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U.S. Blockade On Iranian Ports In Persian Gulf Underway; Source: U.S. Eyes Potential Second Round Of Talks With Iran; Democratic Lawmakers Relieved Swalwell Will Resign; Ukraine's Zelenskyy Meeting With German Chancellor Merz. Aired 5-5:30a ET

Aired April 14, 2026 - 05:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[05:00:28]

BRIAN ABEL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Brian Abel in Washington, D.C., where it is 5:00 a.m.

ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Eleni Giokos live in Dubai. It is just on 1:00 p.m.

And we begin here in the Middle East where the U.S. military blockade on Iranian ports is now in its second day. CNN has learned a U.S.- sanctioned Chinese owned tanker Rich Starry reportedly passed through the Strait of Hormuz earlier. Now, it is unclear what port the vessel had embarked from, and this, as President Donald Trump says, the U.S. will sink any Iranian ship that comes near the blockade.

Meanwhile, pro-government protesters rallied in Tehran opposing the U.S. blockade. A source tells CNN the Trump administration is exploring options for a potential second round of in-person talks with Tehran before the current ceasefire expires. That's coming up next week.

Vice President J.D. Vance, who led the U.S. delegation in the peace talks, says its up to Iran whether the two countries will be able to strike a deal

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We must have their conclusive commitment to not develop a nuclear weapon, and I think that if the Iranians are willing to meet us there, then this can be a very, very good deal for both countries if they're not willing to meet us there, that's up to them. That's their decision. And really, the ball is very much in their court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIOKOS: Well, Iran's president warns that threatening the Strait of Hormuz will have widespread consequences for the world, and says Tehran will resume negotiations only under international law.

We've got CNN's Nic Robertson joining us now live from Islamabad, where the U.S.-Iran talks took place over the weekend. Nic, good to see you.

You know, it seems that there is appetite for a second round of negotiations, and it seems that was always the case as the ceasefire still holds. It is fragile, but its still holding what is Iran's perspective at this point? Because it really does circle around, firstly, nuclear enrichment. And secondly, what happens with the strait?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah. What Iran has said is that it believed that it went a long way to delivering what the United States wanted in the talks. It believed that the United States moved the goalposts on those talks. And we've heard from the president of Iran over the past day or so indicating that, you know, the blockade that the United States has put on the Strait of Hormuz is not -- is not going to sort of make things any, any quicker or any slower to get to getting a deal. He said remove that and you know, the deal is there. The question as to lead Iranian negotiator put it was can the United States trust Iran?

And I think that it's within the details when Vice President J.D. Vance says, that we need to be absolutely, categorically clear that Iran is not, excuse me, is not going to have a nuclear weapon. Precisely, how does the United States want Iran to manifest that? And we've got some of the details from J.D. Vance's team when they were leaving. And that is the removal of the highly enriched uranium. It is access to those nuclear facilities on the ground. It is a destruction of all those nuclear facilities.

In the past, if you go back to the deal, 2015, excuse me, Iran did remove, or allowed to go to a third country. It's highly enriched uranium or medium enriched uranium as it was back then, enriched beyond the use for civilian use.

So let's put all that to one side. But that's the kind of context you're looking at for where J.D. Vance in the United States wants to see this deal land. What does it manifest on the ground? Is it centrifuges that Iran has that the United States wants?

And where does it want them to end up? Does it want them destroyed in Iran? Does it want them removed to a third country? Or where does it want them removed?

So those are going to be details. But I think where we are on the blockade is significant as well, because you mentioned there that, there are reports that a Chinese-related vessel was able to get through. If the United States cannot adequately fulfill its, um, you know, what its set out in terms of its own blockade, if it cannot do that and analysts say it will get better over coming days, but if it cant do it, then the threat of a U.S. blockade becomes empty, and you know, it therefore puts pressure on the U.S. to go back to the table.

[05:05:10]

So, yes, the intent after the talks this weekend was to continue talking when you might get a second round or where that round might be. That's still, that's still sort of in discussion. Nothing is ended at the moment I think is how we should frame it.

GIOKOS: Yeah, and really important. You mentioned that sanctioned Chinese vessel that was able to transit through the Strait of Hormuz a while the U.S. naval blockade had been enforced and operational. Question is, where did that vessel come from? Was it allowed to move through?

Still many questions unanswered there. Nic Robertson really good to have you with us live in Islamabad.

Now, for more on this, I'm joined by Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the European Council of Foreign Relations. She joins us now live from London.

Ellie, really good to have you with us.

I just want to touch on what were seeing in the Strait of Hormuz. You know, a lot of shippers are talking about this double blockade. There are, you know, questions around sort of politically what this would mean.

Is it going to add enough pressure to Iran to relinquish the entire control that it's been able to have over the Strait of Hormuz? How are you reading into this from a geopolitical perspective?

ELLIE GERANMAYEH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA PROGRAM, ECFR: Well, look, if President Trump has vowed to open the Strait of Hormuz, he's now doubly closing it down. And so the repercussions of this globally are likely to be higher energy prices, more uncertainty about when actually the strait will open and in what conditions.

And I think it is a continuation of what we have seen from this administration, which is doubling down on maximum pressure over and over again with the same result that from the Iranian side, it is met with maximum resistance. So I think that the U.S. is again, playing its cards wrong here by thinking that going fully in to try and blockade now the last remaining exit routes for Iranian energy exports, its somehow going to make the Islamic Republic of Iran as a system give up its cards on the nuclear program or ballistic missiles.

And I think what we have seen is flexibility from Iran when it comes to a true diplomatic negotiation setting of the type we saw in Pakistan being willing to show up and negotiate over the terms rather than being dictated the terms to, which is, I think, where potentially the package that was delivered from J.D. Vance was interpreted as by Tehran.

GIOKOS: Yeah, it's really interesting perspective. I mean, it is said that by the U.S. Navy being involved in blocking the Strait of Hormuz even further, that that would push Iran into a corner because its further tightening the screws on Iranian revenue, whether its the selling of oil, whether its Tehran a toll booth that vessels had to pay to transit, the straits. Do you believe that this is going to perhaps open the door in some way for Iran to come to the negotiating table?

And I think from an American perspective, that they're going to be more concessions from the Iranian side.

GERANMAYEH: In short, no, I don't think this is going to work because we've seen over 40 years now of the us applying over and again, different layers of sanctions, economic pressure, political isolation of Iran. And it has basically gotten us to where we are, which is an unprecedented war between the U.S. and Iran. And that has had basically major global implications. And so my sense is that this move by the U.S., if it doesn't, quickly, take a political off ramp and restart negotiation in Pakistan or elsewhere in the coming days will basically result in Iran ensuring that if it cannot sell its oil, that other countries in the region also cannot sell its energy products.

So this is where I think we should worry that the next layer of escalation from Iran will be, again, retargeting energy infrastructures in the region, but also attempting to close down the Red Sea routes for exports, particularly by Saudi Arabia, that have shifted to using these routes during this ongoing war. So, you know, we can say, yes --

GIOKOS: In terms of the -- yeah. Very quickly, just in terms of the talks, the second round of talks potentially happening before the ceasefire would come to an end, what is your prognosis? What do you expect will happen?

GERANMAYEH: Look, I think we have to highlight that in Pakistan, the U.S. and Iran held their highest level face to face meetings ever, in the last, you know, almost five decades now.

[05:10:00]

And so it's, that's a really important thing to underscore that they have both come to the realization that they need to have direct negotiations at high levels if they are going to make a political breakthrough. And I think it also suggests that there is a appetite in both capitals for some sort of a grand bargain. But the only way they're going to get there is if they both show flexibility and compromise, rather than doubling down on this idea of maximum pressure and maximum resistance, because it has been a failed policy now for 47 years.

GIOKOS: All right. Ellie Geranmayeh, great to have you with us. Thank you so much.

I want to take you back now to Washington, where we've got Brian Abel standing by, is following other stories making headlines for us today -- Brian.

ABEL: Yes. Eleni, thank you.

Two U.S. lawmakers have announced their plans to resign from the House of Representatives. Democrat Eric Swalwell and Republican Tony Gonzales were both facing possible votes to be expelled from Congress. In March, Gonzalez admitted to an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.

And Swalwell's announcement comes just days after CNN and "The San Francisco Chronicle" reported multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against him, including rape charges that he denies.

One of Swalwell's accusers says she's glad the congressman is resigning. Ally Sammarco, she told CNN she had received unsolicited nude photos from Swalwell. She spoke exclusively with my colleague Pamela Brown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALLY SAMMARCO, DEMOCRATIC CONTENT CREATOR: I think that it was 100 percent the right thing for him to do. I think it should have been done even sooner, but I'm glad that he did it. I don't think that putting him back into a congressional office would have been good for anybody. And I don't think those women in his office or on Capitol Hill in general should be around him for one more day.

So I am glad that they won't have to endure that. And it's over for them. He never should have ran for governor to begin with, knowing what he knows and nobody else is responsible for what happened to him. Eric Swalwell is responsible for Eric Swalwell, not the media, and definitely not the women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: Let's get more details now from CNN's Manu Raju on Capitol Hill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In just a matter of minutes on Monday evening on Capitol Hill, two members of Congress facing sex scandals announcing that they would resign. One, Eric Swalwell, the Democrat from California, someone who was seen as a frontrunner to be the next governor of California, now a pariah within his own party in the aftermath of very damaging allegations involving sexual misconduct and an alleged rape.

Now, Swalwell has denied those allegations. But the reports in CNN and "The San Francisco Chronicle" were enough for many Democrats to call for his resignation and his ouster, and he faced the possibility of a successful vote for him to be expelled from the House by the middle of this week. And in talking to many Democrats, they were relieved to see him go.

SEN. JOHN HICKENLOOPER (D-CO): I felt like we just took a giant step backwards. I felt, maybe wrongly, that we were evolving.

RAJU: I mean, he's denying this. Do you not believe his denials?

HICKENLOOPER: Well, I looked at his quote from whatever years that was when there were that many people that haven't talked to him all making similar allegations. Again, I would I would not prejudge him. I'm -- you know, that's -- I don't have all the facts. I'm not a jury. I'm not. But the way this has unfolded is something I thought we'd put behind us.

RAJU: And then there's the case involving Congressman Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas, who had initially denied reports of an extramarital affair with an aide who later died by suicide. Then he admitted to having that affair, and it is a violation of House rules to carry on a romantic relationship with a subordinate. But despite violating those rules, Gonzales said he would still stay as a congressman, telling me repeatedly that he would not resign his seat.

He ultimately decided not to run for reelection. But House Republican leaders have now called for his resignation. But after Swalwell announced his resignation, Gonzales did as well. Now, he will also avoid facing the possibility of an expulsion vote in the House, where he could have seen Republicans and Democrats join hands to vote for his ouster.

Also, both Gonzales and Swalwell can essentially avoid a House ethics investigation. Those ethics probes typically only occur to members who are currently serving in the body, meaning that those former members are no longer in the committee's jurisdiction.

But the decision by both Swalwell and Gonzales to step aside means that Speaker Mike Johnson's razor thin majority will stay razor thin. He can only afford to lose one Republican on any party line vote.

[05:15:03]

Manu Raju, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABEL: We are following a developing story in southeastern turkey, where officials say a former student opened fire at a vocational high school, wounding at least 16 people. The local governor says the 18 year old gunman fired randomly with a shotgun, then hid inside the building where he shot and killed himself. A teacher is reportedly among those injured and in serious condition.

School shootings are rare in Turkey and there is no word yet on a motive.

Back here in the States, an American man detained in the Bahamas in connection with his wife's disappearance has been released without charges. Brian Hooker was arrested and held for several days of questioning by Bahamian police.

Hooker told investigators that his wife, Lynette Hooker, fell overboard during a sailing trip. He said she disappeared after falling off a dinghy into rough waters the night before, which left him stranded as well. Bahamian authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard have been combing waters near the island for over a week now, but that has not yet been recovered.

The police there say the investigation is ongoing. It is not clear whether Brian Hooker is free to leave the country or not.

And President Trump is not asking for forgiveness in his feud with Pope Leo. We'll have the latest in the war of words between the president and the pontiff. Plus, the leaders of Ukraine and Germany meet in Berlin. We'll have more details on the vital relationship helping Ukraine in its war with Russia.

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ABEL: Pope Leo is spending his second day in Algeria today, the first time a pontiff has ever visited the Muslim majority country. He's on a 10-day tour of Africa to bring attention to the needs of the continent, which is home to more than 20 percent of the world's Catholics. On Monday, he visited the great mosque of Algiers in an effort to strengthen dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.

And besides Algeria, the pope is scheduled to visit Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Angola. Meanwhile, President Trump is doubling down on his criticism of Pope Leo. This all started on Palm Sunday at the end of March, when the pope said Jesus doesn't listen to the prayers of those who wage war. Trump responded, calling the pope weak on crime, terrible for foreign policy, and saying the pope didn't care if Iran had a nuclear weapon. On Friday, reporters asked the president if he thought he should apologize.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, I don't, because Pope Leo said things that are wrong. He was very much against what I'm doing with regard to Iran.

POPE LEO XIV, CATHOLIC CHURCH: The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone. And the message of the gospel is very clear, "Blessed are the peacemakers."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: Then the president kicked things up a notch, posting this image that appears to depict him as Jesus healing a sick man. He eventually took the post down and explained it to reporters this way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with Red Cross as a Red Cross worker there, which we support and only the fake news could come up with that one. So, I just heard about it and I said, how did they come up with that?

It's supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: Vice President J.D. Vance, he's a convert to Catholicism, and he's staying somewhat neutral about President Trump's criticism of the pope. He told Fox News he sees it as a healthy disagreement. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think its a good thing, actually, that the pope is advocating for the things that he cares about, but were always going to have disagreements on matters of public policy. The pope has been critical of our immigration policy, but ultimately, the immigration policy of the United States is set by Donald Trump. I certainly think that in some cases, it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality, to stick to matters of, you know, what's going on in the Catholic Church and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ABEL: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Berlin at this hour meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. German officials say the meeting is part of government consultations between the two countries.

CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen joins me with more on their agenda and the significance of this meeting -- Fred.

FREDERIK PLETIGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, it's actually become a lot more significant, Brian, I'd say over the last 48 hours or so, of course, these government consultations were actually planned for a very long time in advance. However, right now, with the political situation, with conflict between the United States and Iran and of course, also the political situation here in Europe and the European union, all of this has taken on a whole new sense of importance, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed here, I would say around an hour ago on a chopper. He then received military honors from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

And, of course, one of the things that the Ukrainians are looking for is that continued support, especially from the Germans, in light of the fact that the United States might be somewhat wavering, considering its engagement in the conflict with Iran. One of the main things that the Ukrainians, of course, are very concerned about is air defense for themselves. Those air defense missiles that they need so badly. Of course, a lot of air defense also having been used in that military confrontation between the United States and Iran as well. The Ukrainians certainly want that to keep going.

[05:25:01]

And one of the things that the Germans, for instance, have been doing, but other European countries as well is acquiring United States interceptor missiles, to then be given to the Ukrainians. It's actually quite interesting because there is also a Ukrainian drone exhibit here in the chancellery where I'm standing, where the Ukrainians, of course, have also said that, for instance, for nations in the Gulf, it would have been very good to have Ukrainian knowledge. And they gave them some of that. While Iranian drones were threatening some of those Gulf states. But the other big thing on the agenda, Brian, is, of course, the new

political reality here in Europe with Viktor Orban, who is a big supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, but is also, of course, very close to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, having lost that election on Sunday and possibly there being a new political reality here on the European continent, which could make things politically a lot better for the Ukrainians.

Of course, the Hungarians have been blocking some or trying to block some military aid, other aid for the Ukrainians as well. They were sort of seen as being very close to the Russians in the European Union. And now it seems as though, with a change in power in Hungary happening, and Viktor Orban no longer on the scene, the Ukrainians obviously hoping that a lot of things could become easier for them.

Also, in light of the fact that its really been the Germans who have been spearheading support for Ukraine since the United States has sort of pulled back again in the new Trump administration. The Germans, now by far the largest military and also financial contributor to Ukraine.

ABEL: Many fluid dynamics playing out there. Fred Pleitgen, thank you for breaking it down for us in Berlin.

Still to come, Lebanese and Israeli officials are gathering in Washington, D.C., ahead of direct talks later today. The latest on what both countries are aiming to secure after the break.

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