ASHLEY: AWE NIGHTING AGAINST A
COMMON ENEMY, SECRETARY OF STATE
MIKE POMPEO IS REITERATING
WASHINGTON'S RESOLVE TO PROTECT
SHIPPING IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ
AND PARTNERING WITH BRITISH
NAVAL FORCES.
THE WHITE HOUSE IS ALSO SAYING
PRESSURE CAMPAIGN IS WEAKENING
IRAN'S REGIME.
RICH EDSON IS LIVE IN
WASHINGTON.
RICH.
REPORTER: IRAN SEIZED ANOTHER
TANKER IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ
OVER THE WEEKEND.
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT,
ANNOUNCED THE BRITISH AND THE
U.S. NAVY WILL WORK TOGETHER IN
THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ TO TRY TO
PROTECT SHIPPING.
THE NEW BRITISH FOREIGN
SECRETARY DOMINIC RAAB HAD HIS
FIRST MEETING IN WASHINGTON.
HE MET WITH SECRETARY OF STATE
MIKE POMPEO AND THEY WERE
FOCUSING ON SECURING STRAIT.
>> I WANT TO THANK BRITAIN AND
YOUR DECISION TO PROTECT THE
STRAIGHT OF HORMUZ AND FREEDOM
OF NAVIGATION.
YOU HAVE CENTURIES OF MARITIME
EXPERTISE UNDER YOUR BELT.
YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF
PROTECTING INTERNATIONAL
SHIPPING FROM UNPROVOKED
ATTACKS.
THIS IS A VICTORY FOR MEANINGFUL
EFFECTS TIFF, MULTILATERALISM.
REPORTER: IN IRAN, PRESIDENT
ROUHANI IS RERATING THE DEMAND
THAT U.S. DROP SANCTIONS AND
ADMINISTRATION REFUSE,
CONTINUING WHAT IT CALLS THE
MAXIMUM PRESSURE CAMPAIGN
AGAINST IRAN'S TOP EXPORTS, ES
ESPECIALLY ITS OIL.
LAST YEAR THE U.S. WITH DREW
FROM THE IRAN NUCLEAR AGREEMENT.
THEY SAID PEACE WITH IRAN IS THE
MOTHER OF ALL PEACE AND WAR WITH
IRAN AND WAR WITH IRAN IS THE
MOTHER OF ALL WARS.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFERED
TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT, YET IRAN THUS FAR
REFUSED WITHOUT THE U.S.
DROPPING THOSE SANCTIONS.
BACK TO YOU.
ASHLEY: SO IT GOES.
RICH EDSON, THANKS, RICH, VERY
MUCH.
MELISSA: HERE IS MICHAEL
O'HANLON FROM THE BROOKINGS
INSTITUTION.
WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THE MEETING
TODAY?
>> I THINK IT WAS A GOOD, STRONG
MEETING.
IT WILL BE A TOUGH SITUATION, I
THINK SECRETARY POMPEO IS
CORRECT THAT IRAN'S ECONOMY IS
HURTING BADLY BUT IT DOESN'T
MEAN IRAN IS CLOSE TO CRYING
UNCLE.
THE ONLY WAY I THINK TO HAVE A
CHANCE IS MAINTAIN A STRONG
INTERNATIONAL COALITION, SO IRAN
DOESN'T THINK IT CAN PICK OFF
SOME COUNTRIES, ONES MOSTLY IN
THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL AS YOU
REPORTED A MINUTE AGO, GET THOSE
COUNTRIES HELP NURSE ITS ECONOMY
THROUGH IT TOUGH PERIOD OF
AMERICAN PRESSURE.
SO TO THE EXTENT WE HAVE A
LARGER COALITION ACTING
RESOLUTELY IN THE NAVAL SECURITY
REALM, SANCTIONS ENFORCEMENT
REALM, IT PUTS PRESSURE ON IRAN
THAT IS OUR BEST HOPE FOR THE
TRUMP-POMPEO STRATEGY TO WORK.
MELISSA: IN TERMS OF THE NAVAL
COALITION.
SO FAR IT IS JUST THESE TWO
GUYS, US AND THEM.
>> RIGHT.
BUT THEY PROBABLY THE MORE
CRUCIAL COALITION IS THE
ECONOMIC COALITION AND THE
INTERESTING THING HERE IS, AS
YOU'RE AWARE, EVEN THOUGH A LOT
OF GOVERNMENTS DON'T LIKE
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S STRATEGY HERE,
WE STILL HAVE LEVERAGE BECAUSE
OF COURSE THE COMPANIES,
GERMANY, FRANCE, BRITAIN,
WHEREVER, THEY WANT TO DO
BUSINESS WITH THE UNITED STATES
MORE THAN WITH IRAN.
WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM THE CHOICE
TO DO BUSINESS WITH BOTH.
YOU'RE SEEING QUITE A STRONG
COALITION ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT.
SOME LIMITED COOPERATION ON THE
MILITARY FRONT.
WE'LL SEE IF THAT'S ENOUGH.
MELISSA: AT THE SAME TIME IRAN
HASN'T GIVEN BACK THE SHIPS IT
SEIZED, RIGHT?
>> RIGHT.
ALTHOUGH I THINK IRAN'S TACTICS
ARE CAUSING LESS EFFECT ON THE
GLOBAL OIL MARKET IRAN HOPED OR
EXPECTED.
THEREFORE WE HAVE TO WONDER,
WILL IRAN SIMPLY REALIZE IT
DOESN'T HAVE A GOOD PLAY HERE?
OR WILL IT ESCALATE.
MELISSA: YEAH.
>> YOU WOULD THINK HOLDING ON TO
SOME SHIPS, DAMAGING A HALF
DOZEN, THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO
DRIVE OIL PRICES UP BY MORE THAN
A FEW PENNIES OR A COUPLE BUCKS
BUT SO FAR IT HASN'T.
MELISSA: WHAT DO YOU THINK IRAN
DOES NEXT?
WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP OF
ESCALATION?
>> OVER THE YEARS THEY HAVE
KILLED A LOT OF AMERICANS.
THEY HAVE ATTACKED AS YOU'RE
WELL AWARE MARINES IN LEBANON,
AMERICAN FORCES IN IRAQ.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO
GO DOWN THAT ROUTE NOW BECAUSE
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN PRETTY
CLEAR, SO HAS HIS ADMINISTRATION
WHAT WE WOULD DO BY WAY OF
RETALIATION.
IRAN FOREGOES ANY HOPE OF A
MORAL HIGH GROUND.
BUT THAT HISTORICALLY THE BEEN
THE KIND OF THING THEY'RE
WILLING TO DO.
THAT CERTAINLY HAS TO BE A FEAR
IN THIS SITUATION.
IRAN COULD TRY TO PLAY FOR TIME.
HOPE AFTER THE 2020 ELECTIONS IN
THE UNITED STATES, EITHER A
DEMOCRAT OR REELECTED PRESIDENT
TRUMP WOULD BE MORE FLEXIBLE
BUT, YOU KNOW THAT IS A LONG
SHOT AND THAT IS QUITE AWAYS
AWAY.
MELISSA: BEFORE YOU GO, I WANT
TO GET YOUR REACTION TO THIS
ONE.
NORTH KOREAN HACKERS ARE
STEALING CRYPTOCURRENCY TO FUND
ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
THIS ACCORDING TO A SECRET U.N.
REPORT OBTAINED BY REUTERS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW SECRET THAT
MAKES IT.
THEY EARNED $2 BILLION LAUNCHING
CYBERATTACKS TO STEAL FROM BANKS
AND CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGES
AROUND THE WORLD.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS?
DO YOU BELIEVE IT?
WHY DO WE KNOW ABOUT IT?
IS IT A BIG DEAL?
>> WELL, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT
NORTH KOREA KEEPS ITS ECONOMY
AFLOAT WITH THIS KIND OF
ACTIVITY.
THIS PARTICULAR CASE YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW
ENOUGH OF THE DETAILS IF IT
SOUNDS CREDIBLE.
THAT IS GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THEY ARE GOOD AT COUNTERFEITING,
BANK THEFT, ILLICIT DRUG SALES.
THAT IS HOW THEY KEEP THE
ECONOMY AFLOAT WHEN U.S. HAS CUT
OFF 90% OF THEIR TRADE OR 60, TO
70% LAST COUPLE YEARS.
I BELIEVE THEY WOULD TRY TO DO
THIS.
I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THEY WOULD