Stories about Iran | 60 Minutes Full Episodes
Summary
TLDRThis script delves into the escalating tensions between the US and Iran, highlighting Iran's use of proxy militias and hired hitmen to target American officials and dissidents. It recounts the harrowing experience of a former American hostage in Iran and details the 2020 confrontation between the two countries after the US killed an Iranian general, culminating in a massive Iranian missile attack. The script also features interviews with President Raisi, exploring Iran's stance on the nuclear deal and its hostility towards Israel and the US.
Takeaways
- 🌍 Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated, with Iranian-backed militias frequently attacking US bases in Syria and Iraq.
- 🔍 Iran uses proxy fighters, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and also deploys hitmen globally to intimidate, abduct, and assassinate perceived enemies.
- 🎯 Iran has targeted former American officials, including President Trump, offering large sums for their assassination.
- 🕵️♂️ The FBI thwarted an assassination attempt against John Bolton, revealing Iran's use of online platforms to hire hitmen.
- 🔵 Iran's aggressive tactics extend to vocal Iranian activists abroad, aiming to silence dissent against the regime.
- 🚨 The FBI and intelligence agencies report an increase in Iran's bold efforts to target dissidents, signaling a serious security concern.
- 💡 Iran employs criminal syndicates in the West for these operations, offering a layer of deniability.
- 🇬🇧 The UK has foiled multiple Iranian kidnapping and assassination attempts, indicating this is a global issue.
- 🔑 Iran's recruitment of criminals for overseas operations highlights a complex network aimed at executing its agenda.
- 🚔 Despite thwarted plots, Iran's tactics pose a significant threat, emphasizing the need for vigilance and international cooperation.
Q & A
What were the main reasons behind the increasing tensions between the US and Iran as described in the script?
-The script cites several reasons for the rising tensions, including Iranian-backed militias attacking US bases in Syria and Iraq, Iran's hiring of hitmen to target perceived enemies of the regime (including American officials), and the US assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani as retaliation for his involvement in attacks that killed over 600 US troops.
How did Iran allegedly attempt to assassinate former US officials like John Bolton and Mike Pompeo?
-According to the script, Iran offered a hitman $1 million to kill Mike Pompeo and allegedly tried to hire a hitman online to corner and kill John Bolton in a garage. However, the hitman was revealed to be an FBI informant.
What was the plot against Iranian activist Masih Alinejad, and how was it thwarted?
-The script mentions a plot to kidnap Masih Alinejad, an Iranian activist living in Brooklyn, and take her by speedboat to Venezuela. However, the FBI foiled this plot. Later, Iran allegedly paid a man $30,000 to buy a semi-automatic rifle and kill Alinejad, but he was arrested before carrying out the plan.
How did the US and Iran reach a prisoner exchange deal involving American detainees in Iran?
-The script states that the US and Iran reached a complex agreement in which Iran would be able to access $6 billion in restricted oil revenue to purchase humanitarian goods, and in exchange, Iran would release five American detainees.
What were the circumstances surrounding the US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani?
-According to the script, the US had intelligence reports that Soleimani was planning attacks against US forces in Iraq and elsewhere. The decision to kill him was based on the assessment that the risk of not acting outweighed the risk of acting, even though it was an unprecedented move against such a high-ranking official.
How did Iran retaliate for the killing of Qasem Soleimani, and what were the consequences?
-Iran retaliated by launching 16 ballistic missiles at the Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq, where US troops were stationed. The script provides a detailed account of the attack, which resulted in no US casualties but over 100 cases of traumatic brain injury among American soldiers.
What was President Ebrahim Raisi's stance on the nuclear deal negotiations during the interview?
-Raisi expressed skepticism about reaching a new nuclear deal, citing a lack of trust in the US due to its previous withdrawal from the agreement. He demanded guarantees that the US would not withdraw from any future deal and stated that making promises is becoming meaningless.
How did President Raisi respond to allegations of human rights violations and his involvement in the execution of political dissidents?
-Raisi denied the allegations, calling them claims made by a terrorist group. He stated that anyone who commits a crime in Iran stands trial in official courts and receives proportionate punishment.
What was President Raisi's stance on Israel's right to exist and the Holocaust?
-Raisi refused to acknowledge Israel's right to exist, calling it a "false regime" and stating that supporting it means being an "accomplice to their crimes." He also expressed doubt about the Holocaust, suggesting that historical events should be investigated by researchers.
How did President Raisi respond to the possibility of retaliation for the killing of Qasem Soleimani?
-Raisi vowed that Iran would seek justice for Soleimani's killing, though he did not explicitly endorse an "eye for an eye" approach. He stated that Iran would not carry out the same actions as the US and Israel but suggested that justice would be served without providing specifics.
Outlines
🌍 Rising Tensions: US-Iran Proxy Wars
The video segment highlights escalating tensions between the US and Iran, focusing on attacks by Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq following the Israel-Hamas War. It details Iran's use of proxy fighters, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, and a more covert strategy involving the hiring of hitmen to intimidate, abduct, and assassinate opponents on foreign soil, including the US. Notably, it mentions threats against former US officials like President Trump, Mark Esper, Mike Pompeo, and John Bolton, emphasizing Iran's global reach in targeting its enemies through diverse and unconventional means.
🎯 Targeted Assassinations: Iran's Global Hitmen
This section delves into Iran's attempts to carry out assassinations globally, highlighting cases where dissidents and critics of the regime, living abroad, were targeted. It narrates the thwarted plots against Masih Alinejad in Brooklyn and Jamshid Sharmahd in Los Angeles, showcasing Iran's utilization of criminals and hitmen for these operations. The narrative underscores the audacity and complexity of Iran's international assassination attempts, including plans to kidnap or kill opponents using diverse proxies, thus maintaining deniability and complicating international counter-efforts.
🔍 The Struggle for Freedom: Iranian Dissidents' Plight
This segment focuses on the personal stories of Iranian dissidents who have been targeted by the regime, such as Masih Alinejad and Jamshid Sharmahd. Alinejad's activism against compulsory hijab laws and her subsequent targeting by Iranian operatives in Brooklyn is highlighted, alongside the capture of Sharmahd during a trip, leading to his televised confession and death sentence in Iran. These narratives illustrate the regime's relentless pursuit of its critics, employing extreme measures to silence dissent both within and beyond its borders.
🛡️ Surviving Assassination: The Iranian Threat Abroad
This part of the video illustrates how Iranian dissidents and former US officials have managed to evade assassination attempts, thanks to vigilance and security measures. It recounts the plot against John Bolton, which was foiled due to the assassin being an FBI informant. The segment also discusses the broader implications of such attacks on US soil, questioning the adequacy of current US policies and responses to Iran's aggressive tactics. It raises concerns about the safety of outspoken critics of the Iranian regime and the need for more effective deterrents.
🌐 A Complex Web: Iran's Shadow War
Detailing Iran's covert operations, this section explores the sophisticated network Iran employs to execute its global agenda, including the recruitment of criminals for assassination plots. It provides insight into the mechanisms of Iran's shadow war, demonstrating how the regime leverages criminal networks to extend its reach and conduct operations with plausible deniability. This part emphasizes the challenges faced by international security agencies in countering Iran's complex and layered strategies, highlighting the need for global cooperation and vigilance.
🔫 The Mechanics of Terror: Iran's Recruitment and Tactics
Focusing on the operational aspects of Iran's assassination and kidnapping plots, this segment reveals how Iran recruits and uses criminals for its international operations. It includes a detailed account of an Iranian smuggler approached by the Revolutionary Guard to find operatives for violent acts abroad. The narrative underscores the regime's reliance on criminal elements to further its objectives, offering a glimpse into the dark underbelly of Iran's efforts to silence opposition and intimidate its adversaries globally.
🎙️ Voices of Dissent: The Cost of Criticizing Iran
This segment presents the personal stories of individuals targeted by the Iranian regime, emphasizing the high cost of dissent. It showcases the experiences of dissidents and activists who, despite facing threats and assassination attempts, continue to speak out against the regime. The narrative highlights the resilience and courage of these individuals, as well as the support and protection they receive from foreign governments, underscoring the ongoing struggle for freedom of speech and human rights in the face of authoritarian repression.
🚨 An Act of War: The US-Iran Tension Escalates
Exploring the broader geopolitical implications of Iran's actions, this segment examines the tension between the US and Iran, particularly in the context of targeted assassinations and kidnapping plots. It questions the effectiveness of US sanctions and policies in deterring Iran's aggressive behavior, highlighting criticisms of the current administration's approach. The narrative raises concerns about the potential for these actions to escalate into an act of war, emphasizing the need for a more robust and decisive response to protect citizens and uphold international norms.
🔒 A Harrowing Escape: The Story of Imad Shi
This part of the video tells the harrowing story of Imad Shi, a dual US-Iranian citizen detained and imprisoned by Iran under false charges. It chronicles his ordeal in prison, the cruel treatments he endured, and his eventual escape attempt that led to his re-arrest. Shi's story exemplifies the regime's use of detention and torture as tools of repression and the difficulties in securing the release of those wrongfully detained. It also touches on the complex prisoner exchange deal that eventually led to his release, shedding light on the diplomatic challenges involved.
🌏 Hostage Diplomacy: Iran's Strategic Use of Detainees
Focusing on the strategic use of detained foreign nationals by Iran, this segment discusses the broader implications of such practices for international relations and diplomacy. It highlights the case of Imad Shi and others who were released in a complex deal involving restricted Iranian oil revenue. The narrative criticizes the use of individuals as bargaining chips in geopolitical negotiations, emphasizing the moral and ethical concerns surrounding hostage diplomacy and its impact on the victims and their families.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Assassination
💡Proxy
💡Retaliation
💡Hostage
💡Deterrence
💡Sanctions
💡Nuclear Deal
💡Revolutionary Guard
💡Dissident
💡Ballistic Missile
Highlights
The tensions between the US and Iran have escalated, with Iranian-backed militias frequently attacking US bases in Syria and Iraq, leading to a serious situation.
Iran is hiring hitmen around the world, including in the US, to intimidate, abduct and assassinate perceived enemies of the regime, posing a significant threat.
The FBI has foiled several plots by Iran to kidnap or assassinate US officials, including a plan to kill former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
Iran's revolutionary guard recruited criminal gangs and smugglers to carry out kidnappings and assassinations on its behalf, providing them with money and promises of more if successful.
American businessman Siamak Namazi spent over 5 years as a prisoner in Iran's notorious Evin prison, enduring interrogations and threats of torture, before being released in a prisoner swap deal.
The US and Iran reached a complex agreement involving the release of $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue, which can be used to purchase humanitarian goods, in exchange for the release of American detainees.
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, in his first interview with a Western reporter, expressed distrust towards the US and a lack of interest in renewing the nuclear deal without guarantees.
Raisi denied allegations of human rights violations and his involvement in the execution of political dissidents, claiming they were just allegations by a terrorist group.
Raisi cast doubt on the Holocaust and Israel's right to exist, calling it a false regime and stating that those who recognize it are accomplices to its crimes.
Raisi vowed revenge on the US for the killing of General Soleimani, stating that justice must be served, though not through assassination.
In January 2020, the US and Iran came closest to war after a US drone strike killed Iran's General Soleimani, prompting Iran to launch a ballistic missile attack on Al-Asad airbase in Iraq.
The missile attack on Al-Asad airbase was the largest ballistic missile attack ever against American forces, involving 16 missiles, causing significant damage but miraculously no fatalities.
US troops at Al-Asad airbase had to take shelter in bunkers during the attack, with many choosing to stay and share the danger despite evacuation orders, displaying remarkable courage.
The attack caused over 100 cases of traumatic brain injury among US troops, with many still suffering lingering effects like headaches, tinnitus, and PTSD.
Had the US not evacuated personnel and aircraft from Al-Asad airbase before the attack, estimates suggest the damage could have been much worse, with potential loss of 20-30 aircraft and 100-150 personnel.
Transcripts
tensions keep Rising between the US and
Iran since the Israel Hamas War Began
almost every week Iranian back militias
have attacked us bases in Syria and Iraq
it's the latest example and a serious
escal
of teran's use of proxy Fighters like
Hezbollah and Hamas tonight you'll hear
of another type of proxy that Iran
deploys that receives far less attention
Teran is hiring Hitmen around the world
in an effort to intimidate abduct and
assassinate perceived enemies of the
regime and they're doing it right here
on us
soil this this video was posted online
by a channel affiliated with Iran's
revolutionary guard it vows to kill
former American government officials
including president Trump to avenge the
2020 us assassination of the terrorism
Mastermind kasum
sulamani threats like this have been
deemed credible enough that several of
these officials have been under
round-the-clock protection including
Former Defense secretary Mark s
former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Iran reportedly offered a Hitman a
million dollars to kill him and John
Bolton the former National Security
adviser they bargained the price for me
would be
$300,000 which I have to say I found
insulting so what exactly was the plot
against you the Revolutionary guard
sought to procure either my kidnapping
or my
assassination uh not directly by a
revolutionary guards member but by
seeking a Hitman who would carry out the
job either in the US or abroad the FBI
has an arrest warrant out for this
Iranian officer claiming that he hired
the Hitman online to travel to
Washington Corner Bolton in a garage and
kill him but it turned out lucky for
Bolton the Assassin was an FBI informant
this was not internet matter this was a
negotiation to murder an American
citizen a former government official is
the threat against you ongoing we've got
marked Secret Service cars that say
police United States Secret Service
outside my home we talked to the FBI and
several intelligence agencies and they
told us that Iran's efforts are becoming
more frequent and Bolder and that they
often go after vocal Iranian activists
living abroad
the idea behind assassination plot
behind kidnapping plot is to keep you
silent it's a beautiful family place we
met one of their targets in Brooklyn MSI
alinad is a leader in the women's revolt
against the law in Iran mandating they
wear a headscarf or hijab forced to flee
14 years ago she settled here in
Brooklyn where she encourages women back
home to to send her videos of them
taking off the hijabs and she spreads
those images online to her 10 million or
so followers fueling the protest
movement so the mullers began to focus
on you the FBI came and told you there
was a plot against you there were like
six or seven FBI agents when they came
to my house um they told me that your
life is in danger I was like okay tell
me something new because we Iranians are
used to it but they actually said nope
this time is different they said that
the Iranian regime hired private
investigator on us soil to take photos
of your movement your daily life your
routine and I was like wow so they are
here in New York in Brooklyn the plot
was to kidnap you and take you by
speedboat to Venezuela hey it sounds
like a scary movie to you now you don't
it sounds implausible to me you see for
it's a reality for us and a reality for
the FBI that says the plan was to get
her to Iran to stand trial it was the
same for jamshid Chad another Iranian
dissident who lived in Los Angeles for
two decades and created a website where
people in Iran could report human rights
abuses and 2020 while he was changing
planes in Dubai on a business trip his
family noticed his phone started heading
in the wrong direction his daughter
Jazelle Shad soon saw her dad pop up on
Iranian TV in a courtroom looking
petrified he's forced to confessions
about crimes he did not commit the
charge that they gave him is corruption
on Earth that's why he got the death
sentence is it a situation where he
could act actually be executed Oh yes
any day they want to hang him from a
crane in the middle of the city the
original plot to kidnap MSI was thwarted
but according to the FBI a year later in
2022 Iran paid this azer bani living
outside New York City
$30,000 to buy a semi-automatic rifle
and kill her he lurked outside her home
for a week his plan was to take
advantage of her friendliness to her
neighbors he was actually following my
life he knew that I was the one offering
flowers to strangers you offered flowers
to strangers yeah this is me so he
received the text message from the guy
inside Iran saying that go un knock the
door then take her to the backyard
garden if I had opened the door I would
have just given him a big smile smile
and say yes let's go to my garden and
then he wanted to just kill me did he
actually knock on your door yes her home
security camera actually caught him on
her porch trying to get in eventually he
took off but was pulled over for running
a stop sign that's when the police found
this in his car he's been in custody
awaiting trial ever since but here's
what's interesting neither he nor two
other men the prosecutors say were hired
for the job were
Iranian like him they were Eastern
European and as is becoming a trademark
of Iran Shadow War they were criminals
they were all from Criminal Syndicate
this is what the Islamic Republic is
really good at like using drug dealers
using criminals to do their dirty job on
the western soil it maybe have
deniability
exactly we didn't do it that's the point
so why do they use Praxis to have
somebody who is not being tracked by
intelligence or security agencies for
this Matt Jukes head of counterterrorism
policing in Britain says this is not
just an American problem in the UK they
have foiled 15 Iranian kidnapping and
assassination attempts since last year I
have been involved in National Security
policing for over 20 years what we've
seen in the last 18 months is a real
acceleration we have been told that a
lot of these criminal gangs hire other
criminal gangs and then maybe a third
group I think we're always going to see
this uh collaboration between criminal
organizations we know that this will not
always be a direct line from a state
organization to a threat to a potential
kidnapping this recording was given to
us by a foreign intelligence agency it
shows how Iran recruits
criminals I received a call from the
irgc the Revolutionary guard this is an
Iranian Smuggler from Heria a town near
the Turkish border he reveals to the
foreign agents that he was approached by
Iran's revolutionary guard with a deal
they'll turn a blind eye to his
smuggling if he helps them
their request was that I find people who
could work for them what kind of work
anything like catching someone for us so
they can be beaten up or gotten rid of
this surveillance video shows him
recruiting a fellow Smuggler for the
task the man in white is Mansa rasuli an
alleged drug dealer he agreed to arrange
assassinations throughout Europe for the
Iranian government for money but a few
Weeks Later rasuli was kidnapped at
night and interrogated in a car
reportedly by Israeli
intelligence they extracted this cell
phone confession where rasuli admits he
was paid
$150,000 up front and promised a million
dollar if he killed three people for the
Iranians one is an Israeli at the
embassy in Istanbul Turkey another one
is is an American General in
Germany and one is a journalist in
France the French Target was identified
as philosopher Bernard enri lvi a vocal
critic of the regime in
Terran the identity of the American
General remains a mystery the plot to
kill the three was prevented but in
recent years Iranian dissidents were
successfully kidnapped and smuggled to
Iran several were executed they've
succeeded in Europe they haven't
succeeded in the United States even
though we know there are targets right
so many American officials and others
are being targeted why is it not a
bigger issue look I think the targeting
of American citizens by a hostile
foreign government uh is very close to
an act of War what would happen if they
succeeded in Assassin ating Someone Like
You a well-known former
official well I wouldn't like to find
out uh for for myself or for the country
but why are we sitting here quietly
talking about this when they're in
effect uh saying they're going to commit
acts of war against American citizens on
American soil does the fact that Iran it
feels emboldened to come after our
citizens does it mean we've lost our
deterrence well I think we have lost
detor and I think this also goes to an
unwillingness on the part of the
administration to confront the IAS in a
way that they understand they can
challenge US Government on us soil
without any punishment then what's the
reason to there are sanctions against
them sanction is not sufficient sanction
is what do you want us to do drop a bomb
no look when you negotiate with the
killers you empowering them the Biden
Administration didn't respond to our
request for an interview the Islamic
Republic when masi alinad was called to
testify before Congress about Iran in
September she said that unless the
administration's policy changes her life
will continue to be in danger I believe
that when I'm not in the spotlight when
media like you are not paying attention
to me finally they going to come after
me while she now has has the freedom to
speak her mind in America she does not
have the freedom to live where she wants
masi and her family have had to go into
hiding under FBI protection it's like
wow the government from my own country
trying to kill me but my adopted country
trying to protect me you have to be an
Iranian to survive assassination plot to
understand that how it
feels to survive in America and to have
the platform and to criticize the US
government tearing up tell me why you're
tearing up because people in my country
get killed for
criticizing get shot in head for the
crime of
criticizing for more than 5 years
1,9 75 days American businessman immad
Shi was a prisoner of the Islamic
Republic of Iran he spent much of that
time in the country's most notorious
prison in a dreaded Ward run by Iran's
revolutionary guard last month Shi and
four other Americans were freed in a
complicated deal involving $6 billion
doll in restricted Iranian oil Revenue
the deal Drew criticism at the time for
granting Financial relief to a regime
the US government considers the world's
largest state sponsor of terrorism it
drew even more scrutiny after Hamas
which is financially supported by Iran
attacked Israel two weeks ago with more
than 200 hostages remaining in Gaza
including some Americans shi's ordeal is
a stark illustration of the difficulties
and perils involved in bringing American
citizens home this story um should have
never happened
but I didn't waste 5 and a half years
Margaret I learned a lot about myself
about Humanity about what is important
in life being thrown in a Cell It's the
closest you come to death and back then
Imad Shi is a dual citizen of the US and
Iran he left Iran at age 13 before the
1979 Islamic revolution in the US he
went to college met his wife bah and
started a business representing us
chemical companies in the Middle East
and later worked for private Equity Firm
in Abu Dhabi by 2016 with their
daughters off to college Imad and bah
who is also Iranian American decided to
travel to Iran and ReDiscover their
Roots Iran had just agreed to a landmark
deal to limit its nuclear development in
exchange for sanctions relief which made
Shi think the country was full of
opportunity his father thought otherwise
he said to me he said Amad you don't
know this country people like you will
duel nationalities they pick these
people up once in a while for whatever
use they have for
them and I said Dad give me a break you
know I've never been in the US
government
nothing and I guess if anybody asks me
in one
sentence what have you learned from this
experience I would say listen to your
dad the couple both in their 50s began
spending time in Iran Shi found work
Consulting for an Amsterdam based
company investing in Iranian businesses
was there anything that suggested to you
that you were a Target that there was
going to be a problem you know I thought
I have a better chance of getting hit
crossing the road by a motorbike when I
was there I did not see this
coming just past midnight on April 23rd
2018 about 15 armed agents showed up at
the family house in teron gentleman
walked in he said this is an arrest
warrant for you and for your wife on
what grounds he wouldn't tell me at the
time around 2:30 in the morning they
said okay get ready we are taking you
and my wife said no you can't take him
and they told her to sit down and mind
her business that they'll get to her
later what did that mean I didn't know
at the time so when they took me out of
that house I did not know what was going
to happen to my wife that's
terrifying yep it's not a position you
want to be in he was taken to a place in
Teran Iranians have long feared Evan
prison to a special Ward known as 2A run
by the Intelligence Division of the
Islamic revolutionary guard Corps they
took me to a room they told me to strip
naked they gave me some blue garbs they
told me this is the end of the line for
you and most likely you'll never see the
outside world from now on nobody will
address you by your name you're a code
now 97010 was my code that's
dehumanizing uh they are experts at that
and then hell starts torture threats of
torture and psychological torture they
take you to a very small room and then
they throw a j giant of a human being in
there who proceeds to hit you to push
you around to threaten to kill you and
then the good cop comes in and he says
look I can put a stop to this you just
need to confess confess to what they
said you have to confess that you are a
spy which is
ludicrous Shi says his interrogators
threatened him with electrical shocks
waterboarding and hanging
but never followed through so I realized
they don't want to damage their product
at that point product correct why do you
choose that word because that's what I
was you believe you were taken simply
because you were American to extract a
price correct he told us some
interrogations went on for 9 hours a day
what did you tell them during all those
hours of questioning I mean the most
mundane things the first day they kept
asking me why did you go to the White
House
church and I'm think to myself Queen I
know the White House doesn't have a
church and then it
clicked they had hacked my Facebook they
had seen the pictures of us attending my
daughter's events at school at the
National Cathedral they had no idea the
National Cathedral had nothing to do
with the White House this is an
intelligence service you would be
surprised
they had my telephone so they had gone
through the list of every person I had
ever met during the last 30 years of my
business career who are these who are
those these questions would go on day
after day after day in December 2018
after 8 months of interrogation Imad Shi
was suddenly released on bail his wife
bah who'd never been arrested was able
to leave the country Imad expected to
join her soon he says he received a
letter of exoneration but he wasn't
allowed to leave Iran now my story takes
a bizarre turn my file had been sent to
the Revolutionary court it's where a
gentleman by the name of Judge salavati
sits also known as the hanging
judge in November 2020 the hanging judge
sentenced Shari to 10 years in prison
under a broadly worded statute which
prohibits cooperating by any means with
foreign States against Iran before Shi
had to report back to prison a friend
came up with a plan to escape to escape
and I said let's go Smugglers helped him
make his way to Iran's mountainous
border with Kurdistan but about 30 mil
from freedom I look up and there is
about 15 guys with
AK-47 pointing at the car they threw me
on the ground and their team leader came
he opened the scarf that I they had put
around my eyes and he looked away and he
shook his head to his team members they
were looking for somebody else they were
looking for somebody but now we have
round two of
incarceration this Iranian propaganda
photo taken in January 20121 shows him
bearded and Shackled being escorted back
to W 2A where he says he underwent
another 8 months of
interrogation the second 8 months I was
interrogated close to 400 hours how do
you stay say all those times there was
never a doubt in my mind that my
government would get me out that was my
hope back in Washington bah and her
daughters campaigned for ahad's release
and sought help from the state
department which reviewed shi's case and
determined he was wrongfully detained
the Biden administration had been trying
to broker both the release of American
detainees and the renewal of the Iran on
nuclear deal which the Trump
administration had pulled out of but the
talk
stalled in the fall of 20122 widespread
protests broke out following the death
of a young woman in the custody of
Iran's morality
police in Evan prison the inmates rioted
and set fires the guards responded with
tear gas and bullets it was happening a
couple of yards from where I was sitting
in my room now if I left I could be shot
if I
stayed I could suffocate with no good
option he stayed in his cell Shi says he
was rescued ironically by his tormentors
a team of revolutionary guards they were
pale white when they saw me they were
like let's get the hell out of here
because you're worth more alive than you
are dead correct shortly after the fire
imad's sister Netta sought a meeting
with Iran's top diplomat at the United
Nations Amir s iravani she wanted to
learn what was holding up a prisoner
deal he acknowledged to you that there
are people inside his own government
that didn't want the deal to happen yeah
I mean he acknowledged that and just as
there are people in our government who
didn't want this to happen you know
we're dealing with Innocent human lives
and we want to rectify the situation but
for other people it's politics and it's
power and they get in the way AR ing a
meeting with President Biden proved more
difficult for Netta determined to help
her brother she went to this crowded
White House reception for the Persian
New Year and managed to button hold the
president after he spoke I told him they
are American citizens who are innocent
and need to come home as soon as
possible because time is not on our side
after roughly two years of start and
stop negotiations the US and Iran
reached a complex agreement $6 billion
that Iran had earned from selling its
oil had been tied up in a foreign
account for years due to us sanctions
according to us officials Iran can use
the money to buy humanitarian Goods like
food and medicine once the US approves
the transactions the money goes to the
suppliers not the government of
Iran on September 18th President Biden
granted clemency to five Iranians
accused of nonviolent crimes five
Americans including Amad sh were
released and flown to
Qatar from there they flew to a military
base in Virginia where their families
were waiting
home I hadn't seen my daughters for five
and a half six years I had missed older
graduations birthdays anniversaries with
my wife um it's like being born again we
had thought we were going to be freed so
many times and this was
it since his release imad's making up
for lost time with his family he's also
had time to reflect you think to
yourself what was this all
about why did they do this to me and to
my family for 5 years and the short
answer is hostage taking a
statecraft if you are an American yes an
Iranian American no Iranian American
Italian American
American do not go to
Iran less than three weeks after shi's
release Hamas which is financially
backed by Iran attacked Israel as Israel
counterattacked in Gaza some us
lawmakers have called for blocking
Iran's access to the 6 billion the White
House insists no money has been released
so far and sources told us the
arrangement has not changed when you
watch the news right now and you see
what has happened in Israel not just
about the people people killed but the
hostages that have been
taken what is that like for you I cannot
imagine what it must feel like to have
your daughter your son your wife your
father being taken hostage and I cannot
believe what their families are going
through I just wish them a safe return
home
the United States first placed Financial
sanctions on Iran back in
1979 during the hostage crisis for
nearly four decades the US state
department has designated Iran one of
the world's leading State sponsors of
terrorism but the Obama Administration
along with five other countries agreed
to billions of dollars in sanctions
relief in exchange for Iran's agreement
to dismantle much of its nuclear program
and open its facilities to extensive
International
inspection the Trump Administration
distrusting Teran pulled out of the deal
and stepped up crushing economic
pressure that's where Ibrahim RI found
himself when he was elected president a
year ago last month Iran and the
61-year-old hardliner were on the verge
of striking a new deal but then Iran
submitted demands that sent the nuclear
talks into a St
mate sir thank you I'm Leslie we met
president RI Tuesday at the presidential
compound in Tron for his first interview
with a western reporter I was told how
to dress not to sit before he did and
not to interrupt him we were given one
hour for the interview can we start with
the negotiations on the nuclear deal do
you want to have that deal
renewed because you know there are some
American officials who are beginning to
think that you
don't if it's a good deal and fair deal
we would be serious about reaching an
agreement it needs to be lasting there
needs to be
guarantees if there were a guarantee
then the Americans could not withdraw
from the deal but you can pull out of
the deal I mean just as well as we could
pull out of the
deal you see the Americans broke their
promises they did it unilaterally they
said that I am out of the deal now
making promises is becoming meaningless
are you saying that you cannot
trust the
Americans we cannot trust the Americans
because of the behavior that we've
already seen from them that is why if
there is no guarantee there is no
trust the US says the West can't trust
Iran for instance when it claims its
nuclear program is purely for peaceful
purposes as far as we can tell you don't
use it for you know things that can help
your citizens like electricity you say
that you want it for peaceful reasons
like
what like in medicine agriculture oil
gas in terms of peaceful purposes
available figure from the UN nuclear
Watchdog agency the
iaea is that only 1.8% of the country's
electricity is generated by nuclear
power there seems to be some
evidence that you had been working at
least before toward a bomb a bomb a
weapon and that you might be doing that
again we have responded to these claims
several times they are baseless
the Islamic Republic of Iran has said
many times that possessing nuclear
weapons has no place in our Doctrine
however the US intelligence Community
has assessed with high confidence that
Iran did attempt to develop a nuclear
bomb in the past and then there are the
American citizens being detained in
Teran three of whom were born in Iran if
there is a deal would you agree to
release the four Americans who are being
held here could that be part of
it there are Iranian Nationals also
imprisoned inside the
US these people are only in there
because they simply Tred to circumvent
sanctions and the Americans we have told
them that we can talk to them about this
it can be conducted separately from the
nuclear talks it can be done between the
two countries it is a humanitarian
issue this can be negotiated you're off
to New York you're going to speak at the
United Nations you know President Biden
is going to be there are you open to a
meeting with President Biden a face Toof
face no I don't think that such a
meeting would
happen I don't believe having a meeting
or talk with him will be beneficial what
do you think the difference is from your
perspective between the Trump
Administration and the Biden
Administration the new Administration in
the US they claim that they are
different from the Trump Administration
they have said it in their messages to
us but we haven't witnessed any changes
in
reality his major grievance against
President Biden is that he has
maintained the sanctions on Iran that
President Trump imposed
the sanctions are very tyrannical this
is a tyranny against the people of Iran
it is important to us to have the
sanctions lifted the sanctions thrust
Iran into a 2-year recession mainly
because oil exports from refineries like
this one fell overnight from 2.8 million
barrels a day to about
200,000 businesses have been cut off
from International banking Within
inflation today in Iran at over 40%
virtually everything is more expensive
and
yet we found traffic
here as clogged as in New York and as we
saw teran's bazars are teaming with
Shoppers hello the ones we met were
friendly to us how are you oh I'm good
how are you five than I you good do you
do you study English in school no one
reason for the bustling Commerce is
something the president calls the
resistance economy in which businesses
are encouraged to make more of the
things themselves that they used to
import so do you know where these are
made made in Iran in Iran yeah homemade
blue jeans for our
country also made in Iran washing
machines refrigerators
TVs they also have their own version of
Uber Eats called Snap
food Iran is home to one of the world's
oldest civilizations dating back to
4,000 BC it's where the foundations of
algebra and chemistry were
developed today while there's a tension
to religious tradition in the Islamic
Republic it's one of the most
westernized countries in the Middle East
with a well-educated
population
this mall could be anywhere in America
with an ice skating rink a food court
with hot dogs and burgers and the least
expected sexy window displays and yet
president RI just signed a decree making
women who don't dress modestly subject
to arrest a young woman died Friday
after the morality police took her into
custody for violating the rules on head
coverings
eyewitnesses say they saw her being
beaten while in a police van President
ri's Office says he ordered an
investigation SED ibraim RI descends
from the prophet Muhammad as his black
turban signifies according to Shiite
Muslim tradition he's a Hardline
conservative cleric like his mentor the
supreme leader Ayatollah Haman I want to
ask you about your own record there is a
personal sanction against you you took
part in a commission that was
responsible for executing up to 5,000
political
dissidents they were um hanged or shot
by firing squad uh I want to ask if you
regret that
action I what kind of proof can you
offer for this these are just
allegations and claims made by members
of a terrorist group you're saying that
that was a not true and
that anybody who commits a crime in Iran
stands trial in official courts of Law
and they receive punishments for what
they
did they were assassinating people and
what happened to them was exactly
proportionate to what they
did but the US Treasury Department
sanctioned risi personally for human
rights violations over this
and Amnesty International called it a
crime against
humanity the president was feisty with
us sprinkling his answers with a
predictable antipathy toward Israel and
Jewish people the supreme leader
Ayatollah hamani was scathing when he
tweeted on the same subject in English
in
2018 Israel is a malignant cancerous
tumor that has to be removed and
eradicated do you believe the Holocaust
happened that six million Jews were
[Music]
slaughtered look historical events
should be investigated by researchers
and
historians there are some signs that it
happened if so they should allow it to
be investigated and researched so you're
not sure I'm getting that you're not
sure what about Israel's right to exist
you see the people of Palestine are the
reality this is the right of the people
of Palestine who are forced to leave
their houses in
motherland the Americans are supporting
this false regime there to take root and
be established there you know that U
Morocco Bahrain Sudan and the United
Arab Emirates um have all recognized
Israel uh and have relations with Israel
and it is said that Saudi Arabia is also
talking directly with
Israel um and I wonder if you'd want to
comment on
that if a state shakes hands with the
Zionist regime then they are also an
accomplice to their crimes and they are
stabbing the very idea of Palestine in
the back you have vowed revenge on the
US government for the killing of General
sulamani more than two years years ago
the US killed General kasum solomani in
a drone strike a revered military hero
in Iran he masterminded deadly attacks
on American forces throughout the region
for years the supreme leader has called
for retaliation are you intending to
retaliate by assassinating officials
from the Trump
Administration what the then American
government did by the direct order of
trump himself to assassinate Mr kasum
solmani this was a heinous
crime we want Justice to be served we
are not going to forget about this I'm
wondering what you mean by Justice does
it mean an eye for an eye there was this
assassination now we're going to have an
you know an answer
assassination that's the type of the
actions that the Americans and Zionist
regimes are doing in the world we are
not going to carry out the same actions
and yet the US Department of Justice has
charged a member of Iran's revolutionary
guard with just that plotting to
assassinate John Bolton president
Trump's former National Security adviser
as he prepares for his trip to the UN
president RI is defiant his message no
concessions in the nuclear deal Iran
will not back down and it can survive
the sanctions which he says could well
backfire against the United
States yes they can create restrictions
and problems for us and difficulties but
there's a number of countries that are
being sanctioned by doing this they are
bringing them closer together making
them more united and this will render
American sanctions ineffective right
Chinese Russians Iranians getting
closer this approach won't work as we
ended what seemed to be a cordial
conversation we were surprised when a
member of ri's Staff reached up and
blocked one of our cameramen from
shooting our goodbyes no my
camera another one of our cameraman's
phones was confiscated and held by
President Ra's security team for 2 and a
half
hours
since President Biden took office
relations with Iran have been tense but
nothing like the eyeball to eyeball
confrontation during the Trump
Administration when the two countries
almost went to war it happened over 6
days in January of 2020 beginning with
an American drone strike which killed
Iran's most powerful General and ending
with an Iranian ballistic missile attack
against US troops in Iraq earlier this
year we showed you for the first time
drone video of what turned out to be the
largest ballistic missile attack ever
against Americans and we talked to the
Troops who were there on the night the
US and Iran went to the
brink hey buddy if you're seeing this
video some bad things happened to
Dad last night so I need you to be
strong okay for Mom
and just always know in your heart that
I love you
okay bye
buddy a few hours after Army Major Allan
Johnson recorded that message to his son
Iranian ballistic missiles began raining
down on al-assad Airbase in Iraq where
2,000 US troops were based as a drone
recorded the attack Americans caught in
the crosshairs could do nothing but Run
Or Duck in cover holy
holy God damn each missile carried a
warhead weighing more than 1,000 lb stay
right here bro don't move well words
can't even describe the amount of energy
that is released by these these missiles
Johnson was taking cover in a bunker
designed to protect troops against much
smaller Warheads weighing only 60 lb
knocked the wind out of me followed by
the most putrid tasting
ammonia uh tasting dust that swept
through the bunker coated your teeth
after the blast wave and debris came the
Flames the fire was just rolling over
the bunker you know like 70 fet in the
air Johnson's Monker provided no
protection from that we're going to burn
to death we start heading down 135 M
make it about a third of the way there
the big voice we call it clicks in
incoming in coming take cover take cover
take cover I've got another football
field to run I don't know when this next
missile is going to hit can you hear the
incoming like a freight train going by
you Johnson wasn't the only one
frantically searching for cover did six
people running for their lives to get to
this next
bunker uh we get to the bunker and
realize there's roughly 40 people trying
to stuff themselves into this bunker
that's made for about 10
folks and I grab the guy in front of me
I'm just like you got to get in the
bunker and just like like shoved
everybody in there but when you're
running between bunkers it's just a
matter of what luck
luck the only thing I can actually come
up with is that the hand of God
protected us because really nobody
should have lived through this things
are happening uh that could take us to
war if if uh if we don't take make the
correct move here Marine General Frank
McKenzie commander of US forces in in
the Middle East monitored the attack
from his headquarters at Tampa
Florida ducking into this small room off
his main Operation Center where he could
talk directly to the only two people
above him in the chain of command they
bring in the secretary defense and then
a little bit later they brought in the
president to this conversation we're
listening to the reports of the missiles
flying you ever been on one like this
I've never been on one like this were
real missiles being fired at our forces
and where I thought the risks were so
high Iranian attack on al-assad was in
retaliation for a stunning us operation
president Trump ordered six nights
earlier a drone strike which killed
Iran's most powerful General Kim
sulamani the blood of many Americans is
on the hands of Kim solomani he was as
close to an indispensable man as you
could find inside Iran where he went
violence and death followed during the
American occupation of Iraq sulamani had
orchestrated attacks which killed more
than 600 US troops
and according to McKenzie he was
planning to do it again we saw
intelligence reports where Kim salamani
was moving various attack streams
forward against our forces in Iraq
against our Embassy and against other
bases there were they imminent perhaps
in hours perhaps in days probably not
weeks until then the US had shied away
from going after sulamani for a fear
killing such a high-ranking government
official would only provoke more Iranian
attacks I never take killing anyone as a
is an easy decision but I think the risk
of not acting in this case outweighed
the risks of acting so yes I was good
with the decision on January 3rd of last
year an airport security camera recorded
suman's arrival in Baghdad on a
commercial flight from Damascus Mckenzie
was watching from a different angle you
have the drones overhead do you see him
get off the airplane yes yes as suman's
Entourage pulled away from the plane
McKenzie gave The Kill Order to the
commander controlling the drones and
then I said take your shot when you got
it missiles slammed into both vehicles
simultaneously there's no backs slapping
there's no cheering because now I have
to prepare to deal with the consequences
of the action General Mckenzie was sure
Iran would retaliate but he didn't know
how and neither for a while did the
Iranians I believe they went into a
period of disorganization because they
had lost the officer who really uh spoke
up and shaped everything up and told
them what they were going to do so it
was kind of a ominous silence it was a
very ominous silence and what was the
first sign that Iran might really be
thinking of a ballistic missile attack
they began to move their ballistic
missiles the attack was just hours away
when major Alan Johnson got the word
Iran's most powerful weapons were aiming
for al-assad my intelligence officer
pulled me aside and uh uh and basically
said sir I've got some bad news for you
what's
up we have uh information that Iran is
fueling 27 medium-range ballistic
missiles and their intention is to level
this
base and we may not survive this was a
completely different um threat
Lieutenant Colonel Tim Garland commanded
an army battalion at alassad a sprawling
Airbase about 120 Mi west of Baghdad
where the US operated scores of
helicopters drones and other aircraft
did the base have any defense against
ballistic missiles no sir it was such a
unprecedented threat I don't think it
was ever
calculated uh so the the capability to
uh prevent a ballistic missile attack it
wasn't there did you have a plan for
what to
do we uh we came up with a plan the only
real defense against a ballistic missile
attack is to get out of Harm's Way Air
Force Lieutenant Colonel Stacy Coleman
and the rest of al-assad scrambled to
evacuate more than 50 aircraft and 1,000
troops before the missiles hit but the
base still had to be manned we still
needed to be able to do our mission um
so the first decision was to split our
team by combat capability what did you
think was going to happen to the people
you were telling to
stay the honest truth is um I didn't
think that we were going to survive the
best shelter was air raid bunker built
during the rule of Saddam Hussein but
there weren't enough of them and I just
remember uh a very heavy Sinking Feeling
setting in was like man we we are not
going to come up with a bunker plan
that's going to be adequate for uh the
number of people that we're talking
about so Garland sent most of his
soldiers out into the desert where they
watched the attack from a safe distance
holy there was a lot of people who
didn't want to
leave uh they didn't want to be that guy
guy that was going to relative safety a
lot of people might have trouble
understanding what you just said Tell
me why a soldier wouldn't want to go to
a safe place they want to carry the
burden they want to share in the danger
from his headquarters in Tampa General
Frank McKenzie had tried to time the
evacuation just right if you go too
early you you risk the uh problem that
the enemy will see what you have done
and adjust his plans the Iranians
monitored alassad by purchasing photos
like these taken by commercial
satellites McKenzie waited until after
Iran had downloaded its last picture for
the day so the last time the Iranians
took a look with their commercially
acquired spy photos what would they have
seen they would have seen airplanes on
the ground and people working so when
they launched those
missiles they thought that was going to
be a a full flight line I think they
expected to destroy a number of US
aircraft and to kill a number of US
service members a clock stopped at 1:34
a.m. when it was knocked off the Wall
recorded the moment the first missile
landed it's like the sun rising
instantaneous that's how bright it was
Air Force Master Sergeant John Haynes
and his security team were outside their
armored Patrol vehicle when the first
missile struck across the radio we heard
incoming incoming incoming and what do
you do I just threw the phone Don and
ran to uh my vehicle and once that
impact happened the back pressure blew
our doors closed and then you just see
cloud of dirt fire they call it a a
shock wave and and you kind of feel that
that wave almost internally like you
it's almost as if your organs are you
know kind of wavering around inside
Sergeant Kimo keltz was outside the
bunkers Manning a guard post in case the
missile barrage was followed by a ground
assault we got down and we protected our
our vital organs our heads and we waited
did it blow you around
one of the closest ones that had hit
um directly near us had actually lifted
my body uh about 2 in off the ground
Iran fired a total of 16 missiles from
Three locations five missed 11 landed at
aliside this was an attack like no other
it was an attack certainly like nothing
I've ever seen or experienced what have
you learned so far their missiles are
accurate did that surprise
we knew it but to see it they fired
those missiles to significant range and
they hit pretty much where they wanted
to hit from first launch to last impact
was 80 minutes somehow no one was killed
when the sun came up the survivors
surveyed the
damage
holy shells of a building you know
skeletal frames left with nothing else
um craters about a room size deep into
the ground concrete barriers blown
across a field or a street it looked
like a scene from a movie where
everything is destroyed around you but
yet no one was killed I still have no
idea understanding um other than you
know God being on our side that no one
was seriously injured and there were no
uh you know no uh no
fatalities the news traveled fast up the
chain of command and president Trump
tweeted all as well that turned out to
be premature there are people throwing
up uh everybody had headaches I had a
concussion for two weeks what did it
feel like someone hitting me over the
head with a hammer over and over and
over finally you know hours later we
realized we have a mass casualty event
here of traumatic brain injury military
doctors diagnosed more than 100 cases of
traumatic brain injury major Allen
Johnson and 28 other soldiers received
purple hearts do you have any uh
lingering effects today headaches every
day um horrible tenus are ringing in the
ears
um PTSD and I'll be willing to admit
that I still have
nightmares but the nightmare of war with
Iran had been averted had Americans been
killed it would have been very different
have you ever done an estimate on if you
hadn't evacuated the damage that would
have been done so I think we might have
lost uh 20 or 30 airplanes and we might
have lost 100 to 150 us Personnel you
had a plan to
retaliate if they killed
Americans David we had a plan to
retaliate if Americans had
died Iran was on alert for a possible us
strike and hours later shot down a
Ukrainian airliner thinking it was an
American
bomber 76 entirely innocent people
died
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