What message does a nuclear deal with Iran send Fox News Video

What message does a nuclear deal with Iran send Fox News Video

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," March 20, 2015. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.



SEAN HANNITY, HOST: And welcome to 'Hannity.'  So is President Obama trying to make a deal with the devil? Now, U.S.-led nuclear talks with Iran are expected to continue next week. But meanwhile, last night, the president issued a statement aimed at the Iranian people -- get this! -- praising Iran's leadership for its commitment against nuclear weapons? Listen to this.



(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)



BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My message to you, the people of Iran, is that together, we have to speak up for the future we seek. As I've said many times before, I believe that our countries should be able to resolve this issue peacefully with diplomacy. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has issued a fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons, and President Rouhani has said that Iran would never develop a nuclear weapon.



(END VIDEO CLIP)



HANNITY: Now, those are very trusting words about Iran's supreme leader, the very same man who just last year said that ISIS was created by, quote, "American Zionism and especially the veteran expert of spreading divisions, the wicked government of Britain."



Now, perhaps President Obama is not familiar with the thoughts of his former CIA director, General David Petraeus, who recently told The Washington Post that, quote, "The foremost threat to Iraq's long-term stability and the broader regional equilibrium is not the Islamic State. Rather, it is Shi'ite militias, many backed by and some guided by Iran."



So can America really make a deal with a regime dedicated to the destruction of American interests? Joining me now with reaction, author of "Foreign and Domestic" -- retired brigadier general Tony Tata is with us. "Invisible Armies" author and Council on Foreign Relations senior fellow Max Boot is with us. And former deputy national security adviser Ambassador Nancy Soderberg is back with us.



Let me start with a series for all three of you, yes or no questions. Is -- do you all agree this is a rogue regime in Iran and a state sponsor of terror? Do we all agree on that?



MAX BOOT, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS SENIOR FELLOW: Yes.



BRIG. GENERAL TONY TATA, U.S. ARMY (RET.): I do, Sean, yes.



HANNITY: Nancy?



NANCY SODERBERG, FMR. DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Of course. That's not the question here.



HANNITY: No, that's my question to you. Believe it or not, it's my show. I get to ask the questions. Do we also agree that Iran has been fighting proxy wars and giving weapons to groups like Hezbollah and others? Do we all agree on that?



BOOT: Of course.



TATA: Yes, there's no doubt.



HANNITY: Nancy?



SODERBERG: Sean, you know, you do this every time. Let's get to the real question...



(CROSSTALK)



HANNITY: I'm going to give you time to...



SODERBERG: The question is whether we should be talking to this horrible regime, which we all agree is horrible. And the question is, yes, we spoke to the Soviet Union...



HANNITY: Well, you can answer your own questions and answer your own question (sic), But I'm asking you, do you agree that they fight proxy wars and fund terror groups like Hezbollah and others? Do you agree with that?



SODERBERG: Of course we do, but I'm...



HANNITY: OK.



SODERBERG: ... trying to get to the real substance here, which is...



HANNITY: Have they repeatedly -- the leaders of Iran, including the leaders that the president was talking about -- have you all heard these leaders talk about destroying Israel and wiping them off the map? Do we all agree that they've made that threat repeated times?



TATA: Absolutely.



BOOT: Absolutely.



HANNITY: Nancy, you're last again.



SODERBERG: I answered that question last time I was on this show.



HANNITY: And the answer is?



SODERBERG: Still yes.



HANNITY: OK. Let's take a look through history. First, let's look at a video of American flags and Israeli flags being burned in Iran. And I'm getting to a point here. Nancy, I promise, I'm going to give you a lot of time to talk through it.



Then we have, for example, all the quotes of different ayatollahs at different times and presidents at different times, you know, talking about Iran, that the cancerous tumor of Israel has to be uprooted from the region, calling Israel the rabid dog of the region, Israelis should not be called humans. We have, God willing, with the force of God behind it, we shall soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism. And the Zionist regime has reached a dead end. Thanks to God, your wish will  soon be realized and this germ of corruption will be wiped off. And thanks to God, the countdown to the decline of America's demonic power has begun.



Here's the question. And I will start with you, Nancy, because you're so eager and have such vibrancy and a desire to talk. Why should we not -- why should we not wait until they denounce those comments, statements, and denounce and renounce their terror ties and being a state sponsor of terror before -- as a precondition to any negotiations? Wouldn't that be a wiser strategy?



SODERBERG: We tried that for 10 years, and they were very close to getting a nuclear weapon. It's only because we're talking to them that they're not getting a nuclear weapon right now. Without talking to them, there's no question they would have that. And then we're in a military confrontation with them.



Yes, we all agree the Iranian revolution created a terrible regime there. You missed the whole killing of the demonstrators and the students in 2009 during the elections. That's partly why I think President Obama is reaching out to the youth. Twenty-one percent -- 60 percent of that country is under the age of 21. We want them to see a different Iran.



HANNITY: Yes. I'm sure they all got to see it because...



(CROSSTALK)



HANNITY: ... such an open society...



SODERBERG: And that's another problem...



(CROSSTALK)



HANNITY: I think Nancy's point is, frankly -- it's based on an absurd premise. I would argue that for any negotiations to take place, they first must renounce terrorism, their ties to terrorism...



TATA: Yes. Sure.