War with Iran: Day 24

9-1-1, where is the emergency?

It's the middle of the night in a small town on the Jersey Shore.

Someone reports an abandoned car on a bridge.

A search gets underway for the missing driver, 19-year-old Sarah Stern.

Is it a missing person? Is it a suicide?

At this point, nobody knows.

Old friendships, buried cash, and a sinister plot that was once pitched as a movie plays out in real life.

I'm Ju-Ju Chang from 2020 and ABC Audio.

Listen now to Bridge of Lies, wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to Nightline.

This is a special edition, War with Iran.

I'm Debra Roberts.

On this episode, who's talking?

President Trump claiming there's progress and negotiations to end the war with Iran?

Well, they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. That's number one.

That's number one, two, and three. They will never have a nuclear weapon.

They've agreed to that.

Saying talks between Iran and the U.S. are underway and would continue over the next few days,

after threatening to target the country's power plants.

The president not naming who the U.S. is negotiating with.

The only with the man who I believe is the most respected and the leader.

While Iran denying to state media that any talks have taken place.

Plus, growing concern as Iran continues to target oil production facilities in the region.

How global oil prices are being affected?

And what it could mean for Americans' bottom lines?

ABC's Matt Rivers is on the ground in Qatar.

And info wars.

In times of conflict, information itself can be weaponized, limited, and censored.

Our James Longman explores how information is being filtered and accessed by the people of Iran.

Could one channel lead to regime change?

Deering in government is not happy with our operation.

While the conflict in Iran continues to rage on, we will shift focus each day to this single topic.

War with Iran.

Nightline special coverage continues.

This is day 24.

Stay with us after the break.

Welcome back, Grace.

You and your sister are here for a very exciting reason.

Now in theaters.

Hunters, you haven't told Dom to kill them both.

Experience the most unhinged.

I'm not playing!

Bloody.

Bloody.

Diabolically twisted.

Movie of the year.

Tomorrow weaving.

Catherine Newton.

Elijah Ward.

And Sarah Michelle Geller.

Back for round two.

Yep.

But you're not too here I come.

We did our under 1790m without hair hat.

No playing only in theaters.

Ever notice how ads always pop up at the worst moments?

When the killer's identity is about to be revealed.

During that perfect meditation flow.

On Amazon Music, we believe in keeping you in the moment.

That's why we've got millions of ad free podcast episodes.

So you can stay completely immersed in every story, every reveal, every breath.

Follow the Amazon Music app.

And start listening to your favorite podcast, sad free.

Included with Prime.

Hello everyone and welcome.

The war with Iran now in its fourth week.

President Trump saying talks between Iran and the U.S.

are underway and will continue over the next few days.

And that many points of agreement have been reached.

Iranian officials meanwhile denying to state media that any talks have happened.

Here's ABC's senior political correspondent Rachel Scott.

Tonight President Trump backing away from his threat to attack Iran's key electrical plans.

Saying the two countries are now in talks to end the war.

We have that very, very strong talks.

We'll see where they lead.

We have major points of agreement.

I would say almost all points of agreement.

But tonight, Iran insists, quote, no talks with the U.S. have taken place.

Saying any claims to the contrary are aimed at influencing financial and oil markets.

And distracting from the challenges facing the U.S. and Israel.

Over the weekend, the president declared that if Iran did not open the straight up her moves by tonight,

the U.S. will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first.

But President Trump now says he's giving Iran five days to make a deal.

And that his son-in-law Jared Kushner and many son-boy Steve Wickoff are leading the talks.

But the president won't say who in Iran they're talking to.

We're dealing with the men who I believe is the most respected and the leader.

You know, it's a little tough.

They've wiped out everybody.

Is that the supreme leader?

No, not the supreme leader.

Still the president telling reporters Iran has already agreed to an array of things.

You said there's many points of agreement with Iran right now.

And what can you give us about those?

Many, like 15 points.

15 points.

Well, they're not going to have a nuclear weapon, that's number one.

That's number one, two, and three.

They will never have a nuclear weapon.

They've agreed to that.

The president says if a deal happens, the straight-up removes will be open, quote, very soon.

I made it.

Be jointly controlled.

I move.

Maybe me.

Me and the Ayatollah, whoever the Ayatollah is, whoever the next Ayatollah, look.

And it'll also be a form of a very serious form of a regime change.

Many thanks to Rachel.

Despite the uncertain status of negotiations, one thing is for sure.

The military campaign from both sides is unrelenting.

ABC's Matt Rivers joins us from Qatar.

Tonight with Iran insisting there are no ongoing talks with the U.S. to end the war.

The U.S. and Israel pounding new Iranian sites.

The Pentagon says more than 9,000 targets have been hit since the war began.

We're largely ahead or on plan for our main military objectives.

But Iran's military defiant, still launching attacks.

Whoa!

This is the moment an Iranian ballistic missile slammed into the southern Israeli city of Domona.

Near Israel's nuclear research facility, more than 60 people injured.

And tonight, Iran claiming it still controls the critical straight of Hormuz choking the global flow of oil.

Threatening to mine the entire Persian Gulf if the U.S. or Israel attacks its coasts or islands.

Jet fuel prices doubling, United Airlines now planning to cut some flights.

And gas prices in the U.S. steadily rising.

Now at $3.96, surging more than $1 since the start of the war.

Our thanks to Matt.

After the break, how those in Iran are getting their news,

despite increasingly limited access to the internet.

Deering in government is not happy with our operation.

After the break.

This episode is brought to you by Kologart.

Do you know what's really scary?

Not screening for colon cancer when you turn 45.

The Kologart test is not invasive, requires no special prep or time off work,

and shifts right to your door.

In just three simple steps, Kologart takes the scare out of colon cancer screening.

If you're 45 or older and at average risk,

ask your health care provider about the Kologart test.

Kologart is available by prescription only.

Learn more or request a prescription today at Kologart.com slash screen.

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile,

the message for everyone paying big wireless way too much.

Please, for the love of everything goodness world, stop.

With Mint, you can get premium wireless for just $15 a month.

Of course, if you enjoy overpay no judgments, but that's weird.

Okay, one judgment.

Anyway, give it a try at MintMobile.com slash switch.

Up front payment of $45 for three month plan,

equivalent to $15 per month required,

intro rate for three months only, then full price plan options available,

taxes and fees extra, see full terms at MintMobile.com.

Welcome back everyone.

We turn now to the info wars being waged on the people of Iran.

As often happens in times of war, information,

carefully filtered, censored, and curated to further an agenda.

How are Iranians getting their news?

James Longland tells us how one channel has become dissident TV,

used to provide critical strategic knowledge to the people.

What would it take for regime change in Iran?

Air strikes alone won't bring down the Islamic Republic.

When we are finished, take over your government.

It will be yours to take.

This will be probably your only chance for generations.

People power. That's what's needed.

But with danger in the air from ongoing strikes

and the streets controlled by regime loyalists,

how and when would protests take place?

What is the plan?

Well, what Iranians see on television may hold the key.

You may think because of the internet blackout

that Iranians are just sitting at home in the dark,

unable to know what's going on around them.

That is not true. There are a number of TV stations

that are able to broadcast by a satellite.

You don't need an internet connection for that.

And just about everybody has a satellite dish.

The regime does its best to jam signals,

but millions of Iranians are watching

what the regime considers dissident television,

BBC Persian, Voice of America,

and Manoto are major news sources.

What a genre about submission.

Since its founding in 2017,

Iran International TV has become arguably the insurgent voice,

taking a much more active role in broadcasting the views

of Iranian opposition outside the country.

And Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah,

seems to have their full support.

Pahlavi has causing Israeli backing in recent years

and has a significant following among Iranian Americans.

Every time he sends a public message,

Iran International broadcasts it.

We know that our popular programs are watched by millions,

sometimes tens of millions of people in Iran.

Deering in government is not happy with our operation.

This is Bozomeh Sharraf Adin, the head of Digital at the Channel.

I put it to him that his channel has enormous power

to trigger demonstrations.

The lost round of protests that happened in January,

which was the biggest protest in the history of the Islamic Republic,

came from a call from Prince Reza Pahlavi.

And that brought millions of people to the streets

in Tehran and millions in other cities.

So yeah, that message was broadcast from Iran International.

But when they tried, thousands died.

According to a US-based human rights network,

at least 6,800 people are known to have been killed in January's protests.

That agency is looking into another 11,000 related deaths.

There were widespread reports of mutilation,

disfigurement, rape and sexual assault.

Pahlavi's voice has been compromised.

Will Iranians listen to him again?

Despite the obvious risk, Israel seems to be pushing for a vault.

And in the last few days, the IDF has shifted

from striking major military infrastructure

to more local instruments of regime repression.

Video circulating online shows some Basiz checkpoint

the Fed religious militia responsible for the January crackdown being hit.

And on Tuesday, the head of the Basiz,

Golem Reza Soleimani, was killed in an Israeli strike.

In Israeli security official tells us they are actively working

to undermine the regime's internal stability

and adds the idea is to give Iranians confidence

that they can go to the streets.

They set up farcey language accounts on social media,

criticizing the regime and expressing support for the Iranian people.

But the security official tells us Mossad is going further still,

sending messages to telegram and cell phones that read,

you are our eyes and ears, give us the intelligence.

And they are.

The official tells us Iranians have been giving Israelis specific addresses

to aim their drones.

When Israel believes it's created the conditions for a vault,

the signal for Iranians to put their lives on the line for regime change may come.

The danger they may trigger a bloodbath.

The Washington Post reports Israeli officials have privately briefed U.S. diplomats

that protesters will get slaughtered.

Benny Sabdi is an Iran expert at Tel Aviv University.

What does Israel want to get out of all of this?

Because, you know, we speak to people in the region

and they will say Israel doesn't want democracy in Iran.

They just want chaos because as far as Israel is concerned,

as long as it has hegemony in this region, then it's one.

It's so not true.

It's so not true.

And if you remember the 60s or the 70s,

when Iran and Israel had a good relationship,

also the Arab countries had good relationships with Iran.

Even American presidents, Nixon and maybe others called Iran the Jandar,

the police of the region.

When Iran is stable, this region is stable.

The relationship between Iran International TV and Israel

is the subject of intense speculation.

And can I ask, is there a formal relationship between Israel

and Iran International TV?

The information is very public.

We are funded by private investors.

One of them is from Saudi Arabia.

And there are rumors that we are funded by Israel.

But that's not correct.

But is it perceived proximity to Israel good for Pahlavi

if Israel continues to destroy so much Iranian infrastructure?

Natural present Trump's objectives for the war

aligns with what Israelis want because Israelis want to escalate

and to remove the Islamic Republic at any cost,

even if there is a civil war in Iran.

Ahmed Memarian is senior Iran analyst at Democracy for the Arab World,

a think tank focused on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.

I remember, at this moment, I feel like they have lost their agency,

that they have no say in what is happening and what's going to happen next

and it's entirely the US and Israel that are writing the book for them.

And I think that's very frustrating for so many people.

Memarian thinks the longer this goes on,

the easier it will be for the regime to paint this war

as one against the Iranian state rather than the regime

and play on nationalist sentiment and calls from Pahlavi

on Iran international may lose their potency.

There was a perception in Iran that there would be a war.

The war would be short with not much destruction.

Three weeks into the war, we have not seen major cracks within the regime.

They are not going to drop their guns and leave the country

or basically join the next government, transitional government.

They are going to fight a street by street.

Memarian envisages a darker reality for Iran as this war continues.

There is a core group that supports the regime

and to being a martyr for them is a dream.

It's not something that they are escaped from.

So they fight to the last bullet.

They will fight and they see this as a matter of honor.

The U.S. pulled out of last year's 12-day war against Israel's wishes.

Some analysts think the Israeli strategy this time might be

to get Iranians out onto the streets to force a longer U.S. intervention.

But with the oil crisis deepening

and frustration growing in DC and around Europe.

This war is widening by the day

and it's having an impact on the U.S. economy.

So the big question is if degrading the regime enough

to allow protests to come out into the street takes time,

how much time is Donald Trump prepared to give it?

Our thanks to James.

Join us tomorrow for another special edition of Nightline, War with Iran.

This program was born during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979.

We were there then, we are still here now.

If you like this podcast, let us know with a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,

or wherever you're listening.

Check out Start Here for more on the day's news

and stick with us for updates throughout the day on ABC News Live.

We'll be right back here tomorrow.

Thanks for listening, America.

Where is Jared Affleck?

A minor.

Don't miss the return of Marvel television's Daredevil born again.

So what's next?

I believe orated.

We're going to take this city back.

In an all-new season, streaming March 24th,

only on Disney+.

They're having us.

It's time we started oning them.

I come work with them.

This should be tons of fun.

Marvel television's Daredevil born again,

streaming March 24th, only on Disney+.