or did iran plot to blow up the plane during the iran/iraq war. and did the fbi and the cia split on the investigation's direction, leaving washington open to charges of a coverup? we're going to spend the next hour looking at all of the issues raised by the film. first, i'm joined from berkeley, california, from the documentary's director, and from edenboro scott land, an investigator of the defense team. it's good to have you both with us, and bill, i'll start with you, this is the third film on lockerby that you have done on aljazeera. what is new? >> there's a lot of evidence around, and everything is new, but this film wouldn't have happened if it be hadn't been for jessica degrazzia. we spent about two years trying to get her to talk. and with out that, there would have been no film. she used to be a very highly thought of manhattan da. and she married an englishman and moved to london. and after her children grew up, she started a highly investigative agency, for the canadian government. and corporations and banks, and so on. so she's a hig

or did iran plot to blow up the plane during the iran/iraq war. and did the fbi and the cia split on the investigation's direction, leaving washington open to charges of a coverup? we're going to spend the next hour looking at all of the issues raised by the film. first, i'm joined from berkeley, california, from the documentary's director, and from edenboro scott land, an investigator of the defense team. it's good to have you both with us, and bill, i'll start with you, this is the third film on lockerby that you have done on aljazeera. what is new? >> there's a lot of evidence around, and everything is new, but this film wouldn't have happened if it be hadn't been for jessica degrazzia. we spent about two years trying to get her to talk. and with out that, there would have been no film. she used to be a very highly thought of manhattan da. and she married an englishman and moved to london. and after her children grew up, she started a highly investigative agency, for the canadian government. and corporations and banks, and so on. so she's a hig

i from arizona iran. arizona may be the only state of america where mothers don't shelled tell their children someday they can grow up and be president. i ask the sympathy -- 9 noticed the conference was introduced by my dear and beloved friend joe lieberman, the finest man i have ever known in my life. [applause] joe and i travel together extensively for many, many years, literally every corner of the world. just prior to joe's leaving the senate there was a big wonderful dinner at the israeli embassy for joe and all the important people in washington where there and speaker after speaker after speaker extolling virtues and record and wonder and beauty of joe lieberman and paul is true and i was the last speaker and i said i am not going to tell you about joe lieberman. you already heard but i have an announcement to make. i have spent all these years with joe lieberman eating salmon, riding the elevator, not being able to ride in a call are on saturday. i had to go through all this all these years and g

what he was doing in iran was unclear. robert levinson's wife holds out hope. >> i think cooperation between the two countries could resolve bob's case. i hope the iranians will cooperate and get bob home. secretary of state john kerry released this statement: >> the iranian government denies holing reupena levasa, and says they are unaware of his whereabouts. >> secretary of state john kerry went on to say that robert levinson is one of the longest detained u.s. citizens in history. >> mexico's government says a leader of one of the nation's powerful drug cartels has been killed. but as adam raney reports from mexico city, it's not the first time the king pin, known as "the craziest one" was killed. >> the killing of nazario moreno gonzalez in western mexico comes two weeks after the government announced the arrest of joaquin guzman, shorty, and he was the head of the sinaloa cartel, the biggest in the world. know they announced the killing of nazario moreno gonzalez, who headed the most powerful organization, the governm

it is a lively debate in iran. andorship is not necessary in these discussions about use of sociale media, there were differences of opinion. being engaged on social media also lets the genie out of the bottle. it is unsustainable if leaders go on these platforms to not allow the population, one day or another. we saw the most remarkable use of social media by the president when the struggle between hardliners and reformists came to the surface at the moment where he was about to address the nation on national television. this broadcasting was delayed for about an hour. probably to hamper his efforts in one way or another. in any case, the president himself took to twitter to say i do not know why, but i am being delayed in addressing the nation. in that case, it is clear that his audience was a national one. it is national tv that was delayed. he wanted to address the situation. after he tweeted this, the delays were solved and he was able to give his address. what is important in this example, and another of othe

iran is an outlaw state. it has multiple -- violated multiple un security council resolutions prohibiting enrichment. if we allow this outlaw, terrorist state to enrich uranium, how could we serious that -- seriously demand any other country not enrich uranium? i believe that letting iran enrich uranium would open up the floodgates. ofwould up a pandora's box nuclear proliferation in the middle east and around the world. that must not happen. [applause] we will make sure it does not happen. letting the worst terrorist regime on the planet get atomic bombs would endanger everyone and it certainly would endanger israel since i run openly calls for our destruction. 70 years ago, our people, the jewish people, were left for dead. we came back to life. we will never be brought to the break of extinction again. [applause] as prime minister of israel, i will do what ever i must do to defend the jewish state of israel. [applause] you know, i am often asked whether israel truly once diplomacy to succeed. my answer is,

it is my impression that it's a lively debate within iran. iran. the cultural ministers mentioned a number of times he believes that censorship is not necessary necessary. and in these discussions about twitter and the use of social media, there were differences of opinion. and i think being engaged on social media also kind of lets the genie out of the bottle. i mean it's unsustainable if leaders go on these platforms do not allow the population, one day or another, we saw think the most remarkable use of social media by the president when the struggle between hard-liners and reformists are they came to the surface at the moment what he was about to address the nation on national television and is broadcasting was delayed for about an hour. this was probably to hamper his efforts in one way or another. in any case, the president himself took to twitter to say i don't know why but i am being delayed in addressing the nation. and in that case, of course very clear his audience was a national one because it's national tv that was delayed. he wanted t

democratic activists in iran, dissidents support encroachment between iran and the u.s. for the interesting reasons we talked about but on that deal, that process it might actually be working against the possibility of progress in syria. in other words can from the human rights watch makes his argument. a cousin of this fragile brief window where it could get a deal with iran it's very cautious and very reluctant to push iran on these other issues like syria. this is not the moment for that so the tragedy to me is that these are two good things. it would be very good to get iran to push syria in the direction of allowing the aid caravans and for example. it's also very good to strike as nuclear deal with iran that these two good things are actually working against one another. they are at odds with one another and that's tragic. >> do you have any last comments before we close? >> i grieve for standing on that last point. thank you both for coming and for those people that thought that syria doesn't matter and the world as a matter for the united states i'm here to tell

iran is an outlaw state. it has multiple -- violated multiple un security council resolutions prohibiting enrichment. if we allow this outlaw, terrorist state to enrich uranium, how could we serious blood -- seriously demand that any other country not enrich uranium? i believe that letting iran enrich uranium would open up the floodgates. it would up a pandora's box of nuclear proliferation in the middle east and around the world. that must not happen. [applause] we will make sure it does not happen. letting the worst terrorist regime on the planet get atomic bombs would endanger everyone and it certainly would endanger israel since i run openly calls for our destruction. 70 years ago, our people, the jewish people, were left for dead. we came back to life. we will never be brought to the break of extinction again. [applause] as prime minister of israel, i will do what ever i must do to defend the jewish state of israel. [applause] you know, i am often asked whether israel truly once diplomacy to succeed. my

iota agreed to this interim deal with iran. which is a frs. it's been a farce from day one. everyone knows there is not going to be final deal. everyone knows didn't do anything to stop the iranian program. everyone knows it leaves iran about six weeks away from going nuclear. the key to this interim agreement was a relaxation of sanctions, really hard tough sanctions that have been relaxed. >> putin was on board with the sanctions, at least he was publicly. putin has been talking to iran over last few months before crimea about a billion and a half month deal oil for goods. ready to sanctions. >> he is going to break them. >> and the iranian currency is already on the rebound. iran has negotiated with delegates of western europeans. forget about the russians. it is obama who broke the sanctions embargo on iran. not putin. >> once this june 1st is the day. once this so-called temporary treaty or once israel moves. you have all hell break loose in that region. everybody is going to be fighting everybody. i'm saying it's off crim

again and again they made it clear that iran is no enemy to us, nor is iran an enemy to the mac and people. my mother devised a brilliant strategy with the support of everyone else to really push my health issues. after that visit, she knew i had no health problems. the iranian government knew i had no health problems. i had concerns that were never addressed, but my mother knew she could use that as a way for the iranian government to save face, for them to let me out without looking weak or looking like they're giving in to u.s. pressure. what you're really getting into was international pressure. >> let's go to that moment in 2010, shortly after your release from prison in iran. this is one of your first statements to the media am a sarah. >> i know how much effort has gone into this, and i'm extremely grateful. i feel myself i have a huge debt to repay the world for what it is done for me. my first priority is tell my fiancÉe shane bauer and my friend josh fattal to gain their freedom, because they don't deserve to be in prison anymore. >> there you are near the airport as you are abo

it's because iran doesn't want a peaceful nuclear program. iran wants a military nuclear program. i said it here once. i will say it here again. if it looks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, then what is it? well, it ain't a chicken. and it certainly not a dove. it is still a nuclear duck. [applause] unfortunatelily the leading powers of the world are talking about leading iran with the capability to enrich uranium. i hope they don't do that because that would be a grave error. it would leave iran as a threshold nuclear power. it would enable iran to rapidly develop nuclear weapons, at a time when the world's attention is focused elsewhere. and we see, as we speak, that that could happen. in one part of the world today, tomorrow in another part, maybe north korea. so, just remember what he wrote a few years ago. he wrote this in a rare moment of candor. he said, if a country can enrich uranium, even to a low level, it can effectively produce nuclear weapons. precisely. and leaving iran as a threshold nuclear power would deliver a death blow to non-pro

the saudis think they're big issue is iran. the hostility has lasted for millennia and is not a little game. what is happening in syria is a manifestation of their problem with iran, not a problem in itself. not goingnt obama is to say he is giving up talks with iran over its nuclear program? >> there is a deep fear on the arab side that the united states really wants a positive relationship with the wrong -- iran and is going to abandon them in favor of a positive relationship with iran. i think it is far-fetched, but that is their perception. that iran has a culture, language, cuisine, and art. feel thearabs americans would like the relationship like they had with the shah, and we will be left alone. >> is it undermining for the u.s. is becoming more intergender dependent? >> they worry about it. the more asia gets its energy from the middle east, the u.s. commitment to asia will need the left will mean a commitment that will endure. have the possibility of developing their own unconventional gas reserves. the saudis are not

dividing a nuclear iran and ending them israel/palestinian conflict. let me start with iran. i know there are many questions. many people, there has been a healthy debate about the approach. we welcome that. let me sum up president obama's policy -- 10 simple, clear words. unequivocal, we will not permit iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. period. [applause] i -- [applause] i added an 11th word for punctuation. i want you to understand is there are no if's, and's, or but's. this is real policy and we mean the word. the word of the president and the united states that iran will not get a nuclear weapon. as we said at the outset and i say it again, our diplomacy is lighted by a bottom line. no deal is better than a bad deal. we absolutely will not accept a bad deal. [applause] we are committed to a deal that gets the job done. why? because we get it. we understand it. as president obama said, no one can question why israel looks at the iranian program and sees an existential threat. we get it. we understand in our gut. we also know something else, this is not some favor that we do

iran would increase enrichment to a certain level. right now they are enriching uranium at five percent rather than 20%. in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. as a researcher and specialist on this issue, what is the nitty-gritty that you are looking for? what is the sticking point? >> in a sense iran was ready to accept it for years. don't -- i do not think that these technical issues are what is at stake. they want openness inside the u.s.. new sanctions. you have also outside countries like israel and saudi arabia. they will take any opportunity to make this deal not happen. >> what are the red lines in iran going into these negotiations? >> obviously they want the right to enrich uranium, but they have never backed up on it. it is their red light. they want to show that by this deal, the west has organized for the call the official right. >> they are looking to keep their ability to enrich uranium for peaceful civilian purposes? >> yes. >> thank you very much for joining us here, a researcher and specialist on iran. >> start

be on that aspect of the nuclear program but opening up iran in other ways. robert you do believe that's that's really serious you think is in charge enough to pull that you can pull through with that. well cuz i really and here's an engineer talking about the nuclear weapons aspects of things. i don't feel the wind in the position to say what the news to him or not. ok well let's say the overt are yet play a good time. yes i said i think that day in on the scene is about opening up the society i think isolate the society into a day's work he's a very difficult boss he said it's day impedes trade the team consists of relationships ep includes security. so the nice i think steele is about opening up i think also we got this have to be serious about actually having to see scott joined james is in line and feinstein says all kinds of exchanges about the day and thus are what what what about skeptics who say well there's cousin ronnie but there's also ayatollah common name who is seen as more of a hard liner how can you maintain a policy of openness would you hav

and that's what iran wants lifted. and russia can't lift that. that's something that's between us, the europeans and the iranians where russia can promise new trade, maybe could break the sanctions that's listed in the u.n. security council resolution, 1929. but that's peanuts compares to what they could get if we could get our sanctions lifted against them. >> what russia can do is they could have a barter agreement which would allow iran to sell all its oil to russia and help break the sanctions. and more importantly, one of the key things russia agreed to do was not sell very sophisticated long-range anti-aircraft missiles. they're called s-300 ease and that sale was frozen by putin in the past. and the russians if they went ahead with that sale it would make any attack against iran very dangerous. >> when we go back to your old boss president obama, how much is on his mind as something he has to worry about or have they put together in motion a set of sanctions they're going to put in motion without second guessing? >> i think they're very wo

if it's good for iran, bad for saudi arabia, good for saudi arabia bad for iran. >> what's good for us is the following, that the area remains without nuclear weapons, that the area engages in negotiation and not conflict, that we don't interfere in each other's affairs. one of the problems we have had with iran is that they interfere. in syria, they have revolutionary guards on the ground, they have asked hesbollah to interferey lebanon and syria. >> charlie: and they have. they've asked others from iraq to interfere in syria and they interfered in iraq. >> charlie: they would say saudi arabia and turkey and qatar is interfering. >> they have to show that's true. we can show the iranians are doing that. but there are no saudi troops in syria. >> charlie: there are saudis. well, there are saudis here. >> charlie: there are saudis radical jihadists fighting the rebels. >> you have your citizens and you have your -- >> charlie: and so the worry is what happens when those jihadists gain all that experience in syria, go back to wherever they're from? >> and this is what i have been declear

if there was some rapprochement between the west and iran or maybe between saudi arabia and iran, would the likely effect of that on the internal political dynamic in lebanon be positive, or would with it be hard to predict -- would it be hard to predict what that effect would be? >> well, if i may, there's been perceived rapprochement between the u.s. and iran as there has been between syria. and particularly the gulf states who felt two years ago felt that the assad's days were numbered, that the u.s.' position was clear and also thought the u.s. and others had a very firm position isolating, containing or even combating iran. now they wake up to a different world in which assad is sort of a partner in the long-term chemical weapons deal, iran is, you know, in open negotiations which might take a very long time and which certainly at least indicate that the u.s. is coexisting with iran and with the assad regime for the current future. now, what did that create in terms of dynamics? i think it created several. first of all, it created panic in some countries in the region of the gulf a

iran finds it in its own interests to make sure there are no ambiguities about iran's intentions because we have no intention to seek nuclear weapons. >> iran is clearly establishing better working relationships with many countries in the west. ashton's visit will strengthen further. as the negotiations go on the talks made it more difficult the. humam i did has been no prison five times. europe's top diplomat wants to engage on these issues too. >> we have come to establish for ourselves a situation here in terms of the potential for the relationship. but we also recognize that that relationship is in many ways i iran tkepl the straits it is clearly looking for a different realm. >> iranians have suffered under international sanctions for years. the limited nuclear deal brought some hope. many wanted a relationship with the west but not convinced it will happen. lease due seat. >> lease is live in tehran. how big a deal is it that contact ron ashton is in iran at all? >> reporter: it is a very big deal. big for different reasons depending where you stand in the political spectrum. when

works to sit in your inner first read the disappearance of american cheese and robert levinson in iran. he was secretary of state john kerry is richer in to work closely with washington to ensure safe return. robert levinson a retired fbi agent disappeared seven years ago from cash island iran when he disappeared last government repeatedly said he was on a business trip. recent news reports have said that the c i a didn't need to collect intelligence iranian president's own honey has publicly stated that no information about eleven cents per box. the us has offered a one million dollars reward for information leading to the safe return this year. levinson turned sixty six years old. thirteen and up the greek orthodox released by syrian militants earlier this week after being kidnapped in december have attended prayers at a special service at the church of the cross and damascus is predominantly christian district of process. the arrived in damascus and industry month ordeal in the rear prisoner exchange between the syrian government and islamist militants from the nets for up front whi

i am skeptical of iran keeping its promises. and what we should expect before we moved to an agreement that we would hope permanently dismantles iran's to clear weapon program. i support a diplomatic row gram to get us to a deal. this must be reinforced by international commitment to international regime -- to sanctions against iran. we must keep the pressure on. we cannot let them opt you skate -- obvious gate -- obfuscate to make sure they never have the ability to create one nuclear bomb. i certainly will continue to do all i can to make sure we do not dismantle the sanctions regime until and unless iran dismantles their ability to create even one bomb. the international community seems to want any deal more than it wants a good deal. [applause] let's understand we need to ensure iran cannot delay sanctions while they retain the ability to resume their weapons program at any time. the longer we let them delay the swifter the research and development brings new, more powerful centrifuges and the closer they get to breakout cap

eased sanctions on iran for the first time in decades. then the king saw an internal danger, public di dissent crept through the cracks of social media. next came riffs between saudi arabia and it's gulf partner qatar. they pulled their embassies out of doha earlier this month saying that they won't stand with anyone supporting regional destabilization. the president's visit comes during a different era in saudi american relations. for decades saudi arabia and the u.s. have been close. the king even visited president george? bush at his texas ranch in 2005. but now things have changed. the aging king's long-time bargaining chip oil resources has lost some of its influence. the growing ability to drill for shell natural gas in places like north dakota has made the u.s. less dependent on foreign fuel. >> before we begin our conversation on the strains in the u.s.-saudi relationship, we want to go live to saudi arabia to the white house's correspondent mike viqueira. mike, what have you learned about the meeting? >> well, it was a two-hour m

it's assumed, i think that people in iran if you write an e-mail. it's assumed and it was assumed a long time agoing it was going be read and if you said something publicly or journalist wrote something they didn't like it was assumed you would get into trouble. here the lines lines are blurry. >> jon: a little blurry. what about this ministry of guidance and culture that will maybe knock on the door and say, hey man, are you having fun in there? and stop. [ laughter ] >> the ministry of guidance and culture takes care of journalists as well as culture and guidance. it's one of those orwellian sounding ministries. they are the ones ones who wered of responsible for someone like myself and my family in iran as a journalist as a writer trying to get a work permit, trying to work there which they wouldn't give me. and the suggestions that maybe you are not quite in keeping keg with islamic norms in many instances. they don't knock on your door but they give you hints. you can get phonecalls, yeah. >> jon: do they, for instance,, what is their role in e

i mean, we got on iran and we got to syria as well. but it's a pretty small part of the globe overall. >> charlie: so did you learn anything you didn't know? >> yeah, actually, i did. i think, in way -- like i said, the first conversation i had with him was seven years ago on this subject. i think that it's not that the gloves are coming off. i think that -- i don't know what you would call it, the mask of diplomatic language is coming off a little bit. he doesn't have to run again for anything and he's not concerned about -- he doesn't go to apec anymore to give speeches. he doesn't have to do that anymore. it's not a group he particularly likes. you know, maybe the people in the white house don't like it more, but he doesn't particularly appreciate it. he sees it as a link to reflectively the right. so he was more specific about the problems he sees down the road for israel than i've ever heard him. the israelis took it as very, very blunt. i thought it was still, you know, done and couched in a kind of "i want to be a help here." bu

a resort in iran. at the time he was working as a private investigator, looking into cigarette smuggling. that year robert levinson's wife went to iran in search of answers. >> it doesn't get any easier after seven years. we have two new grandchildren. one is just three weeks old. the other is four months. it's difficult. i know how much he'd love to see them. >> robert levinson was last seen alive in these photographs, sent to his family by a private investigators. the robert levinson family released this video. >> i have been held here for 3.5 years. >> an i associate press investigation last year reported that he'd been working on a mission, spying for the iranian government. robert levinson's family confirmed his appointment. what he was doing in iran remains unclear. robert levinson's wife holds out hope. >> i think cooperation between the two countries could solve the case. i hope the two countries will cooperate. >> secretary of state john kerry released this statement on sunday: >> the iranian

that year levinson's wife and son went to iran in search of answers. he was last seen alive in these photographs released last year sent to his family by a private investigator in 2011. the family released this video. >> i am in hell here for three and a half years. >> reporter: last year an associated press investigation reported he had been working on a mission for the cia spying on the iranian government. levinson's family confirmed his cia employment, but exactly what he was doing in iran remains unclear. the family says the u.s. government has not done nush to bring him home. the iranian government denies holding levinson and says there's unaware of his whereabouts. >> more on levinson coming up later in the hour. >>> a cargo ship believed to be smuggling a stockpile of roberts from iran has docked in an israeli port. navy forces seized the ship last week, and authorities fear they were on their way to gaza to harm israel. they say the arsenal has more than 150 containers of syrian-made rock accounts. iranian officials deny any involvement whatsoe

here's what he said specifically related to iran. >> iran calls openly for israel's destruction. i'm sure you'll appreciate that israel cannot permit such a state to have the ability to make atomic bomb to say achieve that goal. we just cannot be brought back again to the brink of destruction, and i as the prime minister of israel will do whatever i must do to defend the jewish state. >> as a counter point, president obama emphasized the close relationship to the u.s. and israeli have. he is pushing israel on a couple of big items, including israeli-palestinian peace talks, something john kerry is working on, setting a deadline of the end of april. he'd like to see a framework develop. >> back to iran, which was also a topic of conversation at yesterday's apac meeting. >> that's right, it sure was. we heard from secretary of state john kerry trying to reassure both prime minister netanyahu as well as the thousands gathered at apac that the u.s. is taking israel's security seriously and is not going to give iran wiggle room. >> if iran fails this test, america will not fail israel

negotiators from iran and six world powers are meeting in vienna for talks on iran's nuclear program. events in crimea are making poland and, and it's sandwiched to the east and to the north and rory reports where the u.s. vice president is expected to meet poland's leaders. ♪ at a charity concert in warsaw, the orchestra is playing to raise money for poland's crisis. ♪ poland's and the new ukrainian government are singing the same tune, russia cannot again be allowed to dominate eastern europe. >> translator: we hope that the efforts of the international community will lead to the peaceful solution of the conflict in ukraine but we need to be read for the darkest of scenarios in ukraine part of which is now taking place and treat the annexation as one of the scenarios. >>> evidence of a time when poland was under soviet control is not hard to find here. this is a controversial monument for polish people and buried here are the remains of 21,000 of the soviet troops who died liberating poland of the nazis at the end of the second world war but not leaving poland until 1993 and the

. >> and iran, people are busy preparing for the persian new year. one of the most popular holidays on the calendar. festivities, the next time. there's a lot of financial pain wrought on by crippling sanctions, but there is hope that a landmark nuclear deal reached last november could ease some of those penalties. for the first time in five years, the bbc has been granted a visa to report from tehran. our chief international correspondent has just returned with this report. >> this time of year, the bazaars are packed with shoppers. and full of symbols of wealth and love to mark the persian new year. but most iranians find it hard enough to make ends meet. in some cases, prices have tripled. this hall in the grand bazaar is also a showcase for iran's .inest wares this family has been in the business for nearly 40 years, and business has never been so .ad >> exports have dropped in recent years, mainly because of problems in banking transactions because of sanctions. it's not easy to sell an item and get your money for it. the other factor is not hav

>> the iran sanctions bill. >> jon: mother (bleep). [ laughter ] iran sanctions. you are putting in iran sanctions amendment on the veterans benefits (bleep) sister, come back in here. come back here in. come back here in. [cheers and applause] >> well, you've done it now who wants to taste some of these nun-chucks. >> jon: it's interesting in japan it's referred to as nuncahku. nun chucks it is. let's good over here. how do you justify attaching the iran sanctions bill to the veterans benefits bill? >> it's the only way we can get this to the floor. because we're denied any other attempt to do it. >> [ laughter ] >> jon: baba you are right. you are the victim here. you've been denied something you need by an impersonal government bureaucracy, how can anyone know the anguish that you must feel? but that wasn't the worst explanation of why the iran sanctions bill is say rell vant add on this was the worst. >> if the negotiations fail as i tragically have to tell you they are destined to fail and iran retains the enrichment capability, i would argue to you that it a

and israeli attack on iran, iran respond in a way, it may become really very safe. how does russia feel an american policy area and what is it doing, what do we expect them to do? >> guest: things have improved very much in the u.s. russian relationship on iran but we had a problem in the 1990s with russia going in and taking over the contract to build the nuclear power plant with i was in control elements when yeltsin was in power, doing business with iran. and the russians have always claimed and i've heard others say this -- lavrov is the foreigners and he's another person we've met over the years, very impressive professional, he's been foreign minister for 10 years in russia. the russian expedition has always been that the iranians have not been anything so far that contravenes the agreement they made with the international atomic energy agency. and so that was an issue of greater tension between the u.s. and russia. that situation improved when obama came into power and he showed president medvedev evidence of a secret enrichment facility in iran, and russia b

forth, statements out of iran this week indicate that iran may now be unwilling to discuss outstanding questions on the possible military dimensions of the nuclear program. according to "the wall street journal" they said they're in no rush to discuss the issues possibly to force them to extend the agreement and showing adherence to other parts of the joint plan of action. please assure us the united states and allies will not allow negotiations to go past six months. and finally, mr. secretary, if you could just respond in writing to this last point. i'm increasingly concerned that there is a presumptive bias against young israelis seeking to travel to the united states. reports indicate that because of widespread visa denials, many student-aged travelers simply no longer apply to come to the united states. in fact, on embassy tel aviv's website there are warnings about violating the risks of their visas. while i understand tourist visas are violated, this does not mean that our policy should be to profile young israelis or to uniformly deny student-aged israelis the opportunity to vi

. >> iran's foreign minister spects a difficult round of nuke lar talks. the two sides will try to overcome differences. it's due to start in austria on tuesday. >> iran's heavy water reactedor still under construction and a major hurdle for negotiators to overcome. it will be a focus of discussions in vienna aimed at reaching a settlement in a decade-old dispute in iran's atomic activities. >> as an observer of the talks noted, the fact that little information is emerging implies that at lopping last they are -- long last they are talking seriously and making progress. >> no one is optimistic about a quick resolution. despite an agreement reached last year, when iran shelved higher grade enrichment in exchange for mod ests relief for punitive sanctions. iran's parliament told negotiators they should not accept bans on the development of the arac heavy water complex and the fact of enrichment. the iranian foreign minister did not expect to come to an agreement during the round of talks, and analysts remain cautious. >> the odds are against a break through,

military action to neutralize the iran nuclear threat and believe the u.s. should back our ally in israel in every way we can. nearly 67% agreed with that statement. >> yes that is interesting. when i wrote this novel it is to raise the important questions, not just 70 years ago. americans fear a holocaust now in israel or here. what is interesting is they are ready to back israel. those are strong numbers. it is interesting that 59% of americans would support president obama launching decisive strikes, massive strikes against iran if we had to if there was no other choice as long as we don't put ground forces in iran. even though we are world weary we say that. when it comes to israel and our oown security it seems like the polls show we want to stop iran in order to stop a second holocaust. >> i want to ask you what lessons will folks learn from the book that wely today? >> well, these four men who actually escaped 70 years ago this spring are heroes. what they did is brought the world the truth. there was a lot of rumors and speculation about what was hap

the fact that iran is involved in this is a coup in terms of the anti-iran campaign. binyamin netanyahu said he is not going to play with israel security. what will this discovery do? >> we know that iran is engaged in this. supposedly the iranians can say it was a rogue operation, or - look, no one has illusions about iran. we know who and who they are. they are inciting against the gulf states, saudi arabia, and undermining those rage eels and operating -- rage eems and they are operating against israel. the fact that the issues were being tied is true substantively, but in terms of policies, it's not the same thing. the fact that iran supports the terror organizations is something we'll have to live with for a long time. their nuclear ambitions, it's a different story. >> alon pinkas, good to have you on the program. >> thank you. >>> there's good news for catholics that want to live together but not get married. pope francis, speaking in a newspaper, suggested the catholic church could tolerate some nonmarital civil unions, describing it as a practical way to guar

iran is not going to do that. negotiators are saying there may be room for manoeuvre, but they are not going to close it down. they say it's for peaceful purposes, and they have, of course, conservatives back in iran itself, who are very suspicious of these negotiations overall, and don't want to see their negotiators give away any more than they have to. equally, the hard line is in the u.s. congress who don't want to see the u.s. and their allies make further concessions. >> ukraine has been sucking a lot of the oxygen out of these important diplomatic discussions. earlier this month it overshadowed a conference on syrian rev gees in lebanon. how serious are the tensions at this meeting, for the iran deal? >> well, it's lurking in the background. i was explaining in my story just there, all the official word is that it is not impinging on the discussions, but they are aware of the fallout from the crisis in crimea and the participation to disrupt discussions here. the possibility is, of course, if iran assistanc