Return to Transcripts main page

NEW DAY

Deal With Iran. Aired 6:00-6:30a ET.

Aired July 14, 2015 - 06:00   ET

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


[06:00:00] NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One has been getting Iran to answer questions about the possible past military technology to build a weapon. We heard from the head of the IAEA. The - we heart from the international watchdog involved. He should have the answers to those questions by the 15th of December, later this year.

The expectation now is that we will, very soon, begin to hear some of the details. What we do know to expect is that Iran will have its nuclear stockpiles cut significantly, centrifuges cut significantly and in return it will get sanctions relief. The precise details of that, we should begin to learn within the next hour or so.

Alisyn.

ALISYN CAMEROTA, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Nic. Bring us the details as soon as you have them. Thanks for the update. So this Iran deal is a major diplomatic achievement for President Obama, but still it will be a tough sell to congress.

CNN's Michelle Kosinski is live at the White House with that part of the story. What are they saying this morning, Michelle?

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Alisyn, right. Another historic announcement for this administration. And we know, we have seen several lately. But this is a big one, so much time and work went into this. And now, we know we'll hear from President Obama in about an hour.

What we expect him to say is the same thing we virtually heard from this administration every single day leading up to the deal. That this is the best way forward. It is the best way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and it minimizes the risk the most when you compare the other options, including leaving the agreement that's been in place in place and definitely as some in congress called for.

So we know that the president is going to be talking up those points. Why this is a good deal as some of the criticism has been coming in. What congress has been saying, I mean, not everyone agrees on this, by a long shot. Talking about things like, well, if Iran still is a bad actor in many ways, still a sponsor of terror as the U.S. believes it is around the world, then why would we even be talking about removing the arms embargo from Iran?

And we know that - that is part of the deal. So we have yet to see all the details. But what opponents in those most vocal about concerns over the deal we'll be looking at is, what are the concessions. We know there are sticking points as late as last night. So when it all came together, where were the compromises? I mean, they, they are going to be a lot of sharp eyes to see where the U.S. And its negotiating partners had to bend or whether Iran was the one who finally conceded on all of those sticking points, including when sanctions would be lifted. What to do with their stockpiles et cetera.

So details yet to come. We'll hear from the president and then we are sure to hear a lot from congress. Back to you.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Michelle, as you have been reporting, a lot of skepticism in the U.S. among law makers has fueled by mystery, despite all the briefings. They still don't know what is in these 100 pages. That's what the rest of us are waiting on for as well. So far, we know that Iran's foreign minister is calling the deal a win-win solution.

Now, does he reflect the feelings of the Iranian people? CNN's Fred Pleitgen has spent the last few weeks Tehran getting a sense of it. We go to him now, Fred what do you know?

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hi Chris. I certainly think that he reflects the majority of the Iranian people. You know, for many of them, it was important in this entire process that they want the sanctions against them to be lifted as fast as possible.

I went to a factory near Tehran just the other day and they had machines from the Soviet Union. They were 30 years old and it couldn't get any spare parts for themselves. There's certainly, many believe there will be big economic development once and if all the sanctions are lifted.

Now, you can feel that the mood in Tehran right now is quite jovial. In fact it was a tweet by the country's president, by Eshaq Jahangiri saying just now Iran and the IAEA which is the International Atomic Energy Agency agreed to accelerate cooperation with the aim to fully resolve prior issues. Of course, we are having big issues between the IAEA and Iran, very much distrust between the agency and Iran as well.

The interesting thing is you know, we don't have anything in the way of details of the agreement. However, Iranian media is saying that they have some specifics they say that Iran has been recognized as a nuclear power. They say Iran can continue to enrich uranium. There aren't details yet. That's just something sort of out there within the Iranian sphere.

Now, we do have to say, they are going to be some hard liners, and we're going to be highly critical of this deal. It's been that way inside - during the entire process of these negotiations. So Iran also a country with a lot of controversial politics as well, Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Absolutely, Fred. Thanks so much for all that reporting. We will check back in with you as this unfolds. Israel already condemning this Iran deal. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it a historic mistake for the world. Let's get right to CNN's Erin McLaughlin she is in Jerusalem for us. Good morning, Erin.

[06:05:00] ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. That's right. Throughout the process, we heard really strong rhetoric from Israeli officials against this deal calling it a bad agreement. Today is no different. Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu meeting this morning with the Dutch Prime Minister here in Jerusalem.

And he said when you are ready to make a deal, no matter what the cost, this is the result from the first report that is are arriving, it is already possible to conclude that a disagreement is an historic mistake for the world. We are expecting a more elaborate statement, more elaborate reaction as details of this agreement come out.

We are also hearing from government officials, including hard liners, coalition partner, Neptali Bennett issued the following statement, saying, quote, this day will be remembered as a black day in the history of the free world. History books are rewritten today with a most dangerous and severe chapter.

Now, this rhetoric, presumably before officials in Israel had a chance to read this entire agreement, really goes to illustrate the lack of trust that has existed throughout this process and we are already hearing from government ministers saying, calling on parliaments, relevant parliaments throughout the world to quash this agreement and we remember, of course, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu's address to congress back in March causing a rift with the Obama administration.

One can only imagine a continued diplomatic push towards convincing congress that this is a bad deal will continue to sour those relations. Alisyn?

CAMEROTA: Absolutely. All of that response will be complicated. Erin McLaughlin, thank you.

Let's bring in now, CNN's Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour. She is in Vienna for us, good morning, Christiane. Tell us what we know, what you know about the details and what's in this deal?

CHRISTIANNE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I cannot tell you right now, because the embargo is broken now because the Eu Chief Frederico Malgarini has just tweeted the deal is done. We have a deal. The agreement is done.

So, Iran talks are finished. We have an agreement. That is formal now from the Eu chief who just tweeted that out. And so, there have been series of background briefings from the United States and from the Iranian side. Basically, the bottom line is, as we know, the parameters are very similar to what happened to what took place in Lozan after those marathon negotiations back in April.

But they have now been finalized. So in short, it is formally legitimizing and recognizing Iran's nuclear program, however, putting very, very considerable restrictions on it for a long period of time for 10 years or more, depending on what parts of the agreement we are talking about.

There was some very crucial sticking points in the last few days here mostly around the formal U.N. security resolution that will enshrine this. Amongst those, the issues of lifting of arms embargo. Well, the Iranians refuse to use the word arms embargo. But they say if we - and we will sign up to the so-called, additional protocol of the IAEA, that means, we will allow managed access.

So this is the military side. They say that they will allow managed access to the military sides for the IAEA to be able to inspect what they have done in the past, what they are doing now and, of course, rigorous inspections going forward. So regarding the arms embargo, they say, again, they don't want to use that term, but they say, they understand that for a period of years, five to eight years, there will be no lifting of the arms embargo, depending on what kind of weapons we are talking about.

So on those issues, they have come to the agreement on that and the language and the writing and the wording they have used signifies how each side needs to take what they need home to their parliaments and to their people. So that's that.

In return for this from Iran and many, many other things, there will be an easing and lifting of sanctions. It's still unclear as to the exact timing of that. The United States have said it could be many months before the key implementations of what Iran has to do, a verified and accepted and then the sanctions are lifted today. An Iranian official told us that in fact, we don't believe they should be months or week.

We are going to try our best to implement all of these accords and all of these agreements as fast as possible. In the meantime, I'm told that actually, almost nothing will happen for the next 90 days while there's a review in various capitals. And of course, as you know, in the United States a 60-day review by congress.

CAMEROTA: And Christiane, what about what Erin McLaughlin just reported? The Benjamin Netanyahu is not happy about this deal. He calls it a historic mistake. Does he hold any sway at this point?

AMANPOUR: Well, of course, because Benjamin Netanyahu, is the prime minister, has basically said that he will do everything he possibly can to sway his friends in the U.S. congress to disapprove to not approve this deal that is the Israeli government position.

[06:10:00] We will wait to see what kind of effect that might have. And of course, everybody knows it is very, very difficult, this next phase. I yesterday saw Secretary Kerry, I saw Prime Minister Zarif, I saw all sorts of members of the negotiation as I was in the building behind there. And many, many of them say that it is going to be very hard to sell this.

Don't underestimate the challenges and the hard part is in the selling and in the implementation. So, you know, once the deal is signed, as it has

been, it's a historic move forward. There's a huge amount of work to be done, given there are very significant obstacles to this deal.

Not in Europe it must be added, but certainly in Israel certainly amongst America's Arab allies and certainly in - in parts of the U.S. congress. An

Iranian official said today that, this is an historic day, this is a good day for world peace.

Chris?

CUOMO: All right, Christiane, thank you very much. Words only as good as deeds, so, what do we see in these 100 pages? Right now, unreleased. So, as Christiane had been doing we're giving you the reporting around it. But as we know, with any contracts, it comes down to what the covenants are. What happens if what is supposed to be followed isn't. So let's get some perspective information from Nicholas Burns. He was the chief negotiator on Iran's nuclear program until 2008.

Ambassador, good to have you. Let's just start off at 30,000 feet here. The idea that a deal got done at all, how meaningful?

NICHOLAS BURNS, FORMER U.S. UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS: Very meaningful, very historic. Look at it this way Chris, this has been 10 years in the making. 10 years since the United States under the Bush administration decided we would sanction Iran, that we would put Iran on the international court talk and, and make sure we would freeze its nuclear program.

I think this is a sensible arrangement in the sense that it freezes Iran's program for 10 to 15 years. Obviously, there are tradeoffs and compromises, but I think probably the right way for the United States to go.

CUOMO: As someone who followed the process from the conception in this this latest iteration a round of talks, is this better than what was in place before it?

BURNS: Well, it continues the freezing of Iran's program over the last year and a half, but I think it is better than what came before that. Because Iran was unfettered. It had no constraints on its nuclear, on its uranium enrichment program, on its plutonium program. I was raising a head towards the nuclear capability. What this agreement will do is freeze it for 10 years.

So, I think it's qualitatively a better situation. I want to say, Chris, I think the proper way for any member of congress or any of us to look at this, what was the alternative here? Was using force an alternative? No because Iran's not on the nuclear threshold. Could we have walked away and got a better deal in probably not. Because the strength of this deal is that the entire world is focused on Iran.

The United Nations Security council they placed the sanctions on it. This has the backing of the United Nations security council. So I think, of all the options available to President Obama and Secretary Kerry, I think this is the most effective and toughest thing they could have done.

CUOMO: In terms of what you give and what you get, the biggest concern that's bubbling up now is the arms embargo. Skeptics are saying, why do they need to have that in place here, the Iranians that they can have unfettered access to arms if this is a step toward peace?

BURNS: Well, I have not seen this 100-page document. That hasn't been released yet. But if Christiane's report is right that the United Nations arms embargo will persist, they continue to apply to Iran for the next five to eight years, that is a sensible arrangement for the United States. I don't think the United States could have agreed to have that arms embargo lifted.

At a time when Iran is selling mayhem, selling arms in Yemen, in Syria, Iraq and in Lebanon. And causing a lot of problems in Middle East. So if the arrangement is that those arms embargoes will be maintain for at least five years, I think that's a step in the right direction for the United States. There are some compromises here, of course.

While Iran's program has been frozen, it's the infrastructure that is going to stay in place. It's not entirely dismantled. So after 10 or in some cases 15 years, some of that infrastructure can be rebuilt. That's a compromise. The other compromise I think that we have made here is that there are going to be inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It's the head of nuclear's agency. That's critical.

The question is, will the line of sight of the IAEA be perfect and clear and will the Iranians cooperate or will they at some point to try to cheat? I think cheating is a fair possibility given the Iran track record. So you do have compromises that were made here and you have to weigh them.

[06:15:00] CUOMO: So they wanted the arms, the Iranian, that embargo lifted, which is a little suspicious but they got stopped on that. That's a good trade. The bad trade, here ultimately, will be what happens if they don't comply. Now, you just said there is a reasonable chance this deal is broken. Then what?

BURNS: Well, then, I think two things are important for the United States. Will we be able to maintain the unity that we currently have with the European powers with Russia and China. Those are the countries that were on our side of the table negotiating with Iran. Will all those countries agree coalesce and come back at the Iranians and reimpose sanctions. That's a big question.

My view Chris is that, the European countries, France, Britain and Germany would be with us. I wonder about Russia and China, I think we're talking about hypotheticals here. But if you are looking at the compromises, that's a compromise. Will we have a clear ability to reimpose tough sanctions? Should the Iranian's violate this agreement and anytime in the next decade.

CUOMO: Mr. Ambassador, Nicholas Burns, it is your take that we needed here this morning. And thank you for it on "New Day," Sir.

Alisyn?

BURNS: Thank you.

CAMEROTA: OK. Chris, there is other big news that we need to get to. Mexico's government offering a $3.8 million award for the capture of drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. His stunning escape causing three top Mexican prison officials cost their jobs.

And now, Donald Trump claims the drug lord is threatening him online. Let's look at the latest from CNN's International Correspondent Polo Sandoval in Mexico.

Good morning, Polo.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alisyn. That's right. So many twists and turns in the story. Really, it all goes down

to the people that live in the shadow that you see behind me.

So much frustration so many - so much anger among the people in the community. They want to know how he tunneled out of the prison and into the community. Now, the federal government in Mexico hoping to up the ante.

Nearly $4 million, that's how much award money Mexican officials are offering up for any information leading up to the recapture of escaped drug lord, Joaquin Guzman known as El Chapo. Investigators currently gathering statements and testimony from 34 workers and 17 inmates inside the maximum security prison west of Mexico city.

Monday night, Mexico's interior minister along with the attorney general vowed to punish any staff or official who may have acted as an accomplice to El Chapo's escape. They call it an act of corruption and treason against the people of Mexico. El Chapo's power and influence as leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel stretches far beyond the confines of prison.

His 2001 escape cost him a reported $2.5 million in bribes. And his recent escape from a federal prison from a mile long tunnel underneath the prison floor could be the most expensive breakout yet.

MIKE BRAUN, FORMER DEA CHIEF OF OPERATIONS: Not only as he is extraordinarily powerful. He is a sadistic narcissist like the world has never seen and he happens to have an enormous amount of money which makes him I would say, the most dangerous man in the world today.

SANDOVAL: On Monday, in response to the series of fury, El Chapo tweets from presidential hopeful Donald Trump bashing the Mexican government. Law enforcement officials confirm that Trump's campaign notified the FBI about an alleged threatening tweet coming from his account, the user claiming to be the son of the escaped drug lord, El Chapo. Parts of the Spanish language its tweet loosely translates to, "I'm going to make you swallow your expletive words."

And CNN is learning more about the half built house on the other end of the Chapo's tunnel to freedom. Satellite images from February 2014 suggests construction started on the site sometime within the last year. Local farmers telling CNN, they saw men with heavy equipment working in the home as recent as the morning before Chapo made his extraordinary escape.

And back out live at the gates of the prison here in Mexico. The search continues. But really, what's important here is the look ahead. We now know that this does have the potential to throw off balance several of the operations in the cartel landscape. You are looking at a powerful cartel figure who now is potentially back at the reigns of this huge organization, Chris.

And now, the main question here is what will this do, especially with the rivalry between the Sinaloa cartels and their enemies.

CUOMO: You know, they are located in Mexico, a heavy hand in drug activity around the world and certainly in the U.S. Polo, thank you for staying on this for us. There's big news back here at home in the U.S. as well. The son of a Boston police captain accused of plotting to bomb college campuses and inspired by ISIS will face a judge today.

Federal authorities, the 23-year-old Alexander (Chicolo) wanted to broadcast student executions live online. CNN Correspondent Alexandra Field is here with the latest on that.

Alexander.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Chris, this is somebody that authorities were watching. There was a tip from the young man's father, there Facebook messages that caused some concerns and conversations that were being closely monitors. Once he had the weapons in hand, authorities felt they could make their move.

[06:20:00] Veteran Boston police officer Captain Robert (Socovo) compelled to alert authorities about his 23-year-old son making alarming comments to his father. The son now standing accused of terrorist plotting on behalf of ISIS. Alexander (Sicolo) was arrested and charged on July 4th for position of firearms allegedly purchased to carry out and attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This individual began to look at ISIS, look what they were doing and begin to change themselves.

FIELD: According to court documents unsealed Monday, Alexander has a history of mental illness and became obsessed with Islam 18 months ago. Through a cooperating witness, the task force made contact with Alexander. Investigators say the 23-year-old ordered high powered guns from the individual, weapons he received just 10 days ago. Alexander allegedly saying, he wanted to set off homemade bombs

at a college cafeteria before the end of this month. Inside his Massachusetts apartment, investigators say they found several partially constructed Molotov cocktails and a long, curved knife.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He could have detonated anything anytime or something could have gone bad inside the apartment.

FIELD: Before his arrest, agents watched Alexander purchase a pressure cooker that they say, he planned to make it into a bomb, similar to one used in the 2013 Boston Marathon attacks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's very disturbing, shocking and you are not safe anywhere, anymore.

FIELD: Once this young man was taken into custody, police say that he did lashed out. He actually used a pen to stab a nurse, who was treating him and leaving a puncture wound behind. Alisyn and Chris, we did to find out again, that this is somebody who suffered from mental illness, has been treated since the age of 7, in and out of facilities. Today, he'll be in a courtroom.

CUOMO: All right. Alexandra, thank you very much. Appreciate it. All right. So, we have this breaking news this morning and we have details on the Iran deal that are coming out by the minute. We are going to bring you all that

reporting, plus the reaction from leaders.

President Obama is going to speak just after 7:00 eastern time. We will bring you that and the Iranian foreign minister has chosen to speak as well this morning. In about 10 minutes, we'll dip into that.

CAMEROTA: Also another big story, that cartel leader on the run in Mexico, heads are rolling at the prison this morning. How will police find El Chapo? A former DEA official will tell us, next.

[06:25:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAMEROTA: A $3.8 million reward for the location and recapture of Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman. The director of the maximum security prison from which he escaped has been fired.

As questions grow about how Guzman was able to boost out. With us this morning is Mike Vigil. He is the former chief of international operations for the DEA and counter narcotics director for Mission Essential, that's a Pentagon Intelligence contractor.

Mr. Vigil, thanks so much for being here. I was interested to read, you said you have been putting yourself in Guzman's shoes for these past couple days to figure out where he would be and what he would be doing. What have you thought about this?

MICHAEL VIGIL, INVESTIGATED "EL CHAPO" AND HIS CARTEL: Well, the thing is that Chapo's mom is a master strategist. When he exited the tunnel away from the penitentiary, I'm sure that he probably had individuals probably transport him to a climb vest and the air strip where he had air support either a helicopter or fixed wing aircraft to take him to his stronghold, which is his native state of Sinaloa.

His stronghold is in the mountainous area there, with very rugged terrain and very it's very difficult to mount enforcement operations there. Secondly, he's protected by the local population because he plays a roll of Robin Hood, he builds churches, he builds schools and he gives money to the poor. So, to capture him again in that area is going to be really, almost virtually impossible.

CAMEROTA: You know, it's so fascinating to hear you say that the local people protect him. Because obviously, we have heard him depicted as a brutal, heinous terrorist. He does the most gruesome murders and crimes against humanity, yet, he was on the run for 13 years the last time he broke out of prison. Obviously, he has a lot of help on the outside.

VIGIL: Well, the thing is, he's a psychopath and he kills anybody that is in his way. He also knows he has to have a security blanket. And those are the local villagers in the state of Sinaloa. So he enjoys vast protection because these villagers, if they see unusual movement in the area, they immediately notify him. So that is what makes his capture very difficult and I would bet that he's probably already in his stronghold and has completely assumed the reigns of the Sinaloa cartel.

CAMEROTA: Let me show you and our viewers how he changes his looks. When he was on the run last time around, it was well known that he got surgery. He lightened his skin, if you can see from 1993 to 2004. He had some sort of facial reconstruction, possibly on his nose. They say that he got hair transplants to make his hair thicker. I mean, he looks similar to me, but obviously, he is known to use disguises or change even his looks. Do you think he's doing that again?

VIGIL: Well, I would imagine so. But, once he gets into his stronghold, I don't think he's really going to care. I think a lot of the surgery that was cosmetic was because he's married to a very young woman, a beauty queen by the name of Emma Coronel. And I think that he just wants to remain attractive to her, but, at the same time, you know, probably change his appearance so he's not easily recognized.