down?
Should that be the direction things go in or do they open up a second front with ground troops in a in a really significant way here in Lebanon?
It certainly seems like Lebanese government efforts to engage Israel in negotiations are really going nowhere. And we're only really seeing just an
intensification of this conflict from a military standpoint between Israel and Hezbollah.
MACFARLANE: All right. Jeremy, there for us in Tel Aviv; Kevin in Washington; thank you both.
Now president Trump has called NATO allies "cowards" for their refusal to bring their militaries into this conflict. But he seems satisfied with what
countries are doing in the Gulf. Listen to what he said when asked if he wanted Gulf nations to do more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: I think our Gulf allies have been pretty good, to be honest with you. UAE has been hit so hard. He got hit by 1,400 rockets, shot them all
out of the air with our great -- with our great Patriot missiles
And I will tell you Qatar, incredible. Qatar took a hit pretty bad hit. Qatar is very close, you know, they're essentially -- you can walk right
over the border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Now Qatar doesn't actually share a border with Iran. If you were going to walk, you'd have to walk on water. But it has been a target
of Iranian retaliation over the past 3.5 weeks, along with the UAE and multiple other countries in the region, which are bearing the brunt of this
war.
[10:10:04]
For more on the role Gulf nations are playing and specifically Qatar, we're joined by Sheikh Alanoud Hamad Saud Al Thani. She is a nonresident fellow
with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, with expertise in diplomacy.
Thank you so much for your time today. I first just wanted to get your reaction to reporting we've seen about whether Qatar is involved in any
mediation that's been happening between the United States and Iran, because yesterday we saw the spokesperson for the foreign ministry in Qatar saying
they were definitely not engaged.
What do you make of that?
ALANOUD HAMAD SAUD AL THANI, NONRESIDENT FELLOW, MIDDLE EAST COUNCIL ON GLOBAL AFFAIRS: I mean, it would -- it would be a first to see a country
engaged in diplomacy and mediation between two countries, in which one of those countries is directly striking them. I don't think that's ever
happened before in history.
And it would be a surprise to see that happening now. I mean, obviously, we've heard, the -- from the spokesperson and from others that the main
concern from the Qatari side and clearly for many other countries in the region is de-escalation.
However, to be directly involved in the negotiations, I mean, you're not going to be a neutral party because you have been forcibly neutralized by
Iran attacking your civilian infrastructure, attacking your oil and gas, as well as other targets.
MACFARLANE: I take that point. But we also know that Qatar has been such an influential player when it has come to being a mediator in the past. And
Qatar has long been a strong ally of the United States.
I mean, what communication do you expect there has been between Qatar and the U.S.?
And how much reassurance are Qatar getting from the United States right now?
AL THANI: Right. So you're actually right that Qatar has played a massive role in mediation. I mean, just the other day, there was a huge gallery
over here, showcasing all the different mediations that have happened from the Qatari side, whether that's in South America or the Middle East or
Europe or elsewhere. So that is true.
However, it just doesn't seem like a realistic expectation for Qatar to be a primary mediator in a conflict where it is directly getting, you know,
bombed or targeted with ballistic missiles and drones.
I think Qatar right now is just like any other country. It's focused on defending its infrastructure. It's focused on defending the people here on
the ground, civilians, and making sure that we don't have any more casualties and we don't have any deaths happening here.
In terms of communication, we've heard that there's been some level of communication with the Iranian counterparts. But it seems that all of that
has ceased after the Iranians targeted Qatar gas, Qatar's LNG.
With so much damage being done on the American side, I don't see any reason why there would be any less communication at this time, given that Qatar is
such a close ally to the U.S.
MACFARLANE: Yes. Qatar have said in recent days that the total annihilation of Iran is not an option, that there needs to be still room
for coexistence.
So how do you think Qatar would want at this point to see the war play out?
What is essentially the best-case scenario for Qatar at this point?
AL THANI: I mean, I think that sometimes certain countries are put in a position where they have no choice but to be very realistic and very
pragmatic. A country like Qatar, as well as other countries in the region that are stuck in this geographical reality, they don't -- they can't
afford, to, you know, have just slogans.
It has to be based in very realistic expectations. And it's very realistic to know that you cannot completely wipe Iran off the map. That's just not
possible. It's not realistic.
I mean, even for a much smaller country with much less strategic depth, that would still be extremely difficult, extremely time-consuming and
probably undoable. That's just not how modern warfare happens.
And so given that reality, we then have no choice but to figure out a way to coexist. Otherwise, we're going to be in some kind of war or some kind
of, you know, military fight in perpetuity.
MACFARLANE: And while, you know, the efforts toward figuring out what that looks like continues, I mean, economically, it's becoming very challenging
for the likes of Qatar as the Strait of Hormuz continues to be closed.
[10:15:00]
I mean, how challenging is that becoming economically in terms of critical supplies like goods and services as this goes on?
AL THANI: So what we've heard from official sources here in Qatar is that, in terms of food supplies, we were prepared for an 18-month supply, given
that no new food would come in. But the food hasn't stopped coming in. So it doesn't seem like we've had to tap into those emergency supplies.
However, Qatar, as well as other countries in this region, they have a lot of economic strategic depth. Just because that's kind of the reality that
you live in and that's what you have to prepare for.
We've seen that they've been also very well prepared in terms of military defense. But the economic aspect as well is there. What I'm more concerned
about is countries that are a little bit further away that didn't expect to be so impacted and so quickly impacted.
I mean, we've seen today, you know, state of emergency announced in the Philippines due to lack of fuel. And we can expect that, in the coming week
and in the coming couple of weeks, we're going to hear that from many, many more countries.
And it won't just stop there. People are going to lose access to their food supplies. And a lot of countries aren't prepared for this because it was
difficult to even predict that this conflict would get out of hand so quickly.
MACFARLANE: Yes, something definitely we need to watch in the coming days and weeks.
Given what you were just saying about the need to base ourselves in reality here, to not get drawn into a war that -- of perpetuity, that's going to
continue, how great is the concern now for Qatar and other GCC states that the U.S. withdrawing and essentially leaving you to fight this alone
against an emboldened Iran?
AL THANI: It's -- well, OK. So there's a couple of parts to that question. There's the first part of the worry of being stuck in this war in
perpetuity. And we're seeing that this worry is becoming more and more of a reality with every new side that joins this war, which is why I think Qatar
was so clear in its position of sticking to diplomacy.
Because the histories are going to record someday who joined, who added fuel to the fire and who tried to put the fire out.
So we've seen today that, you know, Syria has received some missiles. We've seen that the Iraqi side have given permission to some of their militias to
also join. And so it's getting out of hand very quickly.
MACFARLANE: Well, it's important to have the perspective from the region, from Qatar at this time, to get a sense of how you feel on the ground as
this evolves. And we really appreciate you giving us your analysis today. Thank you so much for joining us.
AL THANI: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: While president Trump touts the prospect of a quick end to the war, the U.S. military is preparing to send more troops to the region, as
we've been saying. Sources say about 1,000 members of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division will deploy in the coming days. The soldiers are trained
in forced entry parachute assaults.
Malcolm Nance, a retired U.S. Naval intelligence officer and a national security expert, joined CNN a bit earlier today to talk about what this
deployment could signal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MALCOLM NANCE, U.S. NAVY INTELLIGENCE (RET.): So whatever the Trump administration has planned, it is offensive. It is not defensive at all.
The 82nd Airborne is a backup force for the spear tip units like Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 that, you know, objectives like Kharg Island are just
too small for that.
That's something that one Special Forces unit can do. But they're bringing in Rangers, they're bringing in others.
Even taking the islands in the Strait of Hormuz -- Kharg, Larak, Hormuz, Qeshm, Hengam, Lesser Tunb, Greater Tunb, Abu Musa, Kish and Sirri -- that
is still a massive force for this.
So the question is, do they have multiple intent here?
Take the Strait of Hormuz islands, take Kish -- I'm sorry -- Kharg Island and then possibly a land operation somewhere in Iran. That's what this
spells out. But it's really up to the White House to make clear why they need this force there, if they're in in-state negotiations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: Well, you heard Malcolm Nance talk about those other forces the U.S. is deploying and the possibility of trying to seize Kharg Island
and the islands in the Strait of Hormuz.
Well, thousands of U.S. Marines, set to arrive in the region within days, could help accomplish that task. Paula Hancocks takes a closer look now at
their potential mission.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (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.
[10:20:04]
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 Makin Island, bringing
together all the components needed for a self-sufficient attack.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): And as to this commander in chief --
HANCOCKS (voice-over): Some within president Trump's circle are pushing for the U.S. military to take over Iran's Kharg 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 Kharg Island, a Marine Expeditionary Unit would be ideal, around 2,200 Marines and sailors prepped for ground
combat and air combat with a logistics command, considered the Swiss Army knife of U.S. military capability -- Paula Hancocks, CNN, Dubai.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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MACFARLANE: Some breaking news coming in. Iranian state media are reporting Tehran will not accept a ceasefire and believes it wouldn't be
logical to enter talks with the U.S. That's according to a source telling the Fars semiofficial news agency. And we will have more on that ahead in
the show.
But let's -- switching now to the long queues that are continuing in airports across the U.S. as more TSA workers call out from work. The
extraordinary scenes at Houston airport after the break.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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MACFARLANE: Turning now to the latest on the Air Canada jet crash landing at LaGuardia that killed two pilots, officials have confirmed the fire
truck on the runway did not have a transponder. This limited the tower's ability to track it.
The Air Canada express flight, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, slammed into the fire truck at 100 miles per hour late Sunday
night. Federal investigators have begun the investigation into what went wrong.
Currently, the wreckage is being combed, data is being collected and witness statements are being gathered. The investigation is expected to
take over a year.
Meanwhile across the U.S., it's a long wait to get through many airports amid shortages of TSA workers. At Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport,
wait times reached four hours before sunrise Wednesday morning. Only one- third of security lanes there are open. TSA staffers are working without pay and many have quit or called in sick.
[10:25:00]
Paychecks are expected to go out this coming weekend but many remain uncertain if that will happen. TSA union leaders have also criticized the
Trump administration's decision to put ICE agents in certain airports.
ICE agents are being paid during the government shutdown because of where the two agencies get their funding. Well, from George Bush Intercontinental
Airport in Houston, CNN's Ed Lavandera spoke to us earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we thought we'd give you kind of an overhead vantage point of what it looks like just
outside of Terminal E.
This is, the lines are so long inside the terminal that they have set up these rows, which are essentially four lanes of traffic. This is an area
that would normally be used for passenger drop-off but it has been converted into a TSA security line.
And this is just a portion of this line but I thought the visual, because if you look inside through the glass windows, it's all these people have to
still make their way through there, wind and zigzag through various lines that are still set up there before they even get to the security
checkpoints areas.
So from here, we're probably looking at 1.5 hours left for at least for a lot of these people who are here this morning.
And this is because of the five terminals here at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Only two of the terminals have open TSA security
lines. And both of those are ranging between three and four hours at that time.
Yesterday, we saw that fluctuate but really stayed up around the four- hour mark throughout much of the day. It wasn't until later in the afternoon
where things settled down. But Houston airport officials are describing and put out a statement kind of describing the challenges that they're under
right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM SZCZESNIAK, DIRECTOR OF AVIATION FOR HOUSTON AIRPORTS: Here at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, we typically operate 37 TSA checkpoint
lanes. At this point, TSA is only able to staff somewhere between a third to 50 percent of them.
So that's 100 percent spring break loads going through the airport being processed through less than 50 percent of our TSA lanes.
That is not sustainable. Just yesterday, I watched an officer receive a gas card from one of our partners. They had tears in their eyes knowing that
they could fill up their tank to get home and come back to work to help keep these lines moving.
That's the reality right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: And, you know, what we hear over and over from passengers is a great deal of frustration with politicians over all of this, a great deal
of concern for TSA agents that are working without pay.
And the callout right here at George Bush Intercontinental Airport over the last several days has been close to 40 percent. So you can understand the
impact of why this airport is so severely impacted and leaving people in situations like this as they navigate these incredibly long lines.
And remember, at some point during the day, over the last three days, the lines have stretched all the way down into the basement subterranean level
of this airport as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Just unreal. Right?
Let's get you up to speed with some other stories that are on our radar right now.
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MACFARLANE (voice-over): Counter-terrorism police have arrested two men over an arson attack on a Jewish ambulance service in London. Several
ambulances belonging to a volunteer rescue organization were set on fire early Monday morning.
The men, aged 47 and 45, were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
It's been called one of Russia's largest attacks in its war against Ukraine. Kyiv says at least 40 people have been injured across the country
after Moscow fired almost 1,000 drones in just 24 hours. More than half of those strikes occurred during a rare daytime assault.
Denmark's royal palace says Prime minister Mette Frederiksen has submitted her government's resignation following her party's tough loss in Tuesday's
election. That's according to Reuters, which reports coalition talks will now determine whether Frederiksen or another party leader forms the next
government.
And taking the long way around, still to come, some cargo ships from China trying to avoid the Strait of Hormuz are traveling a different route to the
Middle East. But it means much more time and money. We will have details on that.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:30:00]
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MACFARLANE (voice-over): Welcome back to CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Christina Macfarlane. Here are your headlines this hour.
U.S. President Donald Trump is voicing optimism that a deal may soon end the war with Iran. He says his vice president and secretary of state are
leading negotiations. But an Iranian semiofficial news agency reported within just the last few minutes that Iran will not accept a ceasefire or
enter into talks with the U.S. right now.
Meanwhile, the region is seeing a flurry of new attacks. Israeli authorities say at least nine people were hurt in an Iranian missile strike
in central Israel. Iranian attacks were also reported in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Israel says it launched several new waves of strikes on Tehran
today.
Travelers are contending with long lines at multiple U.S. airports as security workers call out in large numbers. Queues in Houston reaching for
hours this morning. Union officials have also warned that delays could remain after government shutdown ends and security guards get full pay
again.
MACFARLANE: Cargo ships traveling from China to the Gulf are taking triple the usual time to arrive. That's what a shipping analyst tells CNN. Many
vessels are now rerouting to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia instead of passing through the Strait of Hormuz to Dubai.
And they're taking the long way to avoid the threat of potential Houthi militant attacks. The analyst says the ships are sailing across the Indian
Ocean and around the southern tip of Africa, up through the Mediterranean Sea and then down through the Suez Canal, into the Red Sea from the top.
Now not only does that take about 60 days compared to the previous 20, it's almost four times more expensive. CNN business senior reporter Hanna Ziady
joins us live now from London.
So the data suggesting here that several ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in just the past day.
So what can you tell us about that and how many we know are actually getting through?
HANNA ZIADY, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christina, data from Marine Traffic, which is a ship traffic and maritime intelligence provider, saying
that at least three vessels and a cargo ship appear to have passed through the strait in the past 24 hours.
But let's be clear, that's a trickle compared to the number of trips that were moving through before the war. The International Maritime Organization
said last week that nearly 2,000 vessels are trapped in the Persian Gulf, so adjacent to the strait.
And as you laid out in such detail there, companies are coming up with all kinds of ways to try to avoid the strait going all the way around the
southern tip of Africa, even trying to avoid parts of the Red Sea as well.
And so we're getting these kind of very circuitous routes, adding huge costs to shipping. And it's unclear whether that will really be enough to
move the amount of goods that need to be moved.
We're seeing trucks lining up at the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah. And we also know that Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's big oil exporter, is now
exporting some of its oil from the Yanbu port, also on the Red Sea.
But I think it must be pointed out that the big issue is this choking off of the Strait of Hormuz. And several analysts, experts in international
energy has said that, until we get vessels sustainably and safely and consistently moving through the strait, we are going to keep seeing oil
prices at the levels we've been seeing.
And concerns about supply of oil, of natural gas, of fertilizers, of all sorts of goods.
MACFARLANE: Yes.
[10:35:00]
And in the meantime, Tehran are saying they will, quote, "absolutely" keep charging a fee for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. That's
according to an Iranian official. I just want to show our viewers what that official said in an interview with Indian TV. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BAGHAEL: What Iran is doing is just to make sure that the vessels belonging or related to the United States and Israel and other countries
that are in any manner participating or helping the aggressors make any harm to Iran's national security.
And I think that's based on international law. Again, I have to clarify that other states that have nothing to do with this act of aggression
against Iran can pass through the Strait of Hormuz after necessary coordination with Iranian authorities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: So if Iran continues charging for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, what impact is that going to have on shipping and also on global
inflation?
ZIADY: It certainly won't help matters. As you mentioned in your introduction, shipping costs have surged as shippers try to avoid the
strait and take much longer routes, which mean higher fuel costs.
More time to get goods from point A to B and also more risk that you could snarl supply chains in ports far away from the Middle East. And we've seen
this happen in previous -- with previous shocks to global supply chains, where you have containers piling up in India.
Or because goods are not moving through supply chains at the speed that they need to. And all of that adds cost to shipping. Again, the most
important thing, certainly for oil prices and therefore inflation, because this is really an energy price shock, is to get that Strait of Hormuz open
once again.
Oil prices have come off a bit in the last few days as we've seen some optimism around potential talks between Tehran and Washington. But worth
mentioning and worth pointing out that they are still much higher than they were before the Iran War started on February 28th.
So we had Brent crude hovering around $70 a barrel before the war started at the beginning of the year, before tensions between Iran and the U.S.
started ratcheting up. Oil was sitting, Brent crude oil was sitting at $60 a barrel.
So I think all of this just goes to show that there may be some alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz. But certainly charging vessels to go
through it will only add costs to shipping.
And I'm not sure that it will give the shipping companies and their insurers -- also very important in this whole equation -- the confidence to
return in full to transiting through the strait. Christina.
MACFARLANE: Yes. It's very little confidence all 'round really at the moment, isn't there, especially with this ongoing discussions and not
knowing where we stand there, either. Hanna, we appreciate it. Thank you.
Now the jury finds Meta liable for misleading users when it comes to child safety. More on the landmark ruling coming up.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:40:00]
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MACFARLANE: Welcome back.
"Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie is speaking out nearly two months after the disappearance of her mother, Nancy. She recorded an interview
with a former "Today" show colleague that will air on the program Thursday and Friday.
Guthrie plans to return to the "Today" show next month. The investigation to find her mother remains active. Brian Stelter has more on the interview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Yes. Well, Savannah had been seen back in February in those heart-wrenching Instagram videos pleading for
help amid her mother Nancy's disappearance.
Now we're hearing from Savannah in a brand new way, sitting down with one of her best friends talking about his ordeal -- about how it's very much
still an active investigation but how as the weeks have dragged on Savannah has become even more desperate for some form of closure.
She said she wakes up every night, perhaps around the time that her mom went missing from that Tucson home and thinks about the terror her mom went
through.
Here's the clip that NBC just shared.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, NBC HOST: Someone needs to do the right thing.
HODA KOTB, NBC HOST: Yes.
GUTHRIE: We are in agony.
KOTB: Yes, yes.
GUTHRIE: We are in agony. It is unbearable.
KOTB: Yes.
GUTHRIE: And to think of what she went through.
KOTB: Yes.
GUTHRIE: I wake up every night in the middle of the night, every night. And in the darkness, I imagine her terror. And it is unthinkable but those
thoughts demand to be thought.
KOTB: Yes.
GUTHRIE: And I will not hide my face.
KOTB: Yes.
GUTHRIE: She needs to come home --
KOTB: Yes.
GUTHRIE: -- now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STELTER: For anyone who knows Savannah, who loves Savannah, this is another really hard moment to watch but an important moment.
It's a transition moment for Savannah as she starts to think about returning to her job. She said there at the end -- she said, "I will not
hide my face." Now she is actively planning a return to the "Today" show. A source at the network tells me she will return in April and that plan will
probably be firmed up in the coming days.
So this interview is part of a process as she begins to try to return to some semblance of normal life even though she has not had closure about her
mom, Nancy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: All right, turning now to a jury in New Mexico that has found Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has failed to protect children
from sexual abuses. The company has been ordered to pay $375 million in damages. Clare Duffy spoke to my colleague, Becky Anderson, about this
landmark case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH CORRESPONDENT: This lawsuit was filed by New Mexico's attorney general back in 2023 and accused the company of failing
to protect children on its platforms by failing to prevent bad actors from getting onto its platforms.
Contacting young people who they don't know and also failing to warn parents and teens about these risks. And this jury found Meta liable on all
counts founding that the company willfully engaged in unfair, deceptive and unconscionable trade practices.
As you said, the jury has now ordered Meta to pay $375 million in damages and this is just the first phase of this trial, Becky. The next phase will
be presented directly to the judge and could see Meta ordered to pay additional financial damages and also to make changes to its platforms.
Now as you said, Meta is planning to appeal this decision and I'll read to you a statement from a Meta spokesperson following this decision yesterday.
They told me, quote, "We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal. We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and are clear
about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors or harmful content."
And look, Becky, $375 million is a drop in the bucket for a company as big as Meta but this is a really significant moment, because for years, we have
been hearing concerns from parents and lawmakers and advocates about risks to children from these platforms. This is the first time a jury is holding
Meta accountable for those risks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: Well, ahead on CONNECT THE WORLD, sources say the Saudi leader and the U.S. president have been talking. We're trying to read the tea
leaves on this to see what Riyadh wants out of the war against Iran. That's coming up.
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[10:45:00]
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MACFARLANE: Kim Jong-un says the war with Iran proves North Korea was right to push ahead with its nuclear program. And he's leveled some strong
accusations against the U.S. president following another round of missile tests earlier this month. CNN's Will Ripley has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL RIPLEY, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un walks into parliament with confidence. State media
claims he just won reelection by a landslide with 99.93 percent of the vote.
In front of a packed house in Pyongyang, Kim has a defiant message for President Donald Trump.
"The United States is now resorting to acts of state-sponsored terrorism and aggression. The hostile forces wanted us to make a different choice,
preaching a payment for our giving up of nuclear weapons. But the present situation clearly proves our nuclear possession is irreversible."
Kim never names Iran, he doesn't have to. His message to Trump is blunt. When diplomacy fails, only brute nuclear force will do.
Ever since the Iran war broke out, a string of high-profile North Korean weapons tests, this salvo of cruise missiles fired from Kim's flagship
destroyer, the Choe Hyon.
Days later, a barrage of what state media calls a dozen nuclear-capable rockets. Kim, joined by his daughter and rumored successor-in-training, the
teenager believed to be named Kim Ju-ae.
She's even getting behind the wheel of a brand-new tank, with her father riding shotgun. Kim and his daughter busy flaunting their firepower. And
Russia, praising its anti-U.S. partnership with Pyongyang.
During coverage of the Iran war, Russian state TV airing footage of North Korean troops training near the Ukrainian front, glorifying soldiers who
chose suicide over capture, a clear signal Russia has North Korea's back.
And back in Pyongyang, Kim is honoring families of fallen troops, doubling down on nuclear weapons and telling his military and his people to prepare
for war.
RIPLEY: There are still signs diplomacy is not completely off the table. Just this month, South Korea's prime minister sat down with President Trump
in the Oval Office, raising the possibility of another meeting with Kim Jong-un.
Trump has made it clear he's open to it and Kim is signaling he could actually be, too, but with one condition: North Korea's nuclear weapons
are not up for negotiation -- Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MACFARLANE: As the war with Iran hits businesses in Europe, Spain's prime minister is doubling down on his opposition to the conflict. During an
address to the Spanish congress, Pedro Sanchez slammed both the U.S. and Israel for pushing what he calls an unjust and illegal war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): What have the promoters of this illegal war achieved?
In my opinion, this is what they have done. First, undermined international law, destabilized the Middle East, reignited conflicts in Iraq and Lebanon,
buried Gaza under the rubble, under rubble of oblivion and indifference.
They brought insecurity to Gulf countries that, until less than a month ago, were safe, encouraged nuclear programs in Pakistan and North Korea.
And given Vladimir Putin more than 8 billion euros to finance his war and invasion in Ukraine, thanks to rising fuel prices and the lifting of
sanctions, also brought about by the U.S. administration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: CNN has learned that Saudi Arabia wants to see Tehran's missile capabilities degraded, quote, "as much as possible."
We're hearing that from a regional official, who also says Riyadh doesn't want to see Iran's civilian facilities damaged.
[10:50:05]
In Washington, U.S. president Donald Trump offered high praise to Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Mohammed bin Salman, for his stance on the war
against Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: You know, we have a great relationship with Saudi Arabia.
What do you hear with Saudi Arabia?
QUESTION: Just hearing that you've been talking and that he has been encouraging you to do certain things related to Iran.
Can you -- can you share -- ?
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: He's a warrior?
He does. Yes, he's a warrior. He's fighting with us. By the way, Saudi Arabia has been excellent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MACFARLANE: But there's also another take on what the Saudi kingdom may want from the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran.
My next guest has contributed to "The New York Times" article about Saudi Arabia's de facto leader saying, "Mohammed bin Salman has been pushing
president Trump to continue the war against Iran.
"Arguing that the U.S.-Israeli military campaign represents a historic opportunity to remake the Middle East, according to people briefed by
American officials on the conversations."
David Sanger is CNN political and national security analyst and the author of "New Cold Wars: China's Rise, Russia's Invasion and America's Struggle
to Defend the West."
David, great to have you back on the show. So look, Saudi officials are rejecting the idea that the crown prince is pushing to prolong this war. It
would certainly be a turnaround in terms of where they stood at the start of the conflict. But, of course, a lot has happened since then.
So what is your read on the change of position here?
DAVID SANGER, CNN POLITICAL AND NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, thanks for having me.
I don't think that the crown prince wants to prolong the war in any way. I think, in fact, he, like everybody else in the Gulf, wants this disruption
to come to a rapid close.
The question is, what's the best way to get it to a rapid close?
And our understanding is that, like prime minister Netanyahu, he has argued that, once you start this thing and once you're into it, even if he, I
think, was not particularly enthused about it getting started.
Then you have to actually, you know, make your -- make your statement and proceed to defang the Iranians to the point where they would not be able to
use such force outside their borders at any time in the near future or even in the distant future.
And so that means taking out the missile capability, making sure that, in any settlement, that there are sharp limits on what that missile capability
would be and ending every part of the nuclear program.
And so that means getting all the nuclear material out of the country. Now whether or not the U.S. and Israel can come to an agreement on a position
and then whether that's negotiable with the Iranians is a really open question right now.
And I think the Iranians feel like they have demonstrated, with their ability to open and close the strait, that they've got a form of superpower
here that has been underappreciated before.
MACFARLANE: Yes. And you'll know, David, that we're reporting yesterday that Saudi Arabia saying they wanted Iran's missile capabilities degraded
as much as possible.
The question is though, would that be a satisfactory end for them here, at which the Saudis could then see fit to withdraw?
Or do you think they may want to go beyond that?
I mean, is there any talk of regime change or, you know, boots on the ground?
SANGER: You know, I think that everybody recognizes that regime change, if it's going to happen, is going to have to happen from within. Right.
And I think you've heard that from the Israelis. You've heard it from the Americans and so forth. And so far we have seen no sign of that.
We know that the Mossad believed that, if the supreme leader was killed, that there could be a spontaneous uprising. We haven't seen that uprising
yet. It may yet happen. It may take six months. It may take a year. It may take years after this conflict is over.
And I think part of that is the question of whether or not the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps emerges from this strengthened internally in
their authority over the country or not. Because, right now, I suspect they would be as brutal, if not more brutal, toward protesters as they were in
January.
MACFARLANE: And you'll know, of course, that we're in the midst of potential negotiations, a 15-point plan, which is being pushed back on by
the Iranians saying, you know, it doesn't make sense for them to enter into any ceasefire deal right now.
But when we come back to Saudi Arabia's role in all of this, what influence do you think the crown prince could be having in this moment to push Donald
Trump toward escalation, a possible ground invasion?
Obviously, we've been talking about the troops, military build up around Kharg Island.
SANGER: Well, he may well push and perhaps he'll be successful.
[10:55:00]
But I think 3.5 weeks now, nearly four weeks into this confrontation, president Trump has probably learned a few things. And, among them, I
think, is the fact that it's going to be extremely difficult to bring prices down very rapidly, that his number one priority is to get the strait
reopened.
Because if that doesn't happen, the energy situation only gets worse. And so I think his priorities and the Israeli and perhaps the Saudi priorities
may begin to diverge here to some degree, because the president's going to be much more price sensitive and market sensitive.
MACFARLANE: David Sanger, the best way to the end of the show is with you. We'll have to leave it there. But we appreciate your thoughts.
SANGER: Thank you.
MACFARLANE: Thanks very much.
And that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD" is up after this quick break.
END
