Iran cannot be allowed to monopolize the Strait of Hormuz, expert says

>> Martha: TEHRAN SAYS PART OF A. DEAL WITH OMAN INCLUDES A NEW. MODEL FOR THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. A COMPLETE REOPENING OF THE. STRAIT APPARENTLY NOT ON THE. TABLE AT LEAST ACCORDING TO WHAT. THE IRAN SIDE IS SAYING. WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT WITH A. GRAIN OF SALT. MEANWHILE, HERE'S THE LATEST. FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP. I'D RATHER MAKE A DEAL BECAUSE I.

DON'T WANT TO KILL PEOPLE. I DO NOT WANT TO KILL PEOPLE. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS. THEIR RESPECT US. THEY RESPECT US. >> Martha: NAZEE MOINIAN FLED. IRAN WITH HER FAMILY AT T THE. START OF THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION. FIRST LET'S GO TO STEVE HARRIGAN. LIVE IN THE REGION IN TEL AVIV. HI, STEVE. >> MARTHA, SOME IRANIAN. OFFICIALS ARE SAYING THEY COULD. BE CLOSE TO A DEAL WITH OMAN FOR. THE FREE REGULATION OF SHIPPING. THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. HERE'S IRAN'S DEPUTY FOREIGN.

MINISTER. >> THESE FUNDAMENTAL AGREEMENTS. WITH OMAN HAVE MOSTLY BEEN. COMPLETED. MEANING WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT. PROGRESS IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH. OMAN AND THIS PROGRESS IS ON THE. VERGE OF BEING FINALIZED. >> OF COURSE, VIOLENCE IN THE. REGION COULD GET IN THE WAY. THE HOUTHIS ATTACKED TO SAUDI. OIL TANKERS. FINALLY PRESIDENT TRUMP PUSHING. BACK AGAINST MEDIA REPORTS THAT.

THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF. INTERCEPTER MISSILES IN THE U.S. ARSENAL. HE CALLED IT FAKE NEWS. HE SAID REPORTING LEAKED. INFORMATION AGAINST THE U.S. ARSENAL IS "TREASONOUS.". BACK TO YOU, MARTHA. >> Martha: THANKS, STEVE. WITH THAT, WE BRING IN MIDDLE. EAST INSTITUTE FELLOW NAZEE. MOINIAN. SHE WAS RAISED IN IRAN, IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES. WITH HER FAMILY AND SHE HOLDS A. DOCTORATE IN IRANIAN STUDIES. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU. JUST YOUR REACTION TO WHAT STEVE.

JUST REPORTED THERE. THE SAUDIS ARE -- THERE'S. KILLING BETWEEN THE SAUDIS AND. HOUTHIS, DOZENS OF PEOPLE. WHERE IS THIS GO SOMETHING. >> YOU CAN NEVER PREDICT WHAT A. GANG OF THUGS THE TWAY THE. HOUTHIS HAVE SHOWN TO BE ARE. GOING WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THE SAUDIS AND HOUTHIS HAVE BEEN. AT EACH OTHER'S NECK A LONG. TIME. THEY HAVE RESTRAINED THEMSELVES. FOR THE REASONS THAT ARE NOT. APPARENT TO US IN THIS WAR.

WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THEM TO. COME IN AND THEY ATTACKED A FEW. SHIPS AND STEPPED BACK AND CAME. BACK IN. SO IT'S BEEN UNPREREDICTABLE TH. WAY THEY HAVE CONDUCTED THEIR. OPERATIONS. HOWEVER, WHETHER THE OMAN DEAL, WHAT THE IRANIANS AND OMANANS. ARE TALKING ABOUT COMES INTO. EFFECT AND THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. OPENS UP, IT BRINGS A NEW. CALCULUS TO THIS SCENARIO, TO. THIS WAR. ARE WE BACK TO WHEN IRAN WAS.

BASICALLY CONTROLLING THE GULF. AND IRAN WOULD ALLOW PASSAGES OF. SHIPS? THE SHIPS WERE JUST TRAVELING TO. AND FRO. BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TELL. IRAN AND MAKE IRAN UNDERSTAND. THAT THE PASSAGES OF SHIPS IS AT. THE CORE OF A WORLD ORDER THAT. WAS BROUGHT IN BY THE LIBERAL. DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES BEING ABLE. FOR THE SHIPS TO NAVIGATE.

FREELY. THEY CANNOT MONOPOLIZE THAT. CONTROL. >> Martha: THEY DON'T CARE. THEY SAID WE'RE GOING TO CONTROL. THE STRAIT. WHERE DO THEY GET THIS TENACITY. AND THIS CONFIDENCE THAT THIS. INTERNATIONAL WATERWAY, WHICH WE. HEARD FROM THE SECRETARY OF. STATE, IS INVALUABLE? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. WHERE DOES IRAN GET ITS CHUTZPAH. FROM? I'M AN IRANIAN. I HAVE BEEN READING BETWEEN THE. LINES AND THE LINES THAT WERE.

NOT SET FOR YEARS. IT'S A PART OF OR PRACTICE. WHAT IS BEING SAID AND WHAT IS. NOT SAID. IRAN IS A REVOLUTIONARY STATE. THEY HAVE IDEALOGICAL FERVOR. IT'S AN ASYMMETRY THERE AND. THEN. IT'S COMMITTED TO DEFLECT, DIMINISH AND EVENTUALLY DESTROY. AMERICAN POWER AND INFLUENCE IN. THE REGION AND AROUND THE WORLD. SO THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THAT. GOAL. THEY HAVE THE LONG VIEW.

SO THEY DON'T LOOK AT EVERY DAY. UPS AND DOWNS AND WHAT THE. PRESIDENT HAS SAID. THEY ARE LOOKING AT THIS AS A. BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, BETWEEN VICTIMIZER AND THE. VICTIMIZED, BETWEEN THE CORRUPT. AND THE UNCORRUPT. THEM BEING THE UNCORRUPT. THEY'RE LOOKING TO WAYS THAT. THEY CAN BRING THAT TO FRUITION. >> Martha: THAT'S THE. LEADERSHIPIP. THAT'S IRGC BASICALLY. THERE'S NO SUBSTANTIVE. INFORMATION ON THE AYATOLLAH AT. THIS POINT.

WHETHER OR NOT HE'S STILL. AROUND. WE KNOW THAT IT WAS SAID. YESTERDAY IT'S HARD TO GET IN. TOUCH WITH HIM. SO YOU KNOW, THE IRANIAN PEOPLE, WE SEE THE REPORTS, RIDICULOUS. INFLATION. THEY CAN'T GET THE MONEY OUT OF. THEIR BANKS. THEY ARE SELLING THEIR HAIR FOR. MONEY. RENTING THEIR OWN LAPTOPS TO GET. MONEY. THIS IS DESPERATE. THESE A DESPERATE SITUATION. >> IT IS. >> Martha: HOW LONG DOES THAT. LAST? >> I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TELL. YOU THE THRESHOLD OF PAIN AND. SUFFERING FOR THE IRANIAN. PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE SUFFERED FOR 47 YEARS. THINGS HAVE GOTTEN REALLY BAD. FROM 2022, IRAN'S WOMEN LIFE AND. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT. THE REGIME NOW HAS DECLARED OPEN. SEASON ON PEOPLE THAT THEY. CONSIDER WARRIORS AGAINST GOD. THAT THEY PUT TO DEATH ROUTINELY. TWO OR THREE YESTERDAY ACTUALLY, TEENAGERS AT 18 YEARS OLD. IT'S THE WAY FOR THE REGIME TO. UPHOLD ITS POWER, TO HANG ON ITS.

POWER. BREAK THE SENSE, REMES --. REPRESS THE FREEDOM AND FLAUNT. THE E INTERNATIONAL WORLD ORDER. >> Martha: A LOT OF LIVES ARE AT. STAKE IN THIS. WE'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES. I'D BE SURPRISED IF THERE'S A. DEAL THAT INCLUDES THEM CHARGING. PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH THE STRAIT. THE PRESIDENT SAYS T.