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Iranian President Lauds Removal of Economic Restrictions; Iran Oil Production Could Worsen Price War; Nations Mourn 28 Killed in Terror Siege. Aired 2-2:30a ET

Aired January 17, 2016 - 02:00   ET

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


[02:00:00]

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Strong words despite a historic deal. Iran's leader hammers extremists after sanctions against his country are dropped.

Also, how the Iran nuclear deal helped lead to the release of five Americans held captive.

It's all ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. Thanks for joining us. We're live in Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ALLEN: It has happened. The U.S. and European Union are lifting sanctions against Iran. The move comes after the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency said Tehran has complied with the first phase of a deal reached last year. That agreement was designed to restrict Iran's nuclear program. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani touted the development.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HASSAN ROUHANI, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): As far as JCPOA is concerned, all the parties are happy, with the exception of designists and the warmongers and those who are causing disunity amongst Islamic amah (ph) and also the American hardliners and extremists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Just another sign of warming between Washington and Iran, a prisoner swap has led to the release of four Americans being held in Iran. Global affairs correspondent Elise Labott has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: The freeing of four U.S. prisoners, including "Washington Post" journalist Jason Rezaian, came as part of an unprecedented prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran. It was the result of some 14 months of secret negotiations between American and Iranian diplomats.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN KERRY, SECRETARY OF STATE: I'm very happy to say that, as we speak, we have received confirmation that five Americans, who had been unjustly detained in Iran, have been released from custody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LABOTT: Now the release came on the same day when the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, announced that Iran is in compliance with the deal to restrict its nuclear program.

As a result, the U.S. and the international community has lifted economic sanctions against Iran.

Now U.S. officials say that after the deal was reached in July, talk on the prisoner swap intensified. Secretary of state John Kerry said that nuclear agreement certainly accelerated the prisoner swap, as did the improvement in U.S.-Iranian relations, but that those talks were on a separate track than the nuclear talks.

That was part of this deal, Iran agreed to release Jason Rezaian as well as former marine Amir Hekmati, Christian pastor Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosravi, who we really haven't heard that much about, either him or the circumstances surrounding his detention.

Now a fifth U.S. citizen, Matthew Trevithick, was not part of those negotiations, that longer talk over 14 months, but was also released along with the four Americans by Iran as a goodwill gesture.

And meanwhile, seven Iranians facing charges in the U.S. will be pardoned or will receive clemency as part of this deal. The U.S. officials say none of those Iranians were charged with terrorism or violence and said those were only considered, had been convicted of sanctions violations or the violations of the trade embargo against Iran.

Now Washington has also agreed to drop charges for 14 Iranians considered fugitives. And there's what they call a red notice out by Interpol for their arrest.

Siamak Namazi, a dual U.S.-Iranian business man, was detained in October. He was not part of this deal and was not released.

And neither was Robert Levinson, who is that former FBI agent who disappeared on Iran's Kish Island in 2007.

Now Iran has said it has no information on Levinson. But as part of this recent deal, U.S. officials say that Iran has assured them, they will continue to seek information about Levinson's whereabouts -- Elise Labott, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: As economic sanctions are lifted, Iran is looking forward to boosting its oil production. But as our John Defterios explains, that could make an already brutal price war even worse. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: From oil-rich West Karun on the border of Iraq to Tehran's bustling bazaars and its ultra- modern malls.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is my brand, Adidas (ph).

DEFTERIOS (voice-over): Iran looks forward to more prosperous times when its oil is sold again on world markets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is their one big salable commodity. And they have a large growing and young population, that they have to get some economic growth for.

[02:05:00]

DEFTERIOS (voice-over): A decade of sanctions has badly damaged the Iranian economy, which is now on the brink of recession as regional tensions heat up. The World Bank believes Iran's economic growth could reach 6 percent after sanctions end.

No wonder that Iran's oil minister says, maximizing output is a must.

BIJAN ZANGENAH, IRANIAN OIL MINISTER: Can we wait enough to produce after lifting the sanction?

Who can accept it in Iran?

Can we lose our share in the market?

It's not fair.

DEFTERIOS (voice-over): In recent days, Iranian officials have hinted that it may take a slower, more subtle approach towards ramping up production as oil prices collapse.

But its official goal was to get back to pre-sanction levels by adding 1.5 million barrels a day by the end of the year. Iran has increased investment by the major oil companies could further boost production.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to invest, we have to invest under any condition.

DEFTERIOS (voice-over): Arch-rival Saudi Arabia is already anticipating the added supply.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Saudis have already started to discount their sales to Europe in order to better price their product against the coming Iranian sales.

DEFTERIOS (voice-over): All this comes as Iranian and Saudi leaders battle for political influence in the Middle East. The rivalry has stoked bloody proxy wars in Syria and Yemen and has hurt the effort to battle ISIS. Saudis fear the added oil revenue will further embolden Iran and allow it to act more aggressively in the region. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're really seeing the struggle for power in

that part of the world, between Iran and Saudi Arabia, shifting over to the oil supply area.

DEFTERIOS (voice-over): In other words, an already brutal price war could get even worse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a pure business competition. And I think this business competition will continue, regardless of any OPEC meeting could take place in the near future.

DEFTERIOS (voice-over): Oil revenues will help Iran. But lifting sanctions could not come at a worse time for all the other producers -- John Defterios, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: Indonesian police have arrested 12 people in connection with Thursday's deadly attack in Central Jakarta. Three people were killed when a suicide bomber and multiple gunmen launched an attack in front of a Starbucks there.

According to Indonesia's police chief, one of the 12 suspects received a money transfer from the alleged organizer of the attack from Syria. That organizer's named Bahrun Naim. Investigators believe that the money was to finance Thursday's attack.

There are growing fears a key Western ally in the fight against Al Qaeda and other jihadist groups has now become the latest battleground for militants. Burkina Faso, a country in Africa, is mourning of deaths of 28 people killed when gunmen opened up fire at a hotel and a cafe inside.

That happened in the capital of Burkina Faso. The victims were from 18 countries and included an American charity worker and a 9-year-old girl from Ukraine. CNN's Robyn Kriel has more on how this attack unfolded.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBYN KRIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The upmarket Splendid Hotel and Cafe Cappuccino were the scenes of the hostage scene that lasted more than 12 hours in downtown Ouagadougou Friday night. Islamic extremist gunmen stormed the venues, killing people from at least 18 different countries.

Burkina Faso's special forces launched a counterassault late Friday night to rescue the hostages. They killed four attackers, in which Burkina Faso government officials say two were women.

Troops rescued around 126 hostages. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has claimed responsibility for the attack. It's the same group responsible for a similar attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in Mali's capital, Bamako, in November, where 22 people were killed by gunmen.

Security specialists say the Islamic militant group based in Mali would take advantage of Burkina Faso's porous borders and its good relations with Western nations, such as France and the U.S., to stage deadly attacks like this, targeting foreigners and expanding their military activities -- Robyn Kriel, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN: A new political era is beginning in Taiwan. Tsai Ing-wen is claiming a resounding victory and her opponent has conceded, which will make her the country's first female president. Thai's Democratic Progressive Party has favored Taiwan's independence in the past but she insists that relations with neighbor, China, are important to Taiwan's future.

Well, Derek Van Dam has got his eye on a cyclone churning in the South Pacific.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. That's right. This is Tropical Cyclone Victor that is threatening the Cook Islands at the moment, as well as French Polynesia as well as American Samoa islands as well.

We have basically got cyclone season in this part of the world lasting November through to March.

[02:10:00]

VAN DAM: And so we're right smack dab in the middle of its height of its typhoon and cyclone season.

So let's get a look at the specifics of this particular storm. Here it is, Cyclone Victor. American Samoa To the north and west. We'll zoom into this region. You can start to see a defined eye with this particular cyclone, 140 kilometer per hour sustained winds.

Some of the smaller island nations across this area already reporting winds in excess of 75 to 80 kilometers per hour.

It is anticipated to continue to strengthen. However, it's not going to impact a largely populated area. But nonetheless, the smaller islands dotted across this area, including the Southern Cook Islands, will definitely feel the brunt of this storm, as it continues to churn across the South Pacific.

(WEATHER REPORT)

VAN DAM: Another part of the world we're monitoring is Southwestern Mexico, a recent eruption from the Colima volcano, also known as the Volcano Del Fuego. Here's some footage of its recent eruption. This is known as a stratovolcano and that's characterized by its tall, conical shape, very steep profile and its periodic explosive eruptions just like the one you are seeing on TV creates some stunning visual images, though, doesn't it, Natalie?

ALLEN: Yes. I didn't know that was such a thing, OK, that kind of volcano. Thank you, sir. All right. We're going to end on this one for you. It's pandemonium

time at the Washington National Zoo. There he is. That's 5-month-old panda cub Bei Bei, oh, so cute, made his public debut at the zoo Saturday. This ball of fur which is beyond adorable, of course, caused all kinds of craziness, like that right there.

And he looked a little shocked.

The panda, not that thing.

With the flashing paparazzi. There he is again. But he will have to get used to it of course, because he's off the charts cute.

VAN DAM: You know, there is a new movie, "Kung Fu Panda 3," coming out. Couldn't be timed more perfectly, I guess.

ALLEN: Absolutely.

You think they did that by accident?

(LAUGHTER)

ALLEN: Thanks for watching. MARKETPLACE AFRICA is next.