Araghchi Says Tehran Open to Talks, Warns Trust in US Is Broken | NewsX World

Added: 2026-05-15

[00:00:06]Hello and welcome. I'm Thomas Porteous and you're watching the world report here on NewsX World. Let's take a look at some of the top headlines leading this hour.

[00:00:18]President Trump leaves Beijing after two days of high-stakes talks [music] with Xi Jinping. Both leaders calling the summit historic with [music] trade, Iran, Taiwan, and global energy all on the table. The two men agreed that the Strait [music] of Hormuz must reopen and that Iran must never go nuclear. Though Beijing [music] made it clear it believes the conflict should never have happened.

[00:00:44]And on Iran specifically, Trump tells Beijing that Tehran must make a deal with both leaders united on one point.

[00:00:53]The Islamic Republic cannot be allowed [music] to obtain a nuclear weapon. The pressure comes as fresh attacks near the Strait of Hormuz continue [music] to threaten global energy markets and what remains of regional stability.

[00:01:09]From New Delhi, India issues a chairs statement instead of a joint communique [music] after BRICS foreign ministers failed to agree on the Middle East conflict. The deadlock lays bare a block deeply divided with members Iran [music] and the UAE on opposite sides of an active war.

[00:01:35]Turning to West Asia directly, Israel's military says it is striking Hezbollah targets near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre hours after ordering evacuations in nearby villages. The strikes come [music] as US brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon continue in Washington despite an existing ceasefire agreement still nominally in place.

[00:02:01]Over in Ukraine, a drone strike kills three [music] people and damages apartment buildings in the central Russian city of Ryazan.

[00:02:11]>> [music] >> This comes a day after one of Russia's largest attacks of the war struck Kiev, killing at least 24 people with President Zelensky calling on partners not to stay silent.

[00:02:27]A significant move from Washington now, the Pentagon cancels plans to deploy 4,000 troops to Poland, raising [music] fresh questions over President Trump's military strategy in Europe. The decision follows the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany and comes at [music] a deeply uncomfortable moment for NATO allies watching from the sidelines.

[00:02:54]Over in Britain, health secretary [music] Wes Streeting resigns and calls for a leader leadership contest, [music] deepening the crisis around Prime Minister Keir Starmer after last week's [music] heavy election losses. Starmer says he will fight on, but Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is now preparing [music] to re-enter Parliament with the party sensing a moment of reckoning.

[00:03:21]And finally, CIA Director John Ratcliffe makes a rare visit to Cuba, telling Havana that Washington will only deepen engagement [music] if the island makes what Trump calls fundamental changes. Talks are said to focus on security [music] and law enforcement cooperation as Cuba grapples with a worsening fuel shortage and mounting economic pressure.

[00:03:50]Those are your top stories for the hour.

[00:03:53]We start in Air Force One, where President Trump speaking to reporters aboard the aircraft following his trip to China delivered a scathing assessment of Iran's current military standing.

[00:04:07]Disputing recent media reports, the president claimed that 80% of Iran's missile capacity has been destroyed, asserting that US operations have essentially wiped out Iran's armed forces. In a direct attack on the press, he labeled reporting that suggests Iran has maintained its capacity as treasonous.

[00:04:30]Addressing the current month-long ceasefire, Trump revealed he was initially against the pause but agreed to it as a favor to Pakistan.

[00:04:41]However, he warned that the US may return to perform what he called cleanup up work once the truce concludes.

[00:04:50]Despite the hardline military rhetoric, the president signaled a potential diplomatic opening stating that he would open be open to a 20-year suspension of Iran's nuclear program provided the commitment is real and verifiable.

[00:05:08]This follows Donald Trump's visit to China with that backdrop of the lack of success in negotiations overshadowing the talks.

[00:05:21]Donald Trump with some surprising statements there claiming that Washington did not want to ceasefire but only did so as a favor to Islamabad who has of course been playing a major role in mediating the talks between Tehran and Washington. Joining us now on the broadcast is Sol Sadeka, a West Asian political commentator. He joins us live from Tel Aviv. Thank you very much for joining us all here on the broadcast.

[00:05:50]Um this statement coming from Trump claiming that the United States does not want to cease fire and in reality did so in order to appease Islamabad is a is a strange one and um has come quite unexpectedly.

[00:06:07]Uh over the past few weeks, of course, he has been maintaining that Donald Trump does want a diplomatic solution to this conflict with the United States and Iran uh both um bouncing back 14-point plans to one another.

[00:06:26]Uh what are your thoughts on this statement that Donald Trump has most recently released?

[00:06:32]Well, it's very peculiar. You have to try to pass it out. It's it's hard to really believe that that's actually happening, but uh there we are.

[00:06:40]It the complexities of the Middle East and negotiations that have been continuing on over past couple of years and in uh full swing over the past 2 months are really quite mysterious. But, the one thing that Trump will not be able to get away with is any kind of end to the war without the end of the nuclear program for the Iranians. That has to be his red line in terms of local electoral politics in the United States and his uh social and his his essential diplomatic capital in the world.

[00:07:09]What do you What about the pressure Trump is facing, though?

[00:07:12]Uh in terms of um Iran's nuclear enrichment. He has, of course, maintained that that is a key point um that needs to be at the top of the negotiating pile.

[00:07:24]However, the majority of the commentary is around the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

[00:07:29]This is, of course, a key point of leverage which Tehran holds. Do you see um given the pressure which Donald Trump is facing um both um internally, domestically, and internationally to get that straight reopened. Do you see that superseding talks on Iran's nuclear enrichment program?

[00:07:53]I do not I do not see that as causing really an issue. The Strait of Hormuz issue is a very minor one for the United States. You have a a dissonance between the people that pay the cost of the Strait of Hormuz being closed, which is people all points east, in China and India predominantly, and the people who are causing that to happen, and that is the United States and Iran. So, there's no particular Of course, the Iranians themselves, now that there's a counter blockade in place, are actually the primary losers.

[00:08:22]America is hardly affected at all by the Strait of Hormuz. The Americans principally want to have that sea lane opened so they can say they won the war, but the main thing they want is they want the nuclear program in Iran to end because they know that until that nuclear program in Iran is ended, there will constantly be more rounds of fighting as the Iranians continue to rebuild.

[00:08:43]of criticism coming to the US president.

[00:08:46]Um In the fog of war, of course, information remains um a spectrum, it seems.

[00:08:55]Um but he's labeled reporting that Iran has maintained some military capacity as treasonous.

[00:09:04]Um We are, however, seeing reports coming from US intelligence among other agencies that Iran does indeed hold um certain missile capabilities um and certain military capabilities, capabilities which Donald Trump has said has been decimated. Now, of course, it is without question that Iran's capabilities have been degraded.

[00:09:29]But what do you make of this statement?

[00:09:32]Donald Trump in titling those reports as treasonous, some of which have come from his own intelligence committees.

[00:09:41]Well, they're not his intelligence committees. They're intelligence committees that are part of the Congress and have a separation of powers. They're not his, but they are of the United States. He could argue that, but the question is does it really stack up legally? Because the the the the description of what they're allowed to leak and what they're not allowed to leak and what is actually considered a leak is unclear.

[00:10:01]Uh that will no doubt come out in the future.

[00:10:04]Saul, stay with us. We're turning over to our next update.

[00:10:08]We head to New Delhi now, where the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran received messages from the United States expressing its willingness to resume dialogue to end the war. The statement comes during the BRICS summit and immediately after Donald Trump's visit to China.

[00:10:26]Iran's Araqchi also confirms, speaking to Moscow, about offer to store enriched uranium. Araqchi says he has spoken with Russian officials about Moscow's offer to store Iran's enriched uranium and expressed appreciation for the country's intention to help.

[00:10:44]He said Iran plans to postpone the issue of the Iranian enrichment to later stages of negotiations with the US, but may consider Russia's proposal at an approximate time. Appropriate time, apologies. He added Iran is only interested in further negotiating with the US if the other side is serious.

[00:11:06]Iran has no trust in the United States, he said. The Iranian Foreign Minister went on to say that Tehran is trying to keep the ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance, but that the negotiations are hurt by a lack of trust.

[00:11:23]Saul Sadka joins us once again on this story. Um in terms of those rivaling 14-point plans, Saul, um we have seen um, when it comes to those those nuclear negotiations, um, uh, at different uh, points of ways to go about things. Iran says it is open to removing the enriched uranium that it has enriched up to 60 uh, percent to a different country to store, but it also wants to reserve the right to return the enriched uranium if hostilities and security uh, guarantees aren't upheld by the United States of Israel.

[00:12:07]The United States, however, wants the complete removal of that enriched uranium to the United States.

[00:12:14]In terms of um, a tipping point here or negotiations or a some point of agreement, where do you think it can be found in regards to this issue?

[00:12:27]I I honestly don't think there will be any agreement found here. If an agreement would be found on that kind of basis, the agreement would break out.

[00:12:34]Obviously, it's absurd to have the nuclear material go to a third country and then if war were to break out again, they would send it back. But, this would never happen. It's complete fantasy.

[00:12:43]It's just the Iranians trying to save face.

[00:12:46]Uh, the problem for them is, of course, that even if they were to sign an agreement, they would not completely get the uranium out of their country. That wouldn't end the matter because it's unclear who is really running Iran, whether the people who have signed the deal would have the power necessary to enforce that agreement on the ground. So, the whole thing is very likely to come to fruition. Most likely, the uranium would be taken out of Iran against the will of the Iranians.

[00:13:12]Um, and in terms of uh, the guaranteed um, Strait of Hormuz um, reopening, um, Iran is of has of course also asked um, for what uh, it calls a mechanism governing the Strait of Hormuz.

[00:13:34]In terms of bringing that to the negotiating table, surely that is high on the US agenda to stop anything like that from happening. We've just seen Donald Trump and Xi Jinping wrap up their summit. They both have agreed that the Strait of Hormuz needs to be reopened.

[00:13:54]Um this surely, some critics are saying, holds the most weight in these negotiations now going in.

[00:14:03]If any other direct meeting will be be brought in Islamabad, what are your thoughts?

[00:14:12]Uh like I said, I'm very pessimistic about the prospects of any of these negotiations. The Iranians have made a very big mistake. They've been used to dragging out negotiations in the past because for them dragging out negotiations was part of their strategy to a build nuclear weapons. And the longer they could drag out the negotiations, the better for them.

[00:14:30]Unfortunately, now they are blockaded and their economy is suffering very deeply in addition to all the physical damage they've taken over the past few months, which is perhaps a year of their GDP, a huge number. You have 2 million people who've lost their workplaces as a result of the strikes.

[00:14:46]Uh the economy is suffering very badly.

[00:14:49]The currency is depreciating at ever-increasing rates, they're spiraling into hyperinflation at this point.

[00:14:55]All of these things mean that their previous plan of dragging out negotiations has been flipped against them. The longer the negotiations get dragged out, the more they lose.

[00:15:03]While the regime might not be able to be toppled with bombs and bullets, it certainly can be toppled by an economic blockade because simply at some point they will not be able to pay the people who they need to enforce their oppression.

[00:15:17]And at that point, they will teeter.

[00:15:19]But what about >> And at that point, these Iranian negotiations will become moot probably before they conclude. What about the domestic pressure which Donald Trump is facing now to end this war?

[00:15:29]Americans can at the end of the day feel that economic pinch at the Strait of that that the Strait of Hormuz closure is causing them. Fuel prices are set worldwide after all.

[00:15:41]In terms of the domestic pressure which Donald Trump is is facing in in November surely that is something which holds serious weight.

[00:15:53]Yeah, it could simply be that Donald Trump has already factored in the fact that he's likely to lose the house. This was anyway the likelihood a few months ago that the Republicans would lose the house.

[00:16:04]And he's taken that into consideration and he is unbothered since in any way his last term. He will only have two more years in office after that election and it will probably not affect him too much.

[00:16:16]Particularly if he can hold on to the Senate which does look very likely whatever happens. And furthermore the punishment for the American people in terms of the economic situation is very mild. Most people are not noticing it. Most people still support his actions in Iran particularly where it matters which is for Trump on his side of the political divide.

[00:16:35]90% plus in favor of his actions to remove the Iranian nuclear program and even 80% approve of him trying to change the regime. So there's tremendous public support in America from the people that matter to him.

[00:16:48]And that will probably make him immune to any kind of pressure from the Strait of Hormuz which like we mentioned before has a very minor effect and a very distal effect on the American public and their spending habits. Okay. So Sacha, thank you very much for taking the time and joining us. Great pleasure to talk to you.

[00:17:07]We turn now to Cannes Film Festival 2026. Forget rigid black tie tuxedos and high heels on the French Riviera. The most exclusive ticket at Cannes ditches haute couture for something far more comfortable.

[00:17:23]High in the hills, cinema power brokers and independent creators are gathering for the annual Cannes pajama party.

[00:17:31]Co-founded by director Maxim Jago, the logic behind the event is simple. It's impossible to pull Hollywood rank when you are wearing silk robes and slippers.

[00:17:42]What started as a small penthouse gathering has evolved into a powerhouse market staple. Multi-million dollar film distribution deals and indie scripts are pitched and signed right next to the buffet.

[00:17:56]Backed by major global entertainment platforms, you cannot buy your way into this guest list. Entry is strictly limited to industry VIPs and lucky indie filmmakers who won a competitive public lottery. The only catch, a strict family-friendly dress code and a commitment to supporting global climate and educational charities. Proof in the high-stakes world of global cinema, sometimes the best way to close a major deal is to simply get comfortable.

[00:18:32]More from Cannes now at the 75th Film Festival has its first major Palme d'Or contender and it is a masterclass in austere cinematic discipline.

[00:18:45]Polish auteur Paweł Pawlikowski made a triumphant return to the Croisette with the world premiere of his highly anticipated historical drama, Fatherland. Shot in crisp, luxurious black and white, the film clocks in at 82 minutes but packs an impressive emotional punch.

[00:19:10]Set in 1949 at the dawn of the Cold War, the narrative follows the celebrated Nobel Prize-winning German author Thomas Mann, played by Hans Zischler, as he returns from American exile to travel across a deeply fractured post-war Germany.

[00:19:28]But, is it a But, it is an Oscar nominee, Sandra Hüller, playing Mann's fierce, steel-nerved daughter, Erika, who steals the show. Critics are calling her performance a bayonet of intelligence, capturing the profound grief of a family and a nation reeling from the hollows horrors of Nazism. The film concluded to a standing ovation, instantly igniting early awards buzz and cementing Pawel Pawlikowski's latest feature as a frontrunner for the festival's highest honor.

[00:20:06]For further updates on day three, joining us now is Uday Pratap Singh, the senior editor. He joins us live from the newsroom. Uday, what more can you tell us about day three of the French Riviera?

[00:20:22]Well, absolutely, the glamorous, you know, fashion has been witnessed already in the last 48 hours, and it will happen today as well on day three at the French Riviera as the Cannes Film Festival, of course, continues. That's much-awaited screening, of course, of a couple of serious contenders for the Palm d'Or to also be held. We've also seen some amazing fashion so far already. So, just quickly recapping what's happened there before we talk about what all what all is expected further. So, we did see, of course, some amazing fashion from you know, Demi Moore. She's part of the committee, of course, this year. She's, you know, showcased some lovely outfits, gowns that she's been wearing. Big thumbs up from the fashion police to her. Uh, Sandra Hüller has also been spotted more than a couple of times on the on the red carpet there. Interestingly, she's also uh, spoken now about a possible sequel to Project Hail Mary. That again is something that is also evoking a lot of buzz because that film, of course, uh, did get a lot of, uh, critical appreciation and box office success as well uh, this year alone. Uh, now we talk about, of course, also the Bollywood presence there. Uh, well, that has also been uh, quite a lot because Alia Bhatt, a very renowned actor from India, has, of course, been making waves there at the French Riviera. She's uh, from day one been appearing uh, in in in multiple outfits and creations for different brands and, of course, also uh, on the red carpet for screenings as well. Uh, uh, you know, she's she's really impressed a lot of people who've been analyzing her fashion sense there as well. Remember, it's not the first time she's been at Cannes. She's attended the festival uh, previous this year as well. In fact, last year she was there on the finale day. Amongst the other actors spotted so far have been Tara Sutaria from India as well. Also, Huma Qureshi, uh, another very well-known critically acclaimed actor from India, uh, who actually was there for her films, uh, for a debut film screening, Gangs of Wasseypur, uh, you know, many years ago, has returned to the Cannes red carpet for a special Red Sea International uh, Festival Gala uh, evening that was organized there.

[00:22:31]Apart from that also, uh, there are many other voices that NewsX has also been speaking to um, that have come to Cannes for their, uh, you know, films. There's a film called Good Goodie which stars Mahima Makwana which is going to be screened there. We've we've spoken exclusively to the film director of that movie. Uh, meanwhile also, Rupie Gill has been spotted as well at the uh, red carpet at Cannes. Uh, apart from this, of course, some of the other, uh, you know, big big names from Hollywood that I can share uh, who who are there include, of course, Seth Rogen um, who's again been spotted there the Emily in Paris star you know Philippine has been spotted there as well.

[00:23:09]So yes, these are some of the faces that so far have been seen there and a lot more expected today as well as a screening of various movies continues and the galaxy of stars continues to grow that is there in in France for this festival. Top. Adey, thank you very much for filling us in there.

[00:23:28]Well, that is all that we have time for this hour. Keep watching News X World for more international news updates.

[00:23:34]Thank you.