The next is the transcript of the interview with Iran coverage analyst Karim Sadjadpour and former CENTCOM commander and CBS Information contributor and retired Gen. Frank McKenzie that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 29, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: For extra on the continued conflict in Iran, we’re joined by Iran coverage analyst Karim Sadjapour, in addition to former CENTCOM commander and CBS Information contributor, retired Normal Frank McKenzie, who joins us this morning from Tampa. Good morning to you each, Kareem, let me begin with you at present in Islamabad, you’ve got Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, these self proclaimed mediators gathered collectively to speak about how you can de-escalate the conflict. Iran, thus far, hasn’t responded to the 15 factors the Trump administration put ahead, and Rubio mentioned he isn’t even certain who they’d be negotiating with. So what’s the actuality of who we’re negotiating with, and are we even negotiating
KARIM SADJADPOUR: Properly, Margaret, this can be a regime, Islamic Republic of Iran, which got here to energy in 1979 taking American diplomats hostage. And now they suppose they’ve the worldwide economic system hostage, they usually’re preventing a conflict of survival. They’re additionally preventing a conflict of revenge in opposition to President Trump. So in the mean time, they do not really feel compelled to compromise, it appears, as a result of the pattern strains are, oil costs are going up, American public opinion concerning the conflict goes down, and plenty of of those leaders that we’re hoping to barter with are proper now residing underground, preventing for his or her lives.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, to your level on that distinction, that uneven distinction in energy Normal, I need to convey you in right here, as a result of one of many issues that Iran had been ready to do was activate its militias, or the militias it helps in Yemen, the Houthis, over the weekend, they jumped into the combat and fired on Israel. Do you suppose that this can be a sport changer, on condition that they may not simply disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, however one other passageway via the Crimson Sea?
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: Margaret, I do not suppose will probably be a sport changer. Their capability to assault Israel is kind of restricted. Sure, they are going to have the flexibility to additional cease sluggish site visitors via the Bab el Mandeb, going up into the Suez Canal. We’ve got the flexibility to go down there and stop that. It’ll require extra sources, however now we have these sources, and we will definitely do it if that turns into mandatory.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, the President has made clear that he must reopen the Strait of Hormuz. His language has been contradictory on a few of these factors as to who’s going to do it and when. What is the army actuality of creating it satisfactory?
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: We’re on our technique to doing that now, Margaret. That is a part of a plan that is been in existence for a few years. What we’re doing proper now could be we’re lowering Iranian capability to focus on ships within the strait via their brief vary missiles, their drones and different actions. We try this by sustaining air superiority over southern Iran on a 24/7 foundation, on the lookout for the place these missiles are and putting them relentlessly. As soon as we cut back these to a really low stage, then you’ll go in, if mandatory, sweep for mines. I am not sure they put mines within the water but. I predict finally they are going to. It is their nature, however now we have the flexibility to do that. We’re on, we’re on plan. I will be sincere with you. Margaret, I’ve simulated this a few years in lots of positions at Central Command, we’re a little bit additional alongside than we’d have anticipated to be at this level in all of the simulations that I’ve seen.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I will guess in your simulations, you checked out what would occur to the Strait of Hormuz, regardless that the President mentioned nobody ever considered it, you considered it, did not you?
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: The U.S. army thinks of loads of issues. We definitely have considered the Strait of Hormuz out of Kharg Island. Consider all these islands on the southern littoral of Iran.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Kareem, the president, mentioned the Israelis killed the second tier pragmatist varieties that he had thought he would possibly be capable to go and negotiate with. In latest days, the identify that has emerged is the Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf. What will we find out about him? Is he somebody you may make a cope with?
KARIM SADJADPOUR: Ghalibaf is, importantly, a former senior Revolutionary Guard Commander and a detailed advisor to Mojtaba Khamenei. Below totally different circumstances he’s somebody who aspires to be Iran’s trendy strongman chief. I’ve truly met him within the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, simply the truth that he exhibits up in Davos exhibits you a little bit bit about his worldview. However underneath the present circumstances, nobody in that Iranian system is able to altering the longtime ideology of antipathy towards America and towards Israel, even when they wished to.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Clarify that, in the event you would, as a result of what we hear from the White Home and from Israel is that stress will break them. You are saying they’re unbreakable?
KARIM SADJADPOUR: In the mean time, and this might change sooner or later, however we’ve not seen any cracks within the regime’s resolve. We have not seen any cracks, cracks within the cohesion of its safety forces, and given the truth that so a lot of its high officers, together with the Supreme Chief, have been killed, it is a regime which isn’t ready to compromise or change its ideology. They really consider that antipathy in direction of America is a part of their identification, and in the event you capitulate on that, it truly does not extend your shelf life, it truly might hasten your demise.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So if there’s not a negotiated settlement, how does this finish?
KARIM SADJADPOUR: I do not see any risk of a decision to this battle. I believe the US and Iran are miles aside in relation to their, their objectives right here. Now, I believe we might see a possible stop hearth that opens the Strait of Hormuz, which might shift this again from a scorching conflict again to a chilly conflict. However there isn’t any risk, for my part, as long as this regime is in energy, of a US, Iran, normalization.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Normal, do you agree with that evaluation? I imply, it does appear that the Trump administration is acknowledging the regime will keep if they’re at the least providing to barter with the regime so it could enable for them to stay in energy.
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: The first aim of Iranian statecraft, Margaret, is survival of the regime. Again within the late Nineteen Eighties they signed a truce with Iraq when issues have been going very dangerous for Iran. In Iranian historical past is called consuming from the poison chalice. I consider that they are going to break. I consider that they are going to come to phrases. And it could be an imperfect resolution, however I believe it could be one which would come with opening the Strait of Hormuz, probably some deal on the missiles, on the missile programs, the nuclear program is definitely a risk, however I consider finally they’re going to make a deal. However we have to maintain the stress up. We have to proceed to press them very onerous, as a result of that’s, actually, the one factor they are going to reply to.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So the President had posted he is postponed the deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz because of the Iranian authorities asking for it. He says he shifted that to April 6 at 8pm. We additionally hear from the secretary of state that he’s speaking to the allies a couple of publish battle necessity of getting different nations assist to basically police the strait. And he mentioned that you’ll want tankers to have army escorts. So this does not sound like this can be a brief time period undertaking. This appears like even when fight ends, we’ll be speaking a couple of army presence within the area for a while. Am I fallacious?
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: Margaret, you might be proper. Let’s have a look at what occurs. I believe a negotiated- there are two methods the Strait of Hormuz could be opened. It may be opened if the Iranians negotiate with us to open it. And naturally, that is the specified resolution. The opposite resolution could be, if they do not, they usually determine to combat, we will open the strait underneath that situation too. The second situation is clearly much more intensive by way of ships and gear that must convey into the area, and sure, assist from our allies would definitely be, could be very helpful in that case. We’ve got the flexibility to open the Strait of Hormuz underneath any situation that the Iranians select to exist underneath.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Does it seem to you that one of many contingencies that the White Home is planning for, given that they are persevering with to maneuver troops into the area, and you’ve got these Marines who’re transferring into the world as effectively. Are they making ready for a floor troop presence? And what does that seem like?
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: Margaret, for a few years, we have thought-about choices alongside the southern coast of Iran, seizing islands, seizing small bases, sometimes raids. And a raid is an operation with a deliberate withdrawal. You are not going to remain. However a few of these islands you might seize and maintain, that may have a pair results. Initially, it could be profoundly humiliating for Iran, and would give us nice weight in negotiations. The second, the instance of Kharg Island, which everybody talks about. If you happen to seize Kharg Island, you actually can shut down the Iranian oil economic system utterly. And the fantastic thing about seizing it’s you are not destroying it. You are retaining it for additional use by the worldwide economic system and probably for return to Iran underneath sure circumstances. So all of this stuff, this isn’t again of the, these will not be again of the envelope calculations. These are issues we have been engaged on for a few years, and I believe we’re proper to threaten all the littoral to carry all these choices on the market. And I believe the President’s message is spot on when he talks about all these options.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However can he obtain his objectives with out floor troops, which is what the Secretary of State says. And the way does this finish? How do you name this successful?
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: Positive, I believe successful seems just like the Strait of Hormuz is open. We get some form of deal on the ballistic missile program, some form of deal on the nuclear program. That is in all probability about as a lot as you might hope for. However I believe they’re very discreet issues that, for me, at the least from an operational army perspective, could be, would seem like victory. I consider all of these issues are literally inside our grasp. We simply must proceed. Iran will finally reply to the usage of power. They know and perceive it, maybe higher than now we have, now we have previously. This administration is prepared to make use of power. Different administrations have been totally deterred by Iran. President Trump just isn’t deterred by Iran?
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah. Properly, the President says he desires a deal, regardless that I do know you suppose that is going to be fairly onerous to get to and he mentioned Vice President Vance goes to be instantly concerned right here, Karim. What does that sign to you?
KARIM SADJADPOUR: Properly, the Iranians truly need to negotiate with Vice President Vance for a few causes. Primary, they suppose he comes from the anti-war wing of the Republican Celebration. And quantity two, they suppose due to the truth that JD Vance desires to run for president, he is incentivized to need to wrap this conflict up fairly shortly. And I agree with one thing Normal McKenzie mentioned, which is we all know during the last 5 a long time that this regime is barely compromised underneath actually clear circumstances, when it faces existential stress coupled with a transparent diplomatic exit. I believe it is feeling existential stress. I do not suppose they’ve but seen a transparent diplomatic exit.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Properly, gents, thanks each for lending us your experience for this dialog. We’ll have to go away it there. We’ll be again in a second.
