Face The Nation

FULL INTERVIEW: Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), spoke with @margbrennan this morning. Watch the full interview below:

The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency told @margbrennan Thursday that "a lot has survived" of Iran's nuclear capabilities and military operations alone cannot destroy them. cbsn.ws/4sirhyz

Iran's nuclear ambition cannot be destroyed through military means alone & removal of enriched material with ground forces would be 'very challenging' according to IAEA Director General @rafaelmgrossi. He told @FaceTheNation that his agency believes diplomacy is required post combat to deal with Iran's nuclear file. Full interview

NEW: Read @margbrennan's full interview with International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi: cbsnews.com/news/rafael-gr…

Rafael Grossi — head of the IAEA — told @margbrennan he doesn't disagree with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's assessment that Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated. "We don't see major activity, which is logical, because there is a, there is a military campaign ongoing," he said. But, he says "a lot still has survived" in terms of knowledge and industrial ability. "This is why we need to go back to a negotiating table," he said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi argued Sunday the Iranian people don’t have access to the internet due to “security reasons.” “The Iranian people don't have open internet access, but you do. Why?” @margbrennan asked Araghchi.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told @FaceTheNation that "we don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans" as President Trump has claimed Iran is seeking a deal to end the war between the U.S. and Iran. cbsn.ws/4dmIWQY

The Iran war so far has cost $12B according to White House's Kevin Hassett. While the war may go for additional weeks, he says the administration has what it needs.

There are at least four Americans currently held in Iran's Evin prison including journalist Reza Valizadeh, who is designated by the US as wrongfully detained.

Former CIA operative Jonny Gannon says the decision to appoint Motjaba Khameini as the new supreme leader “is the message from the regime that they are still in control.” Mojtaba Khamenei is clearly not a charming public face; what he is is a systems operator,” he says. “So, he was a gatekeeper for the supreme leader's office in the past. He has strong ties to the IRGC and the Basij, he knows how power actually operates, and he is, effectively, a symbol of continuity right now.”

Energy policy expert Kevin Book says that “Iran's asymmetric control over the Strait [of Hormuz] is a pretty powerful tool and we are seeing that right now for all these producers who require that seaborne access to their markets.” On the other hand, “both the strategic reserve draw and the Russian sanctions relief are tools available to the U.S. government right now. The price might be higher without them.”

Former Homeland Security official Samantha Vinograd says “the Iranian regime has demonstrated an incredible capacity to be flexible and adaptive” in the way they carry out attacks. “They played a long game here. They have invested in propaganda and tools in this country, as well as hiring people to do their dirty work for them, to such an extent that I am concerned that they have the intent and capability to, if not direct attacks here in the homeland, to inspire them,” she tells @margbrennan.

After two apparent terror attacks in the United States, former Homeland Security official Samantha Vinograd says the U.S. needs “a whole new model for counterterrorism in this country that includes law enforcement, but also includes members of the public.” “The diversity and volume of terrorist threats to this country has never been higher,” she says. “We have a broad range of threat actors at play, individuals inspired and directed by countries like Iran, by foreign terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and ISIS, and individuals motivated by domestic political grievances.”

Energy policy expert and analyst Kevin Book says that “if the Strait [of Hormuz] were to open today, it could still take weeks to bring production back on… maybe months.” “There’s room for the prices to rise as long as the Strait stays closed,” he says. “And then, if we look at the strategic reserve draw, the good news is that we've drawn 400 million barrels out of the oil savings account for the industrialized world. The bad news is, we've drawn 400 million barrels out of the oil savings account for the industrialized world.”

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) says Democrats and Republicans should break the deadlock and end the partial government shutdown over Homeland Security funding. “If we can't agree on ICE reforms, let's pay everybody else with the budget that Republicans laid out. Why won’t they just take yes for an answer? If you’re going to fund 95% as we did the balance of the government, why not do the balance of DHS with the exception of ICE?”

Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) says they “have only got preliminary assessments” on the airstrike that killed nearly 200 people at an Iranian girls’ school, but tells @margbrennan that “clearly, it was an American airstrike.” “I, again, feel a little disappointed that the president tried to deny that at first, or say it was even the Iranians,” he says.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) says he stands by the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment by U.S. intelligence leaders who testified at the time that Iran had not reauthorized their nuclear weapons program. “There was no imminent threat to the United States, and I don't believe there was even an imminent threat to Israel from Iran,” he tells @margbrennan. “Over a period of time, particularly with the ballistic missile capability, Israel would be more under threat. The decision to go to war in this case was a choice by President Trump.”

Following two attacks in the U.S. last week that are being investigated as acts of terror, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) says FBI Director Kash Patel “has fired many of the top counterterrorism folks… and put them on immigration enforcement,” calling it “a mistake.” I knew this was going to come back and bite us, and I believe while there may not be a direct relationship here, we know in all of the offices they have taken these FBI agents off their critical cases and put them on immigration enforcement,” he tells @margbrennan.

When asked about the anti-Muslim statements made by some Republican lawmakers in recent weeks, GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw tells @margbrennan those sentiments are “still fairly fringe” and “not a mainstream narrative, by any stretch.” “There are plenty of peaceful Muslims who live among us.” Crenshaw (R-TX) says.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) says people should not take President Trump sending additional Marines to join the U.S. forces in the Middle East “as a boots-on-the-ground deployment, especially with only 5,000 troops.” “I take it as a seriousness of committing to the situation, which is exactly what is needed. If you’re going to do this, which we have done, you need to see it through,” Crenshaw says.