Linda Gradstein: CBS correspondent on the concerns raised over the US-Iran ceasefire

Questions have been raised over whether both parties are serious about achieving a ceasefire in Iran.

The pause appears shaky - with Iran keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed in response to Israel's deadly attacks on Lebanon.

The US maintains the ceasefire never applied to Hezbollah.

Negotiations on a longer-term peace agreement are expected in Pakistan this week - attended by US Vice President JD Vance.

CBS Correspondent Linda Gradstein says there've been positive developments.

"Many are hoping, you know, the ceasefire kind of takes on a life of its own and it holds. And, that's what we've seen in Gaza, even though there is still fighting in Gaza."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Addressing the newsmakers to get the real story. It's hither
duper clan drive with one New Zealand to coverage like
no one else. You saw zib.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Afternoon, a little over twenty four hours into the ceasefire,
and it's all looking a little precarious. Iran has shut
the Strait of Houmus, saying it will only reopen when
the attacks on Lebanon end. Israel, though, says it's attacks
on Lebanon are not covered by the ceasefire, and Trump
has just said on social media that troops will remain
in the Middle East until Iran complies. A. Linda Gradstein
is a CB's Middle East correspondent in Jerusalem and.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
With us right now.

Speaker 4 (00:37):
Hi Linda, Hi, good morning.

Speaker 3 (00:39):
How would you describe the state of verm ees fire.

Speaker 4 (00:43):
Well, it's very precarious and it's really very unclear. For example,
is Lebanon included. That's a very big question. Israel has
been fading on two fronts for the last five weeks,
first of all against Iran and then against Iran's patron
in Lebanon, his Ballah and his sofar been unable to
deliver a knockout blow to either of them. Very similar

(01:03):
in a way to what's happened in Gaza, where there's
also this kind of precarious ceasefire with Israel remaining in
control of half of Gaza. So you know, Israel completely
reopened today. Schools reopened after five weeks, although a lot
of parents did not send their kids. They say they're
just not confident that the ceasefire is really taking hold schools,

(01:24):
and in the north of Israel, from Haipha northwards, schools
are still on zoom. But so I think, on one hand,
there's this relief that you know, last night was the
first night without rocket attacks since the fighting began. But
I think there's also a lot of suspicion.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Do you think, I mean, it sounds like Israel has
agreed that it will somehow kurtile what it is doing
in Lebanon, So it does seem to be wanting to help.
Is that you'll read on it?

Speaker 4 (01:50):
That is my read, except that it's not clear a
what kurtail means. Yesterday there were widespread Israeli attacks across
Lebanon that killed almost two hundred people, well most of
them apparently his Belah members. But you know, Israel's now
been fighting his Belah over and over again and has
not been able to sort of finish it.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
So it's not.

Speaker 4 (02:11):
Clear what Kurt tell me is and I think from
Israel's point of view, you know, the one person running
all this is not the Israeli Prime Minister. It's President Trump.
So basically, President Trump said to Israel, I'm imposing a
ceasefire from everything that I've been able to find out
Prime Minister Nitanya, who said, no, please, don't yet, give
us a little more time, and Trump sort of ignored

(02:32):
his request and said, nope, I decided it's time for
a ceasefire. It's time for a ceasefire.

Speaker 3 (02:37):
Is the stradof Homer's open or not?

Speaker 4 (02:40):
No? Right right now? It is not open. It was open,
and apparently the Iranians published a map showing where the
minds were to enable ships to go around. First of all,
it was always open. It was just that Iran was
choosing who could go through and who couldn't. My understanding
is that it's not open now, and you know that
has been one of the goal according to both you know,

(03:02):
especially according to President Trump. So from Israel's perspective, they're
more concerned about the enriched uranium and Nitaya, who said,
you know, we are sure that the not have the
enriched uranium, whether by war or by negotiations. I'm not
sure that that. And I'm not sure basically that the
US goals and the Israeli goals are fact same right now.

(03:23):
They might have been at the beginning.

Speaker 3 (03:25):
Okay, Now, the ten point plan that Iran has submitted
to the this is just not going to happen, right,
some of the stuff and that is just so ludicrous
to the US. It's not going to happen. So how
does this play out over the next two weeks?

Speaker 2 (03:34):
Right?

Speaker 4 (03:37):
Well, so that's the question, I mean, the question is
whether these negotiations are really going to be serious? Are
they just going to be we break and that you know,
some many are hoping is that, you know, the ceasefire
kind of takes on a life of its own and
it holds. And that's you know, what we've seen in Gaza,

(03:58):
even though there are still fighting in Gaza and Palestinians
you know, are getting killed every day, but there's more
or less a ceasefire. Israel in control of half of Gaza,
Hamas in control of the other half. So the question
is is Iran really serious about an agreement. I mean,
before this war started, apparently Iran was serious about a
nuclear agreement. The Iranian economy is in shambles. The damage

(04:22):
that the US and Israeli bombing have done to Iran
is stupendous. I mean, Iran's a huge country, but you
know there's widespread destruction. So, you know, does Iran say, okay,
I really want a nuclear deal which they've assigned in
the past. I mean it was the Americans that pulled
out of the deal, or do they say now I
am You know, it's also not even clear really who's

(04:44):
in charge. Is the leadership currently in charge more hardline
than the previous leadership or less hard line much Taba Khameni,
the son of the assassinated head of Iran, is apparently
in not a very good physical condition. He was also
in the attacks. So I think it's not even clear
who's running you run, So it's just impossible to now.

Speaker 3 (05:05):
Yeah, Linda, it has been wonderful to talk to your
great Thank you so much, Linda Gradstein, CBS Middle East Correspondent.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
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