BREAKING: Iran DOUBLES DOWN on Strait of Hormuz demands

RICH: WELL, THE WHITE HOUSE IS. DECLARING THE UNITED STATES IS. WINNING THE CONFLICT WITH IRAN. EVEN AS THE FIGHT OVER THE. CRITICAL STRAIT OF HORMUZ. CONTINUES. WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER HOUR OF. "FOX NEWS LIVE," I'M RICH EDSON. TEHRAN IS DOUBLING DOWN ON ITS. DEMANDS SAYING THE STRAIT WILL. STAY CLOSED UNTIL THE UNITED. STATES MEETS CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THAT AS THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS. IRAN IS FACING CRIPPLING. INFLATION, THAT THE U.S. BLOCKADE AND SANCTIONS CAMPAIGN.

CONTINUES. TREY YINGST IS LIVE IN TEL AVIV. WITH MORE. TREY? >> Reporter: YEAH, RICH, GOOD. AFTERNOON. NEW COMMENTS TODAY BY IRAN'S. PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AND TOP. NEGOTIATOR, MOHAMED CALL WATCH, WHO SAID THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL THE --. CALLY WATCH. THE UNITED STATES STILL. ESCORTING MILLIONS OF BARRELS OF. CRUDE OIL EACH DAY. THERE'S AN ONGOING U.S. NAVAL. BLOCKADE THAT IS CRIPPLING THE. IRANIAN ECONOMY, AND WE'RE. STARTING TO SEE THOSE INFLATION.

NUMBERS RISE INSIDE OF IRAN, AND. THE CURRENCY IS WEAKENING. AT THIS POINT THERE IS NO. DIPLOMATIC PROGRESS BEING MADE. WE KNOW AROUND THE U.N. GENERAL. ASSEMBLY THE IRANIANS REVIEWED A. PROPOSAL ABOUT REOPENING THIS. CRITICAL WATERWAY, BUT IT WAS. NOT ACCEPTED BY THE TRUMP. ADMINISTRATION THAT CONTINUES. INTENSE PRESSURE ON IRAN. 50,000 U.S. FORCES DEPLOYED. ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST AND. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT CARRIER TO THE. REGION TO GIVE THE PRESIDENT A. VARIETY OF OPTIONS MOVING.

FORWARD. RICH? RICH: YOU KNOW, TREY, YOU AND I. SINCE I WAS AT THE STATE. DEPARTMENT YEARS AGO COVERED. MAXIMUM PRESSURE ONE AGAINST THE. IRANIAN REGIME. THEY HAVE A PRETTY HIGH. TOLERANCE FOR THIS TYPE OF. PRESSURE, DON'T THEY? >> Reporter: ABSOLUTELY. AND, LOOK, THE UNITED STATES IS. PREPARING FOR THAT REALITY, BOTH. MILITARILY AND ECONOMICALLY. ON FRIDADAY TOP U.S. OFFICIALS T. AT CAMP DAVID TO DISCUSS THE. NEXT STEPS IN THE WAR. AND PRESIDENT TRUMP ANTICIPATED. OVER THE WEEKEND -- INDICATED. OVER THE WEEKEND DECISIONS WERE. MADE, BUT THEY'RE NOT PROJECTING. THOSE DECISIONS.

THE IRANIANS ARE PREPARED FOR. THIS REALITY, AND WE'VE SEEN. THIS THROUGHOUT THE GULF REGION. AS THEY'VE LAUNCHED. COUNTERATTACKS AND NEW, FRESH. ATTACKS AGAINST GULF ALLIES OR. COUNTRIES THEY CLAIM TO BE. ALLIES. BUT THESE ARE COUNTRIES THAT CAN. CONTINUE TO COME UNDER DIRECT. IRANIAN THREAT, AND SOME OF THEM. DO HOUSE U.S. FORCES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT JORDAN, NEIGHBORING TO ISRAEL, U.S. FORCES THERE HAVE ALSO COME. UNDER ATTACK AS WELL. WHILE THE IRANIANS CONTINUE THIS. THREATENING BEHAVIOR, THE FOCUS. FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS. TO SEE IF THEY CAN REACH AN. AGREEMENT AND, IF NOT, REPORTS.

DO INDICATE THE PRESIDENT IS. CONSIDERING RENEWING THE BOMBING. CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE IRANIAN. REGIME. THE MAJOR QUESTION TO LOOK AT. HERE, WHAT WOULD BE DIFFERENCE. THAN "OPERATION EPIC FURY"? BOTH U.S. AND ISRAELI FIGHTER. JETS WERE OVER THE SKIES OF IRAN. TRYING TO GO AFTER MANY OF THOSE. PRODUCTION LINES AND MILITARY. CAPABILITIES THAT BELONGED TO. THE REGIME. AND WHILE THIS REGIME IS. CERTAINLY WEAKENED, IT'S NOT. DESTROYED, AND IT STILL DOES. POSE THAT REGIONAL THREAT NOT. JUST DIRECTLY FROM IRANIAN. TERRITORY, BUT ALSO THROUGH. PROXY FORCES INCLUDING HEZBOLLAH.

IN SOUTHERN LEBANON AND THE. HOUTHIS IN YEMEN. RICH: YOU MENTIONED THE OTHER. COUNTRIES TOO. ONE OF THE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS. THIS TIME AROUND IS THAT IRAN. HAS ACTUALLY ATTACKED OTHER. COUNTRIES. YES, U.S. ALLIES, BUT STILL. THERE DOES SEEM TO BE AT LEAST. SOME INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE. IT REALLY ISN'T AS MUCH AS THE. WHITE HOUSE WOULD LIKE, RIGHT? >> Reporter: ABSOLUTELY. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THESE GULF. COUNTRIES ON BOARD WITH THE. REALITY OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON. THAT THE PRESIDENT USED THOSE. REMARKS DURING THE U.N. GENERAL.

IS ASSEMBLY TO EXPLAIN WHAT HIS. AIM IS IN ALL OF THIS. INITIALLY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WERE TOLD THIS COULD BE OTHER IN. 4-6 WEEKS? -- OVER IN 4-6 WEEKS? AT THIS POINT IT'S 7 MONTHS INTO. THE CONFLICT AND NO END IN. SIGHT. THE COUNTRY'S PRESIDENT CLAIMED. THAT IRAN IS STILL OPEN TO AN. AGREEMENT, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TOP. -LINE IRGC OFFICIALS. CONTINUING TO LAUNCH ATTACKS NOT. ONLY IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ,

BUT ALSO GOING AFTER THESE. REGIONAL COUNTRIES WHEN THEY GET. THE OPPORTUNITY. RAICH RAICH --. RICH: TREY YINGST, THANKS, AS. ALWAYS. WE'LL NOW TURN TO VICTORIA. COATES, VICE PRESIDENT OF. NATIONAL SECURITY AT THE. HERITAGE FOUNDATION AND A FORMER. DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP. VICTORIA, THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS, FOR JOINING US. WHAT'S YOUR ASSESSMENT OF F WHAS. HAPPENING IN THE STRAIT OF. HORMUZ AND HOW MUCH THAT'S E. VIVIDDED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL. WEEKS? -- EVOLVED? >> GREAT TO SEE YOU, RICH. I WAS REALLY STRUCK ABOUT A.

POINT JUST NOW ABOUT COVERING. THE MAXIMUM PRESSURE CAMPAIGN. DURING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FIRST. TERM. I WORKED ON THAT AS WELL AND, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE. NOW, WHY IT'S DIFFERENT NOW IS. THAT THE DAMAGE THAT WAS. INFLICTED DURING THE FIRST TERM. WAS NEVER FIXED. THE ECONOMIC RELIEF THEY GOT. UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE IRANIAN REGIME SPENT ON. OCTOBER 7TH. WE'RE ABOUT TO MARK THE. ANNIVERSARY OF THAT ON. WEDNESESDAY, ON THEIR NUCLEAR. PROGRAM, ON THE IRGC. THEY DIDN'T SPEND IT ON BUILDING. THE ECONOMY AT HOME. SO THE KIND OF ECONOMIC STRENGTH.

WE SEE BURGEONING UP IN THE. UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW, THAT. NEVER HAPPENED IN IRAN. SO NOW IT'S EXPONENTIALLY WORSE, MADE WORSE BY "OPERATION EPIC. FURY" AND BY THE ADDITIONAL. STEPS THEY'RE TAKING IN. "OPERATION ECONOMIC OUTCAST.". SO I THINK WHAT -- WHEN YOU HEAR. THE IRANIANS SAY, OH, THE STRAIT. WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL OUR. CONDITIONS ARE MET, THAT'S NOT. REAL.

RICH: HOW FAR DO YOU THINK THE. ADMINISTRATION CAN ACHIEVE ON. ITS LIST OF GOALS? DO YOU THINK IT'S JUST THE. STRAIT NOW, OR HAVE WE MOVED TO. ITS MISSILE PROGRAM, ITS. PROXIES, THAT SAME LIST WE. REMEMBER FROM THE FIRST TERM? >> NO, THE KEY THING IS THE. NUCLEAR PROGRAM. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN VERY. CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS. OPERATION THAT WHAT CANNOT BE. TOLERATED IS A NUCLEAR WEAPON IN. THE HANDS OF A THEOCRATIC, DEATH. TO AMERICA REGIME. THAT'S VERY SIMPLE. AND SO THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO. AGREE TO THE DISMANTLEMENT OF. WHAT OF A'S LEFT OF IT AFTER.

IT'S BEEN SO HEAVILY BOMBED. WE NEED TO ASCERTAIN AND CONFIRM. THAT IT IS PULLEY DISMANTLED --. FULLY DISMANTLED. AND THEN THEY HAVE TO TAKE STEPS. OR WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE. STEPS TO PREVENT THEM FROM. RECONSTITUTING THAT. ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT. HAPPENED DURING "EPIC FURY" IS. WE TOOK OUT A LOT OF THEIR. NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS IN. CONJUNCTION WITH THE ISRAELIS, SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD. TIME BUILDING THAT BACK. AND THAT'S WHERE, ALSO, THE. ECONOMIC CAMPAIGN COMES IN. THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO. REBUILD ALL THEIR SOPHISTICATED.

CENTRIFUGES. AND NOBODY'S GOING GIVE THEM. CREDIT AT THIS POINT. SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE. THAT COMPOUND AND GET TOWARD THE. PRESIDENT'S GOAL OF A VERIFIABLE. DEAL ON THE NUCLEAR PROGRAM. RICH: ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT IN. ANY AGREEMENT THERE WILL BE. SANCTIONS RELIEF AND THAT EVEN. IF YOU ACHIEVE THOSE THINGS THEN. IN THE FUTURE, THAT SANCTIONS. RELIEF PROVIDES THE FUNDING AND. MEANS TO GO BACK AND TO REBUILD. FOR THE IRANIANS? >> OF COURSE. YOU'VE GOT TO WATCH THAT LIKE A. HAWK. AND SO THERE CAN BE CONTROLS ON. THE WAY MONEY COMES IN AND OUT.

OF IRAN THAT WE CAN KEEP AN EYE. ON. WE CAN KEEP FUNDS AWAY FROM. THEM, WE CAN WATCH HOW THEY DO. BANKING BECAUSE,E, BEAR IN MIND, PART OF "OPERATION ECONOMIC. OUTCAST," THEY'VE BEEN CUT OFF. THEIR OLD SORT OF FINANCIAL. LIFELINE WAS THROUGH DUBAI AND. UAE. BUT AS YOU GUYS ARE ALSO. DISCUSS, THEY'VE BEEN SHELLING. THEIR NEIGHBORS MERCILESSLY. SO UAE HAS CUT THEM OFF. NO, YOU CAN'T USE OUR BANKS.

ANYMORE. SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE VERY. FEW WAYS TO DO FINANCIAL. TRANSACTIONS WITH THE OUTSIDE. WORLD. CHINA, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DO TRY. TO SELL OIL TO CHINA STILL. BUT EVEN SO, CHINA KEEPS THOSE. FUNDS. THEY ONLY LET THE IRANIANS USE. THEM THE BUY GOODS FROM CHINA. SO UNLESS CHINA SELLS THEM A. NUCLEAR REACTOR, THEY'RE NOT. GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT. MONEY TO RECONSTITUTE THEIR. PROGRAM. RICH: DO YOU THINK PRESIDENT. TRUMP MADE ANY HEADWAY WITH XI. JINPING WHEN IT COMES TO IRAN? >> I THINK HE MAY WELL HAVE.

BECAUSE THIS IS ENTIRELY IN XI'S. BEST INTERESTS. HE'S NOT GOING TO DO THINGS OUT. OF THE KINDNESS OF HIS HEART, BUT XI LIKES THAT OIL COMING OUT. OF IRAN AND OUT OF SAUDI ARABIA. AND IF THOSE FLOWS ARE. DISRUPTED, YOU KNOW, HE REALLY. HAS A PROBLEM. AND SO I CAN SEE XI LOOKING AT. RATHER TROUBLED FORECASTS FOR. THE CHINESE ECONOMY OVER THE. NEXT YEAR OR SO THINKING I. REALLY NEED THAT SECURE ENERGY. FLOW OUT OF THE GULF. MAYBE THE IRANIANS COULD REIN IT. IN A LITTLE BIT. THAT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST.

INTERESTS AS WEL.