Margaret Brennan sat down with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for a rare interview, and the conversation did not settle the war with Iran. The Iranian leader offered new terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the conflict.
The interview aired as President Trump faces pressure on multiple fronts. Voters worry about the economy and rising prices. The war with Iran has killed 19 U.S. military personnel, according to the Pentagon’s casualty count. And the White House is still locked in a fight with the press corps after networks resumed coverage of the president’s daily activities.
Pezeshkian’s Opening Offer
Pezeshkian described a framework built on the memorandum of understanding signed by both sides in June. He said the requests in that document have been broken down into stages, allowing the two countries to proceed step by step.
“If the United States agrees to proceed in that way, everything will return to the way it was before, because, right now, it’s the United States that has blocked our way,” Pezeshkian said through a translator.
He also acknowledged that Iran has blocked the way from its side. Both sides, he argued, need to open up before they can sit down at the negotiating table.
The Question of Trust
Brennan asked Pezeshkian directly if he could guarantee his military would abide by any deal. The president answered affirmatively.
“Obviously, we will abide by whatever we commit to,” he said.
When Brennan noted that President Trump had said he was open to meeting Pezeshkian, but that it did not happen, Pezeshkian pointed to the atmosphere of distrust between the two countries.
“We need to abide by what we have written down,” he said.
He also referenced the martyrdom of Iran’s supreme leader, saying that if someone came and killed that leader and then did not abide by what was agreed, “what would be your reaction?”
Nuclear Limits, Not Abandonment
Brennan pressed Pezeshkian on whether the offer was now to begin talks about putting limits on Iran’s nuclear program but not fully abandoning it. Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran had already reached an understanding on this in previous talks.
“Of course, we agree. We had already reached an understanding on this in our previous talks.”
But he added that the United States had struck it down. He said within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and other existing frameworks, these issues could be agreed upon.
The Status of Taiwan
The interview was part of a broader broadcast that also covered Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington. The visit drew pomp and circumstance, but serious tensions remain, particularly over the status of Taiwan.
Ambassador Alexander Yui, Taiwan’s representative to the U.S., was asked to check in on the situation. The broadcast did not include his remarks in the excerpt provided.
Midterm Outlook
With weeks to go before the midterms, Republicans are scrambling to save their majority in both houses. Sen. John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, and Rep. Jim Himes, Democrat of Connecticut, were interviewed about the outlook for their parties.
The excerpt does not include their responses.
The Press Fight Continues
The White House confrontation with the press corps is far from settled. Networks resumed coverage after a federal judge ordered the White House to restore access to outlets that had been banned. The administration continued to limit CNN’s participation in the television pool during Xi Jinping’s visit.
What the Interview Shows
Pezeshkian’s refusal to guarantee his military’s compliance stands out. He blamed the United States for blocking the way.
The offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict remains on the table.
The interview is a snapshot of a war with no clear exit. Pezeshkian wants the United States to show it does not intend to overthrow Iran’s government. The war with Iran adds to the pressure on Trump ahead of the midterms.
The war has killed 19 U.S. military personnel, according to the Pentagon. The casualty count rose again last week.
For now, the two countries remain at odds. Pezeshkian wants trust. The war continues.
See the video the story is built around at CBS News.
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