[Blitzer:] We'll have much more on the plane crash in the French Alps, that's coming up, plus, your questions about the investigation in just a few minutes. But there's developing news in the Middle East with Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Iran, the U.S.'s partners and Iran are nearing a deadline for that so-called framework, a nuclear deal. Here in "The Situation Room," I spoke with the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States about the deal. Listen to Adel al Jubeir.
[Adel Al Jubeir, Saudi Arabian Ambassador To The U.s:] We hope this pans out. Everybody wants a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear program but it has to be a serious and solid agreement that is verifiable. We're also just as concerned about the interference by Iran in the affairs of other countries in the region, whether it's Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and other parts. We believe that Iran's behavior does not is not reassuring to people in the region.
[Blitzer:] Let's talk about the nuclear options, Saudi air strikes that are under way in Yemen right now. Joining us from New York, our CNN global affairs analyst, Bobby Ghosh, the managing editor of "Quartz." Also joining us, our terrorism analyst, Paul Cruickshank; and from Little Rock, Arkansas, the former NATO supreme allied commander, retired general, Wesley Clark, the author of the new book "Don't Wait for the Next War." General Clark, you heard Senator Corker a few minutes ago, right here on CNN, he's the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, say he's concerned the Obama administration, in effect, is trying to rearrange the U.S. relationships in throughout the Middle East, weaken Israel to a certain degree and strengthen Iran. I'm paraphrasing. But you're reaction?
[Gen. Wesley Clark, Former Nato Supreme Commander & Author:] I don't think that's the case. I think what the Obama administration is trying to do is reduce the geostrategic conflict throughout the region. And that's to everyone's benefit if we can do this. We had, before 1978-'79, we had a great relationship with Iran. There are a lot of positive pro-American feelings there. Saudi Arabia is our long-time friend and ally. We used to look at the Middle East as two pillars. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran were U.S. allies. So if we could get back to that and obviously maintain a strong Israel and deal with the conflict in Syria, all those things are positive. But we can't put ground troops in. We have to work on the margins. We have to work through diplomacy, economic assistance and, where we can, military support. That's what the Obama administration is doing. It's a tough, tough strategy to follow.
[Blitzer:] Bobby Ghosh, the administration clearly would like to see a positive spin-off from this emerging nuclear deal and see Iran become a more constructive partner, shall we say, or player throughout the region. A lot of people are saying that's simply wishful thinking on the part of some Obama administration officials. Your thoughts?
[Bobby Ghosh, Cnn Global Affairs Analyst:] Yeah, I would tend to agree with those people. I think it is very much wishful thinking. The Obama administration is hoping that Iran, once these sanctions are removed, will take the money and help build an economy, free their people, give people more opportunities and there will be economic reforms to follow. All Iran wants is the money. They're not promising any of these other things. They've been blunt and clear about what they want. They want to expand their influence in the Middle East. We are seeing that with every step they do. We can't blame the Iranians in the future of hiding their intentions. They're being very clear. It's we, or the administration, that is taking the view that, oh, things are not what they seem. Things are better than they appear to be.
[Blitzer:] Paul, you also heard Senator Corker of the foreign relations committee say the Iranians are about to get, if this deal goes through and these sanctions are eased, about $180 billion pretty quickly that's a lot of money for Iran. Have you seen any evidence and you study terrorism right now, that Iran is reducing its support for international terrorism, the State Department considers Iran to be a state sponsor of terror?
[Paul Cruickshank, Cnn Terrorism Analyst:] Well, that's the sort of $64,000 question, whether Iran is going to be more pragmatic in the future if there is some kind of nuclear deal. Obviously, the hope would be that they would be more pragmatic in the future, that they would reduce the money going to terrorist groups like Hezbollah, and that they would try and persuade groups like Hezbollah not to get involved in these kind of international terror operations. Hezbollah has been accused of several operations even in Europe, even in Bulgaria. So that all remains to be seen Wolf?
[Blitzer:] What about what's going on right now, General Clark, in Yemen? The Saudis have put together a coalition with Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain. They're clearly trying to go in there and fight what they regard as Iranian proxies, these Shiite Houthi rebels. It looks like a proxy war, if you will.
[Clark:] It is a proxy war. But this is going to be a very tough problem for Saudi Arabia and Egypt to solve because they're not in that country. And their troops, even though they may speak Arabic, they're foreign troops in that country. So this is one more example of stirring the pot. It's going to likely provoke continuing Iranian efforts to defend what they see as their interests through the Shia population. It's going to likely involve some other threats to the Saudi system, let's say in Bahrain, through the Shia in Bahrain, or maybe even difficulties in the Gulf-rich eastern province of Saudi Arabia where there's a large Shia population. So the Saudis are well aware of this. They know what can happen. They see this as their vital interest but it's going to be a very tough fight.
[Blitzer:] The Saudis are nervous about a lot that's going on, Bobby Ghosh. As you well know, last night, I interviewed the Adel al Jabeir, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, and I specifically asked him a few times, if you don't like this deal that the U.S. and other members of the Security Council and Germany are putting together with Iran, could that lead to Saudi Arabia developing its own nuclear bomb? And I pressed him. And he refused to rule it out. He just didn't want to discuss that. But a lot of people are worried if the Saudis don't like this deal and some other countries, Egypt, for example, they may go that nuclear route as well. What do you say?
[Ghosh:] The Saudis are allowed to enrich uranium at the moment because they're members of the nonproliferation treaty. Whether they'll go all the way towards getting a bomb themselves or turn to their traditional allies in these matters, which is Pakistan. The Saudi military and the Pakistani military are quite close, in recent days, quite senior Pakistani generals have visited Saudi Arabia. They have that other option as well. Sure, if they believe the Iranians are going to break out and make a dash for nuclear weapons, the Saudis are going to want it. Whether they want their own or whether they want Pakistan's, we'll see.
[Blitzer:] They're calling it a war in Yemen right now. Bobby Ghosh, thanks very much for joining us. Paul Cruickshank, General Clark, always good to have all of you here on CNN. Up next, much more on the deliberate crash in the French Alps. We'll answer your questions. Should it be required to alert an airline if one of the pilots is considered to be unfit to fly? Stay with us.