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>> Chris: YOU JUST HEARD
IRAN'S TOP DIPLOMAT CHARGE THE
PRESIDENT'S NATIONAL SECURITY
ADVISOR IS WORKING WITH KEY
LEADERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO
BRING ABOUT REGIME CHANGE IN
IRAN.
AND JOINING US NOW TO RESPOND,
JOHN BOLTON.
AMBASSADOR, AS YOU JUST HEARD.
FOREIGN MINISTER ZARIF SAYS
YOU'RE PART OF THE B TEAM, A
SMALL GROUP OF LEADERS, YOU IN
THE U.S., OTHERS IN THE
MIDDLE EAST, BIBI NETANYAHU, BEN
PSALM ON, BIN
SAEED, WHO ARE WORKING TO TRY TO
STEER PRESIDENT TRUMP INTO A
CONFLICT WITH IRAN.
YOUR RESPONSE?
>> John: HE ALSO SAID IN
ANOTHER INTERVIEW HE WISHED HE
WERE WORKING WITH THE 18.
IN THE PAST FEW DAYS,
NORTH KOREANS HAVE ALSO CALLED
ME CITED.
IF THE CUBANS UPSET I'M A
PATHOLOGICAL LIAR.
I SAY I'VE HAD A PRETTY GOOD
WEEK.
>> Chris: AND YOUR RESPONSE TO
HIS ALLEGATION THOUGH THAT YOU
AND SOME MIDDLE EAST LEADERS ARE
TRYING TO FOMENT A CONFLICT
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND IRAN?
>> John: IT'S COMPLETELY
RIDICULOUS.
I THINK WITH THAT INTERVIEW
SHOWED WAS A CAREFULLY PREPARED
PROPAGANDA SCRIPT BY THE
IRANIANS.
THIS IS THEIR EFFORT TO TRY AND
SO DISINFORMATION AND THE
AMERICAN BODY POLITIC.
THE FACT IS THE PRESIDENT OF
FOSTER'S POLICY ON THE RUN HAS
BEEN CLEAR WHILE BEFORE I
ARRIVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION.
IT IS TO PUT MAXIMUM PRESSURE ON
THE REGIME TO GET IT TO CHANGE
ITS BEHAVIOR.
AND I THINK IT'S WORKING AND I
THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE
WORRIED ABOUT.
>> Chris: HE IS RIGHT ABOUT
ONE THING.
IN 2017, AS HE SAID, YOU DID
GIVE A SPEECH TO MEK, OPPOSITION
GROUP, WHICH AT ONE POINT -- NOT
NOW, BUT AT ONE POINT WAS LISTED
AS A TERRORIST GROUP IN WHICH
YOU TALKED ABOUT REGIME CHANGE
IN IRAN AND CELEBRATING IN
TEHRAN WITH MEK IN 2019 THIS
YEAR, WHICH IS THE, WHAT, 40TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE OVERTHROW OF
THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION.
WHICH RAISES THE QUESTION: DO
YOU REALLY -- I KNOW WHEN POMPEO
WAS ASKED THIS PO SAYS WE REALLY
WANT BEHAVIOR CHANGE.
DO YOU THINK THIS REGIME IS
CAPABLE OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE?
>> John: I THINK WE WILL HAVE
TO SEE.
LET ME JUST SAY ON MEK.
JENNIFER TOOK THE MEK OFF THE
U.S. LIST OF FOREIGN TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS?
HILLARY CLINTON, THAT WELL-KNOWN
RIGHT-WING REPUBLICAN.
THE FACT IS THAT THE IRANIAN
REGIME CONTINUES TO OPPRESS ITS
OWN PEOPLE.
IT CONTINUES TO BE THE WORLD'S
LARGEST FINANCER OF
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.
IT CONTINUES TO PURSUE BALLISTIC
MISSILES.
THE ONLY REAL PURPOSE OF WHICH
IS TO DELIVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS
WHEN THEY GET THAT CAPABILITY.
THERE'S NO DOUBT THIS REGIME IS
A THREAT IN THE REGION AND
GLOBALLY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE THINK THE
PRESSURE CAMPAIGN HAS HAD A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THEIR
ABILITY TO CARRY THESE TASKS
OUT.
IF THEY WANT TO GET TOGETHER AND
SPEAK WITH THE PRESIDENT, HE
SAID ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR AGO
WHEN FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL
MACRON CAME TO WASHINGTON AND HE
TOLD HIM WE WERE GOING TO GET
OUT OF THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
THAT HE WANTED TO SEE OUR
NEGOTIATION OVER ALL OF THESE
THINGS.
THE NUCLEAR PROGRAM, THE
BALLISTIC MISSILE PROGRAM, THE
SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM AND IRAN'S
OTHER MALIGN BEHAVIOR.
WHEN THEY ARE READY TO TALK ON
THE PRESIDENT WILL BE READY TO
TALK.
>> Chris: I UNDERSTAND ALL OF
THAT, BUT HONESTLY, DON'T YOU
WANT TO SEE REGIME CHANGE?
ISN'T THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET
AN IRAN THAT ISN'T A THREAT --
YOU JUST LAID OUT A REAL DEAL IN
PARTICULAR WHY IT'S SUCH A BAD
ACTOR IN THE REGION.
>> John: THE PEOPLE OF IRAN, I
THINK, DESERVE A BETTER
GOVERNMENT.
IF THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT
ABOUT IT.
IF THE TROUBLE IS IT'S NOT JUST
A THEOLOGICAL DICTATORSHIP, IT'S
THE MILITARY DICTATORSHIP TOO.
THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCE.
WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IS THE
ECONOMIC PRESSURE CONTINUES TO
GROW.
>> Chris: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
ECONOMIC PRESSURE, BECAUSE ZARIF
SAYS THAT DESPITE THE
ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCEMENT THIS
WEEK THAT YOU ARE ENDING THE
WAIVER ON FIVE NATIONS THAT WERE
STILL BUYING OIL FROM IRAN, AND
THAT AS OF -- I GUESS IT'S
MAY 2ND, THAT THE WAIVER IS
OVER, THE BAN GOES INTO EFFECT.
HE SAYS THAT CHINA AND TURKEY
ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE GOING
TO CONTINUE TO BUY OIL FROM
IRAN.
>> John: WE WILL SEE WHAT
HAPPENS.
I THINK IT'S BEEN CLEAR FOR A
YEAR NOW FROM THE TIME
PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED IT WAS
GETTING OUT OF THE IRAN DEAL,
THAT WE WERE GOING TO RETURN TO
SANCTIONS AND IMPOSE PRESSURE ON
THE REGIME THERE, AND IT HAD A
VERY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT, AND BY
IRAN'S OWN ESTIMATES, THE END OF
THESE WAIVERS WILL HAVE AN EVEN
MORE SIGNIFICANT EFFECT.
I'M TOUCHED THAT ZARIF WORRIED
THAT OUR ALLIES ARE SOMETIMES
IMPATIENT WITH US ON THIS POINT
BUT AS I SAY WE'VE MADE CLEAR --
OUR OBJECTIVE IS THE ELIMINATION
OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM,
MAKING SURE IT'S BALLISTIC
MISSILE PROGRAM IS UNDER
CONTROL.
EUROPE IS THE REGION MOST
THREATENED RIGHT NOW BY IRAN'S
BALLISTIC MISSILE CAPABILITIES.
SO WE HAVE WORKED FOR THE PAST
YEAR THAT I'VE BEEN IN THE
ADMINISTRATION.
VERY CLOSELY WITH ALL OF OUR
EUROPEAN ALLIES AND I THINK THAT
GLIMMER OF DISAGREEMENT THAT HE
SAID IS MOSTLY IN HIS OWN EYE.
>> Chris: LET ME JUST ASK YOU
ABOUT THAT BECAUSE AT LEAST
PUBLICLY BOTH TURKEY AND CHINA
HAVE SAID THEY ARE NOT GOING TO
BE PUSHED AROUND.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE FORCED
BY THE U.S. TO STOP BUYING OIL.
HAVE YOU GOTTEN SOME KIND OF
PRIVATE INSURANCE?
>> John: THERE HAVE BEEN
STATEMENTS BY CHINESE COMPANIES
THAT HAVE BEEN IMPORTING IRANIAN
OIL, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO
STOP.
I MET, AS DID MIKE POMPEO, WITH
THE TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER
SOME WEEKS BACK I WAS ALREADY
TALKING ABOUT THE STEPS THEY
WERE GOING TO TAKE TO AVOID
BUYING IRANIAN OIL.
WE WILL SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT.
WE MADE OUR POSITION CLEAR.
>> Chris: OKAY, LET'S TURN TO
NORTH KOREA.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID FRIDAY SAID
THAT TALKS TO GET NORTH KOREA TO
FULLY DENUCLEARIZE ARE STILL ON
TRACK.
HERE HE IS.
>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
EXCITEMENT TOWARDS GETTING A
DEAL DONE WITH NORTH KOREA.
>> Chris: BOUGHT, NORTH KOREAN
LEADER KIM JONG UN HELD A SUMMIT
WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN
THIS WEEK.
AFTERWARDS PUTIN SAID THAT KIM
WANTS SECURITY GUARANTEES FOR
HIS REGIME NOT JUST FROM THE
U.S., BUT ABOUT A DOME A BUNCH
OF OTHER NATIONS AND THAT IN
TERMS OF DENUCLEARIZATION, THAT
KIM WANTS A STEP-BY-STEP
APPROACH.
SOME DENUCLEARIZATION IN RETURN
FOR SOME RELIEF ON SANCTIONS.
ARE EITHER OF THOSE ACCEPTABLE
TO THE U.S.?
>> John: THE IDEA OF TAKING
ONE STEP ON EACH SIDE WAS WHAT
KIM PROPOSED IN HANOI,
PRESIDENT TRUMP RESPONDED WITH
WHAT HE CALLED THE BIG DEAL TO
TRY AND PERSUADE KIM JONG UN TO
WALK THROUGH THE DOOR HE HAD
OPENED IN SINGAPORE LAST YEAR TO
A MUCH BRIGHTER ECONOMIC FUTURE
FOR NORTH KOREA.
THAT DOOR IS STILL OPEN.
IF THE PRESIDENT IS STILL READY
TO HAVE A THIRD SUMMIT.
>> Chris: THE PRESIDENT ENDED
UP BREAKING OFF THE SUMMIT
BECAUSE KIM WOULDN'T AGREE TO
MUCH GREATER DENUCLEARIZATION.
IT IS A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH
ANY MORE ATTRACTIVE TO THE
PRESIDENT NOW?
>> John: I THINK IF YOU LOOK
AT THE PAST POLICY IS THE ANSWER
IS NO.
THE PAST POLICIES THAT HAVE
TRIED A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH
HAVE ALL FAILED.
KIM OR HIS FATHER HAVE GOTTEN
ECONOMIC RELIEF AND THEN SOMEHOW
HAVE NEVER GOTTEN AROUND TO THAT
COMMITMENT TO DENUCLEARIZE.
THEY'VE NOW MADE FIVE TIMES
ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST 25 YEARS.
>> Chris: ALL RIGHT, PUTIN
ALSO SUGGESTED A RETURN TO
MULTILATERAL SIX PARTY TALKS,
WHICH IS WHAT THE U.S. HAS BEEN
ENGAGED IN WITH NORTH KOREA,
SOUTH KOREA, CHINA, OTHER
COUNTRIES IN THE REGION IN THE
PAST.
WITH THE PRESIDENT GO ALONG WITH
THAT PART IS HE STILL THINK
ONE-ON-ONE DIPLOMACY WITH KIM IS
THE BEST APPROACH?
>> John: I THINK YOU STILL
LOOK FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A
THIRD SUMMIT WITH KIM.
HE FEELS PRETTY STRONGLY ABOUT
IT.
HE SAID REPEATEDLY HE THINKS HE
HAS A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH
KIM JONG UN ON IN THE SIX PARTY
APPROACH FAILED IN THE PAST.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T
CONSULT, AS THE PRESIDENT JUST
DID ON FRIDAY VERY CLOSELY WITH
PRIME MINISTER ABE OF JAPAN.
WE CONSULT WITH THE RUSSIANS,
THE CHINESE.
OBVIOUSLY THE SOUTH KOREANS,
PRESIDENT MOON JAE-IN WAS HERE
JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, SO IT'S
NOT LIKE THEY ARE EXCLUDED BUT I
THINK IT'S NOT JUST WHAT OUR
PREFERENCE IS.
I THINK KIM JONG UN, AT LEAST UP
UNTIL NOW, HAS WANTED THE
ONE-ON-ONE CONTACT WITH THE
UNITED STATES, WHICH IS WHAT HE
HAS GOTTEN.
>> Chris: DO YOU THINK
VLADIMIR PUTIN IS BEING HELPFUL
IN THIS PROCESS OR DO YOU THINK
HE'S LOOKING OUT FOR RUSSIA AND
TRYING TO GET THEM BACK INTO THE
CONVERSATION?
>> John: I THINK
VLADIMIR PUTIN ALWAYS LOOKS OUT
FOR RUSSIA, WHICH IS EXACTLY
WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT A RUSSIAN
LEADER TO DO AND EXACTLY WHAT
YOU WOULD EXPECT AN AMERICAN
LEADER TO DO.
>> Chris: IS IT BEING
UNHELPFUL THOUGH?
>> John: I THINK BOTH RUSSIA
AND CHINA COULD TIGHTEN UP THEIR
ENFORCEMENT OF THE CHAIN
ACTIONS.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD
ABOUT IT IN RECENT MONTHS BUT I
THINK THEY COULD ALWAYS TIGHTEN
UP.
IF THAT WOULD HELP KEEP THE
PRESSURE ON NORTH KOREA, WHICH
AFTER ALL IS WHAT BROUGHT THEM
TO NEGOTIATE WITH
PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BEGIN WITH,
BUT I THINK PRESIDENT PUTIN
WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE
POSSIBILITY OF A RAIL LINK
BETWEEN RUSSIA AND SOUTH KOREA.
IF NOT NORTH KOREA, THERE'S NOT
MUCH TRADE THERE BUT I THINK HE
SEES ADVANTAGES AND I HAVE NO
DOUBT HE IS PURSUING THEM.
I THINK THAT'S VERY TYPICAL OF
PUTIN.
HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT RUSH'S
INTERESTS ARE AND HE GOES AFTER
THEM.
>> Chris: I LIKE TO THINK I'M
PRETTY SOPHISTICATED BUT THERE
WAS A SHOCKING REPORT EVEN TO ME
THIS WEEK THAT BEFORE
NORTH KOREA RELEASED OTTO
WARMBIER, THAT THEY DEMANDED
THAT THE U.S. PAY $2 MILLION FOR
HIS MEDICAL CARE EVEN THOUGH HE
SEEMED TO SUFFER GREATLY ONCE HE
WAS TAKEN PRISONER THERE.
HERE'S WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID
ABOUT THAT.
>> WE DID NOT PAY MONEY FOR OUR
GREAT OTTO.
THERE WAS NO MONEY PAID.
THERE WAS A FAKE NEWS REPORT
THAT MONEY WAS PAID.
>> Chris: A FEW QUICK
QUESTIONS, DID NORTH KOREA
DEMAND MONEY FOR THE RELEASE OF
OTTO WARMBIER?
>> John: IT APPEARS THAT THEY
DID.
AT THIS OCCUR BEFORE I CAME INTO
THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT THAT'S
MY UNDERSTANDING, YES.
>> Chris: TO THE U.S. OFFICIAL
WHO WAS THERE TO GET HIM OUT OF
THE COUNTRY, JOSEPH, DID HE SIGN
A DOCUMENT PLEDGING THE MONEY IN
ORDER TO GET HIM OUT?
>> John: THAT IS WHAT I'M
TOLD, YES.
>> Chris: AND I GUESS THE
BOTTOM LINE QUESTION IS, DID THE
U.S. PAY ANY MONEY TO
NORTH KOREA HOWEVER IT WAS
DISGUISED, AFTER HE WAS RELEASE
RELEASED?
>> John: ABSOLUTELY NOT, AND I
THINK THAT'S THE KEY POINT.
THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN VERY
SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING FOR 20
PLUS HOSTAGES RELEASED FROM
IMPRISONMENT AROUND THE WORLD IT
HASN'T PAID ANYTHING FOR ANY OF
THEM.
>> Chris: SO BASICALLY WE
SIGNED THE DOCUMENT FULLY
INTENDING NOT TO HONOR IT?
>> John: I DON'T KNOW THE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
I THINK WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE
GOVERNMENT, SOMETIMES THE
RECOLLECTION OF THINGS THAT
HAPPENED INSIDE TEND TO BE A
LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT
ACTUALLY HAPPENED, BUT IT'S VERY
CLEAR TO ME FROM MY LOOKING INTO