a.m. in the west. and this is what is happening here from iran at this hour. the a a.p. is citing u.s. officials in vienna is reporting that four dual-national prisoners have been released in a u.s./iranian swap. they will pardon or drop charges against seven iranians for the u.s. a fifth american unrelated to the swap has been freed. and none is other than the "washington post" reporter jason rezaian who has been held since 2014 and convicted of espionage in october three months ago, and the other americans part of the swap are amir hekmati who is a u.s. marine who was held in 2011 on espionage charges, and also, siamak namazi who is from des moines, iowa. and which know that the fourth

is not confirmed, and this is coming out of negotiations with secretary of state john kerry. msnbc's richard engel is joining us from vienna, and richard, warm welcome to you, and we have yet to hear anything official about the lifting of sanctions, and is that of a surprise to you? >> it is not a surprise. these negotiations have been challenging from the very beginni beginning. they have been going on for over two years now, and they have seem to have run into another de delay. we hear that it is a minor delay, a quote technical delay, but so far no one has arrived where i am right now. we are at the u.n. headquarters in vienna, and what we had been expecting, and still expecting is someone from the atomic energy association to come here, and the iea asha to confirm tha

iran is in compliance with its part of the nuclear deal, and so far the iea official has not shown up. also not here, zarif and kerry. so reportedly, they are still working out some pie nor technical issues of this arrangement. if they can work out those arrangements, and work them out tonight, as we have seen in the past, sometimes the agreements will go through the night, they will sometimes extend a day or even two days, and we don't know fit is going to happen this time, but it is par for the course in these negotiations, but if in fact they do conclude them in the next few hours, that would be a significant development, and it would immediately lift some of the crippling sanctions put on iran releasing tens of billions of dollars, and allowing iran to trade internationally, and be involved in banking sector. and amid all of this are these

very confusing reports of the release of the iranian americans held in iran. so far, u.s. officials have been tight-lipped about it. we have heard that jason rezaian and the others have been released and are no longer in custody, but it is not clear where they are right now. there are reports including sources telling nbc news they are on the way to switzerland, and perhaps from there to ramstein medical air base in germany, but we don't know. what we have been able to figure out is what we are hear ing from the iranian official news agency, that there has been a prisoner swap, four for seven. iran releasing four, and the the u.s. dropping charges on seven, and perhaps iran even releasing five, but so far, there has not been a lot of clarity about the names or the locations. and the deal isn't even done yet. >> richard, standby, because we

have ron allen with us from the white house, and he has late breaking news. over to you, ron. >> yes, we can confirm now from a senior administration official that five americans have been released from the iranians including jason rezaian, amir hekmati, and siamak namazi, the pas or the held, and also a man whose name had not come up in the discussion before, and nosratoliah khoshawi, and i hope that we can get clarifications of those spellings of them, but from the senior white house official, five americans have been released. we don't know the number of iranians who have been released or in fact that has not happened. no confirmation about that aspect of the story, but again, as pointed out, we don't know the logistics of all of this, and there are reporting that the one or more of them at the swiss embassy, but unclear at this point. that is the latest that there

have been five americans released, and they are still, to a administration still working tirelessly, and they would say to release at least two more american americans who are still in iranian custody. again five today and still working on the others. as for the implementation day decision, the bottom line on that we understand is that, it is not done yet essentially. we are hearing indications that there is still a lot of work being done, but basically, they haven't crossed the finish line just yet. whether they will get there or not remains unclear at this hour. we may hear more from the president today, and we may hear more from the spokesman today, but i think that a lot of it is contingent upon just how far they get with the work still being done to get to the imple meptation, and the secertificatn

are from the independent atomic energy agency, and saying that iran has complied, and we have not received that word yet, but five americans are freed. >> and now, you are corroborating what richard engel a has been reporting from vie yen na that it is not implemented and the implementation day could come at any time. and let's bring richard back into the conversation, because i want to ask you about the release and the timing and why now? is that the an obvious question with obvious answer given what is going on behind you in vienna? >> well, i think it is an obvious question, and it is all interrelated. i think that the release is supposed to sweeten the deal. it is something that has been very embarrassing for the administration, for secretary kerry, an how could he go to the president, and how could he go to the american people to critics of the admin strashgs and say that the edadministrati

signed a deal with iran, welcoming iran back effectively into the international economy and unfreezing tens of billions of dollars while iran is still holding these iran iian america on the what have been widely criticized as plit charges, trumped up charges, including espionage and working to undermine the iranian government. but, that is new information that ron just had. ta that is the first osolid confirmation that i have heard about five americans being released, and that they are still work on two others. but what he said does very much dovetail to what we are hearing here which is that the last quarter mile can be the hardest. they are work on it, and still technical issues, and all of the places are set here sh, and the podiums are in place, and the microphones are in place, and there are three microphones set up, and one for the ae -- iaa

certifying that iran has complied with the deal, and then another announcem that they have lifted the sanctions, but that has not happened yet. >> and our viewers know that we have iran releasing four prisoners, but now we know from ron allen that there are five prisoners, and that is the first interpretation of what is being stood when we made the graphic. so, richard, the timing of this, and the implementation day, and in all likelihood going forward and the release of the five prisoners in addition to the american sailors who were released after a mere 16 hours or so, getting into the iranian waters, and we were all talking in my area where we work in the newsroom when we thought, does it feel like a warming of iranian/u.s. relations?

>> very much it does. you can imagine that or you can remember what our u.s./iran relations have been like for the last 35 years since the 1979 takeover when the american d diplomats were taken for hostage and held for 444 days, and american flags were burned and iranian flags burned in the u.s., and still american flags are burned occasionally in teheran. so, this could very much signal a warming of relations between the u.s. and iran, and that is why you will see such divisions in fact in iranian society. there is one group of iranians generally called the reformers who want this this deal, and they realize it is important for the economy, and who want to have a new chapter of relations not just with the united states, but with the world, and with a group of hardliners who don't want things to change. they don't want to lose their grip on power. so this is an important moment for u.s./iranian relations and for iran, itself, and how it

evolves as a society. but, right now, we are in the last moments, it seems, but those last moments could turn into days. if you rember in july, when the deal was hammered out, it was extended night after night with reporters and out standing outdoors with diplomats into the small hours of the night as they worked tout critical details as they are being called. >> richard, can you put into perspective what this is going to mean, the implementation day, the release of sanction, a a nd what it means for the iranian people, and how will their lives be changed? >> well, the sanctions have been in place for a decade now, and they have been crippling for the last four years, and the iranian currency has been pounded. there is instances of hyperinflation, and it is difficult for the iranians to do business.

they are not not connect ed ed the international banking system, so if people want to the transfer money into and out of ira iran, it is almost impossible. if you want to buy something, you can't use credit cards. you can't use your wire transfer system, the swift code as it is generally known internationally. and so iran has been suffering from economic isolation, and it can't sell its oil, and so if this is all changes, and tens of billions of dollars are unfrozen, and the swift code is given back so that people can move money in and out of iran, and the investors start to go to iran, it could have a dramatic and quite swift change of policy. this is an e kconomy of 80 milln people with lots of natural resources and an educated population that has been on the fringes of the international

community for decades now, but particularly over the last four years, because the sanctions have been so tight on iran. >> iranian foreign minister, zarif, and secretary of state john kerry, do we know their whereabouts at this hour? >> they have been at a hotel in vienna, and at least they were earlier, and i don't know where they are right now, but a photograph of them meeting e earlier in the day, was posted by the state department, but they are expected to come here. that is why reporters have gathered here at the u.n. headquarters in vienna, and one of the three main u.n. outposts in the world. new york, geneva and here in vienna, and we are still waiting for them to arrive. but, last known location was a hotel in sen ra tral vienna, and working first in a larger

meeting and then in a smaller meet i meeting, but at the hour, i don't know at this moment, and i don't know if they are still there or not. >> and nbc's richard engel, thank you for, that and we will ask you to stick around. ron allen at the white house, and we have ali from teheran, and ali, please interpret the actions. i asked this question of are richard, to you see this as a significant warming of relations between the united states and iran, and is that this big of a deal, implementation day, and the release of the prisoners, and that which didn't rise to a major international release of the ten sailors going mistakingly into iranian water, and put it altogether in your perspective? >> well, alex, it is significant moment in american and iranian relations, and iran and america have not spoken to each other since 1979. now, all of the sudden, since the nuclear deal a little over

two years ago and the back channeling of the two countries are emerging and all of the sudden direct talks with each other. this is unimaginable a few years ago, so it is a big deal between the american, and the iranian relations, but one should not sh sugar coat it, because america is still iran's ideological enemy, and this is the land of "death to america" and any chance that iran gets to get some brinksmanship with america, they always take the opportunity, and even with the sailors bush the difference here is that things are sorted out much more quickly. the sailor's issue could have been much more serious. if you remember in 2007 of 20 british sailors or so taken be i the iranians and held for two weeks. and p the irif the iranians had situation like that with the americans, it could have been catastrophic, but it was sorted out in 20 hours or so.

and so now with the nuclear deal, we have seen that the dual nationalists are freed, and the times is not coincidental, but it is key to understand that iran wants to come in from the cold. this is the time to do it with the nuclear deal. the economy has taken a pounding here, and the iranian it citize have had a tough time over the last few years with the sanction, and the ra hawny government wants to continue with this and not to prevent the implementation of the deal. and so i don't believe a that the usa and iran are going to be best friends tomorrow, but they are talking more than they ever have been before. alex. >> ali, i'm curious pfor the people there in iran, how much has implementation day, january 16th been circled on the day, and thinking that this is the point at which tens of billions of dollars will be released and this is going to be affecting the quality of our daily lives and the average citizen, and can you add perspective on ta -- on

to that? >> yes. it is psychological, a and i don't know when the cash flow situation will change, but it gives them the sense of coming in from the cold, and that is important to them, and when the deal was struck, there was a sell raibration in the streets and carnival atmosphere, and signalled to the iranian people that we are joining the international community and it is important to them. we have so see how it is implemented over the next months and years and how iran is going to be dealing with the international community if we see an influx of the tourists and the business and the other things to help the ecoconmy here, but people are very excited about this this, and they feel it is a turnaround here, and during the ahmadinejad period, iran was terribly isolated and seen as a pariah around the world, and that is an image that the iranians wanted to be shaken off. they did not want to be on a plane and treated like terrorist

s around the world. so they wanted that to change for the better. and hopefully this will help that. >> thank you, all of you. coming up after a short break, i want to talk to a dear friend from the "washington post"'s friend jason rezaian, and he has quite a story to tell, and you will hear it after the break. for just 3 easy payments of $4.99 plus tax! the lines are blowing up! we've got deborah from poughkeepsie. flo: yeah, no, it's flo. you guys realize anyone can use the "name your price" tool for free on progressive.com, right? [ laughing nervously ] ♪ [ pickles whines ] i know, it's like they're always on television. what? try phillips' fiber good gummies plus energy support. it's a new fiber supplement that helps support regularity and includes b vitamins to help convert food to energy. mmmmm, these are good!

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unless you have the comcast business voice mobile app. it lets you switch seamlessly from your desk phone to your mobile with no interruptions. i've never felt so alive. make your business phone mobile with voice mobility. comcast business. built for business. at 20 past, with this breaking news, and if you are just joining us, msnbc has confirmed with the white house that five americans have been released from the iranian custody. the associated press reports that a u.s. official has said that the prisoners will be flown to switzerland and all of this amidst the u.s. and iran to sign a landmark deal as a result of

iran's curbing of nuclear polici policies. i am imagining that you are elated about the news. >> yes, a friend of mine texted me and i met jason before he went to iran in 2012 and i was worried about the health, because i knew that it had been deteriorating and charged on the bogus allegation, and i'm relie relieve. i had expected it to happen when the sanctions were lifted, but i am happy that it came at a critical moment in terms of his family, and his own personal health, so i am delighted. i am worried about his mental health to be honest. i used to work for ms international and i have seen the prisoners released from iran go through a lot of ptsd and trauma, and right now i am happy, but at the same time, i am concerned about his mental health, and the mental health of

the other prisoners released. >> yes, we should make note that we are taking a a pick chu of he and his wife, and they were both arrested in july 2014 at a home raid in teheran, and his wife was released, but you are right, 18 long months behind bars. what do you nknow about his lif there and were you able to contact him? >> no, we were in touch on the e-mail, and once in a while before, because we met in the december of 2012 and i was teaching his wife that summer at the san francisco writers grotto, and one thing that is making me sad about the arrest is that jason had a dream of adding texture, and nuance of the way that americans understood iran. and he wrote a piece of iranians loving the los angeles dodgers, and we had a nice banter, because i am a san francisco fan and he wanted to write about drag racing in teheran, and write about the increased price of bread, because of sanction, and so he wanted to really show a different picture of iran.

i think that one of the things that really raised a lotf of the profile is that after he was on anthony bourdain the's show, and i don't certainly blame anthony bourdain, but there is a lot of the internal dine picks that is happening in iran, and they saw an opportunity to use him as a pawn, and it is unfortunate, because it is not just jason's loss, but it is our loss, too, as american readers, because if you will look at the coverage with the "washington post" up to the arrest in 2014, they were exc excellent and brilliant articles that we have not seen before, and he is iranian and american, and he speaks farsi, and i am absolutely happy that he is released, and the relations are warming, but the two countries can can do so much more to be knowing each other. >> and here, i am a los angeles dodger fan myself, and so i had a real smile when he wrote it,

and talk about that article, because he put the iranian people with the los angeles dod dodgers. >> yes, a number of iranians in teheran who are big dodgers' n fans, and he wanted to really show a different perspective. i have been to iran myself, and i am not iranian, but i have been to iran, and he wanted to show that the iranians watch the same shows that we watch, and they watch, i mean, i don't -- they watch "breaking bad" and they follow american sports, and they like the lakers and, you know, they love burritos and so there is so many things that people have, and i know that his wife, i asked her, i'm a big fan of the iranian movies, and she said, i don't watch them much, because she liked the american movies, and whatever was popular that summer of 2012, so he wanted to show the other side. i come from the human rights background and i was really interested in him focusing on

the human rights abuses, and he was interested in that, too, but he was also interest ed in showing the everyday lives in iran, and particularly how they were impacted by the sanctions. >> yes. >> and it is a shame, because, you know, when i read the charges against jason in 2015, i believe he was charged, it made me really sad, because he didn't have malice for iran. you know, like a lot of the children of immigrants, and i'm a child of immigrants, it is possible to love multiple countries even if you dislike things about that country, and jason loved the united states, and i believe that he loves iran, too, but not the government, but the people, the culture. >> and when you last heard from him, and which is as i understood it, april of 2014, three months before he was arrested, what did heel the you about the life there? happ happy, feeling fulfilled? what was the wig mission? >> well, you know, we only exchanged sort of the short e-mails of writing because i was living in india at the time, and

having worked for amnesty international, and having known people in iran who were arrested, i was very careful in the e-mails to not ask many specific questions about the work, but it is about his wife, and about, you know, i knew they got an apartment together, and he was really excite and maybe the possible of me visiting, even though it would be difficult, because i am a u.s. citizen. and he was happy, and i'm excited that jason is released and the other prisoners are released, but a a part of me when i woke up this morning to the news, i thought that his lifelong dream was to report from iran, to report nuanced new ways of looking at iran, and i don't know if he is going to have that chance for him now. i dont n't know what is next, ai don't know if he has the leave the country or his wife has to leave the country, and that -- that there's a part of him i am sure in jail, he tried really hard to show a different side of

iran. and when we last e-mailed in april of 2014, i know that he was very excited, but i was very careful not to ask him specific questions, because i nknow the iranian government, and even though there are changes, it is a very represive government. >> and as you have stated you are very happy as you have stated many times, and we wish the best for jason and we are hoping for the best of his health. and so thank you for sharing with us what you know about him, and we will talk to you again. and coming up, we will get the reaction from the campaign trail. stay with us right here on msnbc. it's the little things in life that make me smile. spending the day with my niece. i don't use super poligrip for hold, because my dentures fit well. before those little pieces would get in between my dentures and my gum and it was uncomfortable. even well fitting dentures let in food particles. just a few dabs of super poligrip free is clinically proven to seal out more food particles

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at half past the hour, before stepping into a cal pain e sflent south carolina this last hour, ted cruz took a few minutes to weigh in on the prisoner release, and even then he could not help but veering into the politics.

>> i want to start with words of thanksgiving. we have just gotten the news that pastor sayeed abedini is coming home from iran, and i say thank god, and we have been lifting up, and amir hekmati, and i certainly hope that jason rezaian is among them. and jason rezaian's wife is someone i have got to know, and their two little kids have been praying and longing for their daddy to come home for a long, long time. and we don't know the details of the deal that is bringing them home, and it may well be that there are problematic aspects to the deal, but at least this morning i am giving thanks that pastor sayed is coming home. >> and also giving thanks is democratic candidate bernie s d

sanders says, this good news shows that diplomacy can work even in this volatile region of the world. and for more, we go to john yang and kasie hunt. with a welcome to both of you, i want to start with you, kasie, because i understand that kr donald trump is just weighing in on the prisoner release, and what is he saying? >> well, that is right, alex. we have not had much time to digest the news, and as you saw that ted cruz talked about how we don't necessarily have all of the details. marco rubio on the trail was careful, but donald trump of course went right into it, and he said that they are getting seven people back to our to fou four, and calling it a total disgrace implying a good deal for iran, and as these details still emerge trying to figure out what the trade was. and he merges that the money that iran is going to get, and he is saying they are getting

billions plus seven, and we get four. so immediate ly, he is stepping into the political realm, and we can expect the same type of rhetoric that we have heard all of the way along from donald trump on this iran deal, and on the obama administration's overall conduct when it comes to the foreign policy. but i will say it is interesting what ted cruz talked about with pastor sayed one of the americans that we know was freed, because he is becoming something of a cause among the evangelical community that cruz is courting in iowa, so maybe it is difficult to be 100% critical for the people who are concerned particularly about that pastor's release, alex. >> yes, we all predicted it would be a numbers game, and some sort of comparison matchup, and that is what donald trump did when he talked about this and we should remind him, and everybody else, five have been released. i do want to ask you about the showdown though that we all saw at thursday's debate. you think that another trump/cruz battle is lining up

for today? >> it looks that way. cruz has been out also on the stump talking about donald trump being formerly pro choice and pro-gay marriage, and a couple more examples of the new york values that trump holds, and trump is hitting back talking about the new york value on 9/11 and fighting back after the devastating terrorist attack. so we will hear from both of them here in south carolina pretty close back-to-back in a couple of hours apart. cruz will be speaking first, and then we will hear from trump later in the day at 4:30, and so ri will be looking at how this tea party crowd here in south carolina reacts. hopefully it is a sense of where the two of the them stand in the state, and most polls show them, again, as the top two frontrunners. >> all right. kasie hunt, thank you so much, and appreciate the live report. we go to john yang who is following the democrats in council bluffs, iowa. and john, any official word other than bernie sanders, because we put out part of the

message that he said, and any reak sh reaction from hillary clinton or martin have reached out, and hae not heard back yet, but they will be speak iing out, and i would not be surprised if when former president bill clinton when he comes to council bluffs, iowa, stage, he will have something to say about it. it is already a political issue when the iran nuclear deal came out, the republicans were pouncing all over it talking about jason rezaian, and the other americans held in iran, and thinking back to earlier in the week on tuesday when the president had the state of the union in the evening after those navy sailors had strayed into iranian territorial waters and had been seized by the iranians, but told that they would be released. a number of the republican

candidates and republicans in congress were critical saying, well, what about the hostages as they called them, the iranian americans being held in iran. so i think that you will see the democrats take the line that bernie sanders used showing that this is a triumph of dem kocrac and it shows that the deal works, and opening up the channels diplomatic channels with teheran has paid dividends and also for the republicans as you have heard in that sound bite are from cruz saying na we will have to see the details of this exchange to to see whether or not it is really worthwhile, but see the democrats praise this diplomatic result. alex. >> okay. john, i know that you will be there following democrats, and including bill clinton and chelsea clinton campaigning for their wife and mother respective ly. i want to talk about this

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sears optical now, i have to see what the deal is for the four people, because somebody said that we are getting, and they are getting seven people back. so essentially, they are getting $150 billion plus seven, and we get four. well, it is not sounding too good. it does not sound too good, but we have to see, because i heard about this an hour ago. i am happy that they are coming back, but it is disgrace they have been there so long. >> a tthat is donald trump withs reaction to the iran deal, and as you might expect, he has a critical take on the prisoner swap. if you are just joining us, this is the latest breaking news. u.s. officials are now reporting that five u.s. iran dual nationalists are released from iran, and the u.s. will drop charges against seven iranians.

and this is coming on news that some talks are concluding in vienna with secretary of state john kerry and his counterpart. and there are a few critical parts that remain, but they are being described as minor. and now, i want to go to the welcome with jessica of the "huffpost politics" about why you had to keep the ongoing negotiations of the hostages e secret, and why important to do th that? >> well, the news of prisoners in prisoners is very unique for journalist journalists. and complicated by if fact that one of the prisoners jason rezaian is a report himself h, and so we had to do everything not to complicate his situation, so you are bouncing the desire of, you have a responsibility to share what the government is doing behind closed doors, but

at the same time, you have the responsibility to protect the innocent people that you are reporting about. in this case, it is very, very clear that no story was worth potentially preventing jason from getting released are from prison or elongating the time he is in prison. >> absolutely the sensitivity there. and jessica, i am curious how and why did you get this story? >>. [ laughter ] one of my sources is on the record, and that is clear, it is a man named chase foster who was a mid-level state department official who was not happy with the obama administration's iran policy overall. he thought that the nuclear deal was being negotiated ter ribly, a and if we are going to be entering into the deal, we should at least get the prisoners back. and as we know, the obama administration has rejected any calls to tie the prisoner mos

t -- prisoners to the nuclear deal. so by the time that the nuclear deal came about, and my source was frustrated and we met by chance and we started to talking, and talking about the back story of how long the prisoner swaps have been going on, and then once we took it higher to the state department, we were able to report out more details about how that occurred. >> you knew the identity ies of the americans who would be freed? >> we knew most of them. i think that there is one today who as far as i know was a surprise to everybody. i mean, i have been here, and in geneva and vienna for days now, and talking to the state department officials for everyday. >> i think that is matthew. >> and he was not named, but nosratoliah khoshawi and so, yes. >> and now, with the nuclear deal negotiations and the prisoner swap talks all get started at the same time? >> no, prisoner swap

negotiations began in earnest about 14 months ago which is november of 2014, and by that time the nuclear negotiations were well under way, and by that time, john kerry and the other officials raised the issue of the prisoners at every meeting, and eventually the iranians finally said, if you are going to have these guys out, we need a humanitarian jes xhur from you, you, and they said that the nuclear deal would result in to a sanctions release, can you at least release the people who violated the sanctions that are not in effect. so as i understand it, the discussions were going on through the nuclear talks, but there was a real strong suggestion not to intermesh them. and bret mcguirk who is better known for the work of coordinating the fight against isis, he began kind of the side track with other iranian officials separate from kerry,

and they were going on simultaneously. >> do you know the extent to which secretary of state kerry was aware and involved a at all -- >> very much so. him and zarif were crucial to getting it done. there were several times throughout the process where this would have collapsed entirely if it weren't for kerry maneuvering people within the u.s., and within the department of justice, and smoothing it out with zarif on the iranian side. he was crucial, and very much in the loop on this, and the distinction is that he does not want to raise the issues of the prisoners, and negotiate their release in the same meetings as the nuclear talks, because it is messy when you are negotiating two issues at once. he was careful to separate out the two issues. >> it seems that you were care ful as well, jes is a shulbe -- jessica schulberg. thank you so much from the huffing toast.

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mmm...amazing. i have heartburn. alka-seltzer heartburn reliefchews. enjoy the relief. approaches 49 past the hour, and this breaking news if you are joining us. msnbc has confirmed with the white house that five americans have been released from iranian custody. the associated press reports that a u.s. official says that the prisoners will be flown to switzerland and this is coming as iran and world powers are going the reach a landmark deal to curb iran's nuclear activities. let's bring in a fellow from the fellows institute, and also an intelligent adviser to general david petraeus. and michael, welcome. >> thank you. >> and does today seem to indicate that the nuclear deal with iran is working? >> well, i am happy for jason rezaian, and sayed and amir, and the other two americans

released, but i am concerned about ron livingston's whereabouts and we still don't know where he is or his whereabouts, and think about if we were not given conditions and seven prisoners in exchange and people who actually committed crimes as opposed to four americans who were illegally detained, and if they were released without conditions, and the navy had assisted the sailors and not put their hands behind their heads, and that would have had a moderate effect, but what is this is imp implementation day, and iran has not met the standards to get the sanctions lifted and now they are going to get $1 billion, and there are no more conditions to keep them in check. >> how do you know this? >> my intelligence guy, and we have been looking at iran since 1979. and every personality that i

know and the people who put down the green revolution received sanctions relief, and how do you let a man who put bullets in people's chest a sanctions relief? that is how we know they were annexed to, and they were not vetted by the intelligence xh committee. >> and iran foreign minister twe tweeted, we are getting to implementation day, and nothing serious, and diplomacy takes patience, but we all know the alternative. and then he tweeted, michael, it is time for all, especially the muslim nations, to join hands and rid the world of extremist, and what do you say of the foreign minister and his call to rid the world of violence extremist? >> well, he should withdraw quds force from beirut, and have them

redeploy the iran's revoluti revolutionary guard from the middle east to north africa and the balkans and central and south africa and america, and say that there is a big parade to say they are not interested in the hedge monic goals around the world. that is what i would look for. >> and something else that you tweeted, iran has so much to lose, and now nothing to lose for the next 12 months. do you believe that iran will continue to abide by the terms of the agreement? >> you see that the iran's definition is more important than our own, they believe that all sanctions are lichted on implementation day, and not just the nuclear deal, and also any sanctions put on them is a violation on the united states, and that is why president obama has said that he will veto any further sanction s fs for the political dissidents for the imprisonment, and the execution of homosexuals and the detention of women, and crihristians and arabs in iran. iran has convinced this white

house that any additional sanctions on iran will kill the iran deal. so they will get all they can over the next 12 months. and i want to be wrong. i am not married to the assessment, but i know enough about the regime and the hardliners, but they are empowered because of implementation day. i hope i'm wrong. >> if you look at thing, and baby steps, which is what it takes in diplomacy, and if it weren't nor the implementation day today, would the five americans have been releesased? is there a silver lining here? >> well, what it demonstrates to the world, and okay. listen f they had released the five americans without us releasing seven criminals after the fbi had extensive files, and casework done on them to put them in prison, i would say, yes. but that is not what happened. they released the sailors and released americans today because they are set to get $100 billion. if that was not on the table, they'd all still be detained. there were pawns in the chess game, and everybody knows that

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unrelated to the prisoner swap. one of those reportedly freed is washington post report jason rezaian who has been held since july 2014 and convicted of espionage just last october. this news is coming as iran's foreign minister concluded a meeting in vienna with john kerry and other european officials. and it is expected to be announced that some sanctions against iran will be lifted as the nuclear deal is implemented. and now, we will go to the ron allen at the white house, and richard engel who is joining us by phone in vienna and also ali rouni who is in iran. what can you tell us? >> well, the reporters are testing out the lights and the

microphones, which is why i am speaking in a hushed voice than i spoke to you before. we are being brought inside and we are believed that secretary kerry, and his counterpart, zarif should be arriving soon, and that is why the reporters are waiting behind a roped-off area, but soon is a relative term. this, and there could be more snags, but we don't know if the details have been woshgtd out, but we expect that quite imminently, they could be coming into the u.n. compound, into the iaea section, and to sign this implementation agreement which would end a great number of sanctions against iran, and allow nor the coming days and weeks, tense of billions of dollars to flow into iran, and allow iran to once again begin trading international commodities, and currency trading in and out of the

country, and a great relief to the iranian economy, and major advance for diplomacy, and a feather in the cap of the obama administration's foreign policies, but the critics say it is too trusting, and that there are not enough controls in place, but to answer the initial question, is it going to happen? we think it is, and we are waiting by the door, but they have not come through the door yet. >> okay. we will continue with the four-way conversation here, richard, and please stay with us, and we will go the ali arouzi for a minute. and how do we interpret this release, because why is this a nod to the warming of relations of the u.s. and iran, and would this have happened if it weren't implementation day today? >> well, alex, this is indicating a certainly different relati relationship between ud and iran, and the two sides have not been speaking since 1979, but since 2012, '13, american and iran started the back channel

conversations over the nuclear deal. it is unheard of before. these are all key events happening right after each other. the nuclear deal being implement ed in vienna, and the iranians being released from here, and sorting out the situation of the u.s. sailors who drifted into the iranian territorial waters, and this is a whole new relationship of iran and america, but as i spoke to you earlier, we should not overstate the relationship either, because america is still the ideological enemy, and this is the land where they refer to america as the great satan, but it is an indication of how much rouhani's administration wants this to happen and bring them out of the cold. they realize how important it is to revive the economy and to make iran a part of the world community, they have to have a dialogue with the united states. we have been seeing the two sides bearing the fruits. diplomatic e negotiations are

working out more easily, and they are talking more, and kerry and zarif have a direct relation, and something that iranian diplomats have not had over 35 years, and so there is a warming of the relationship, but these two sides are not going to be best friends quite yet. there is a long way to go between iran and america relations. alex. >> yes, absolutely. over to the white house with ron allen, because what has been the reaction at the white house to all of the news? >> well sh, alex, nothing offic. the white house is waiting to see if in fact they get to the imple mentation day moment. the understanding that we have and what we are hearing from the various officials on the way of background and other ways, they are not quite there yet, and whether they will get there today or not, it is much later in vienna than here of course, and it remains to be seen. you heard richard's reporting that something may be happening, but again, soon is a relative word in the world of diplomacy,

and the latest that we are hearing suggests that again, they are not there just yet. as for the prisoner release and the freeing of the americans, i am sure that the white house is very pleased by all of that. to some extent this is going to indicate what they have been saying for some time now in reaction to the criticism of the iran nuclear deal, and so much criticism of the deal struck with iran without the including the e freeing of the american prisoners who were there. and the president and his spokespersons have maintained that they have been working diligently to obtain the release of the american, and still at least two that we know of who are in iranian custody. a businessman picked up in october, and robert levinson, a former fbi official, and businessman in iran as far back as 2007 who has been in custody under mysterious circumstances,

and we believe that the administration is now working to as we hear it to try to clarify the whereabouts of mr. levinson, and whereas in the case of the other american, it was pretty well known where they were and what the circumstances were and pretty horrific circumstances in some cases. that is where we are. i don't think that we will hear from the president today until there is further clarification of where we are on the nuclear deal imare ple -- deal imp implementati implementation, and i don't know that we will hear from the white house in regard to the prisoner exchange swap, but it is a fast-moving day here, a alex. >> and it is almost 7:00 p.m. there in vienna, and richard engel is waiting inside for some sort of statement to be made as are our other journalists. so we will bring you that live coverage if we can get it. and back to you, a al shg, ali,

tens of billions will be released on implementation day, today, and will the iranians feel a difference in their qu l quality of life? >> well, this is the big question, alex. i mean, the first thing that we have to see is that once the sanctions relief goes, will the ir iranian economy bounce back against the strength of the dollar. and so they want to have more purchasing pow wer with the loc currency, and we have seen it drop a little bit today over the announcement that the deal was going to be made. the next thing is a huge influx of business here. the rouhani government wants to open up the commerce in teheran, and make it easier for foreign investment, and business to come into iran, and if that is coming into the iran, it could have a huge boost for them to boost the tourist industry, and other jobs elsewhere. so we have to see how it is

handled. they have put out a lot of plans on how they want to handle the economy here, and handle this huge influx of oil going on the market. so it is a delicate balance here, and let's not forget that, yes, the sanctions are going to be lifted, and iran's main economic lifeline is oil. so oil is already at a very, very low price. i mean a few years ago, it was over $100 a barrel, and today, under $30, and iran depends on that. when they pump out the reserves of oil into the market, it is going to be bringing the prices further down, and iran relies on that very, very heavily, so it is going to be very interesting to see how they balance the oil prices here as they depend on it very, very severely, but getting the sanctions removed from iran is going to have a huge psychological effect on people, and it is going to be reviving the economy, but making the iranian people feel like than a paria pariah, and that is going to have a significant effect on how things are done here in iran, and attitudes evolve here sh, a

how business is done. so it is going to be interesting how things are revived going forward and how the government handle the economy here, but, yes, thing s as are looking mor positive for iran. i think that the sanctions relief will ultimately trickle down to most people here in some way or another. alex. >> okay. ali arouzi there in teheran, and we have msnbc's richard engel right there in vienna where they are gathering for announcements there, and also at the white house ron allen. and now, let's bring in congressman richard pittinger who negotiated for the release of pastor siamak namazi. where were you when you heard the news? >> i called mrs. abedini for the work that has been done, and i

did believe that we paid a big price. this is a 3 1/2-year journey and tough battle for the abedini family and the young kids, and mrs. abedini, but look at it, alex, iran is going to be receiving over $100 billion, and close to $150 billion, and we are going to be releasing seven hostages, and they have been involved in terrorism financing, and these are people who are culpable in helping the terrorists with the funding. so it is very concerning with the outcomes of the iranians receiving this $100 billion. >> congressman, i want to understand the circumstances around his arrest. i understand that he was a pastor and converted to christianity, and he was going about creating small christian communities and churches and congregations. is that why he was arrested? >> yes.

he had a child's home, and that the reason that he was there. according to the united nations, he a had never done anything illegal according to the laws of iran, and yet, he was arrested and detained for 3 1/2 years, and we understand that there is some brutal treatment of him. he is of course at the swiss embassy now, and he is going to be treated for his health conditions, and then of course, they will have discussions with him, and with the understanding of what has occurred over the last three years, but he was there truly as a christian missionary. >> and congressman, does the release of the prisoners do away with the key political argument against the iran nuclear deal? >> no, i think that the iran nuclear deal was misguided from the outset, and precondition to the negotiation tas we gave them $700 million a month, and $12 billion just to sit down at the table. and i would like to exchange negotiators theirs for ours, because we really got outwitted on this, and we would never have

handled the negotiations with the soviet union in the 1980s in like manner. but while we have put pressure on the soviet union, and they have dismantled without fire ing a shot, we have supported the iranian regime, and what we need there is regime change. we did not support them in 2009 when they went to the streets seeking freedom, and since that time, we have sustained their government. so the $11 # 00 billion-plus, and this is only a $400 billion gdp, so it is going to be enormous overwhelming effect, and it is going to be support ing the efforts as a terrorist state to fund their proxies throughout the world. >> but, sir, didn't this diplomacy secure the release of your friend? isn't that a silver lining? >> well, it is a wonderful thing and i would not take anything a waway from that, but i would sa, alex, a big price was paid. i believe that the individuals could have been secured a long time ago if they had played the

card right, they could have had the individuals secured in the beginning of the negotiations when they committed $700 million a month, and i can't imagine ronald reagan negotiating with gorbachev in reykjavik that way. fortunately, reagan got up and walked away. so this is not done by feeding the soviet union, and sustaining them. we have sustained iran in the proce process, and they have gotten everything that they wanted. and look at north korea right now, alex, and we have not certainly prevented them and the provocation and their pursuitf of nuclear arms. they are continuing to be testing, and even the iranians had two tests and threatened the straits of voorhees.

>> we know that you are very pleased to have your friend released today. >> yes. >> and we will hear more of what presidential republican candidate donald trump had to a say about it a few moments ago. [ coughing ] [ sneezing ] a cold can make you miserable. luckily, alka seltzer plus cold and cough liquid gels. rush liquid fast relief to your tough cold symptoms. fast, powerful liquid gels from alka seltzer plus wheall i can think abouthit,

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>> 18 past the hour, and the breaking news that we are following, msnbc has confirmed with the white house that five americans have been released from the iranian custody. the associated press is reporting that u.s. official says that the prisoners will be flown to switzerland and then taken to a u.s. military base in germany for medical treatment. the news out of iran is making waves out there on the campaign trail, too. ted cruz in south carolina for t the tea party convention took a few minutes to praise the prisoner release with some

caveats. >> i want to start with words of thanksgiving. we have just gotten the news that pastor saeed abedini and three other americans are apparently coming home from iran, and i sem pli say praise g god. we don't know the details of the deal bringing them home, and very well may be problematic aspects to the deal, but at least this morning, i am giving thanks that pastor sayed is coming home. >> and let's bring in kasie hunt who is following the republicans in south carolina for us. msnbc's john yang following the democrats in council bluffs, iowa. kasie, over there to you, first, and the republicans have spent a lot of time criticizing president obama's iran policy, and how is that going to be playing out today at the convention? >> that is right, alex. you have also seen them criticizing the obama administration for the previous prisoner swaps, and particularly bowe bergdahl who of course was trade and in exchange for four prisoners and they have talked

about how it is to have one prisoner in exchange for other valuable prisoners, and you are starting to hear donald trump criticizing the obama adm administration for saying that he at the time knew that there were four, but we now know that there are five. he says that iran got seven people, and billn yobs of dollars in exchange nor the five american americans, and calling it a a total disgrace, but as you saw there, alex, it is an interesting problem for some of the republicans, and you didn't see so far, because we have not seen donald trump talk about pastor sayed who is a cause for many evangelicals in america. he is who ted cruz was talking about in the clip that you just pl played. and he is somebody who is a convert from islam to christianity, and who was arrested for setting up home churches in iran. his wife and two children have become advocates on his behalf. speaking out on religious freed freedom, and that is something

that frankly the republicans have pushed for and the congressman that you just spoke to focused on it as ted cruz says that it is something that many evangelical voters in iowa are aware of, but it puts him in a difficult position, because if he goes too far in prizing that, he would risk of course, praising the administration of obama, and you saw him trying to dance the around that a little bit. we will see if the rhetoric is as heated as it has been on the right throughout the campaign season, and the foreign policy becoming the central theme in this race. and of course, the republicans will talk about the president, and what they dub leading from behin behind. you can expect more of that today, and we will see cruz and trump a couple of hours apart, and they have been escalating a war of words as well as offa variety of issues. >> thank you, kasie hunt. we will check in with you on this extended coverage news day. and now, let's check in with

katy p katie packer gauge, the romney campaign manager formerly. and now, weighing in on the deal today, this is what he had to say about, donald trump. >> now, i have to see what the deal is for the four people, because somebody said that we are getting -- they are getting seven people back, and they are getting $150 billion. and we get four. ugh, not too good. but we have to see, because i have heard about it an hour ago, and i am happy they are coming back, and i will tell you that it is a disgrace that they have been there so long. >> and kasie hunt saying it is problem at aic on the campaign trail, but i am curious, does this deal take some wind out of the republican sails? >> well, it is a complicated issue, obviously, because when you are talking about people who have been held hostage for a long period of time, and face it, they were held hostage and not prisoners for actually doing something that is even illegal

in our country, and you are talking about a reporter, and talking about a pastor, and in contrast with the folks that were releesased are from our prisons for actually violating laws that are part of keeping our country safe and secure. so it is a complicated issue, because we are -- of course, everybody is happy to see the folks get released and come home, but it is fair to criticize the administration for what seems to be a really imbalanced deal. >> but katie , on the face of i, doesn't it have positive ramifications for the obama administration? i mean, we have americans being held prisoner coming home. >> yes, and nup of the candidates are running against the obama administration in and of itself, but running against the policies that hillary clinton is trying to take out on the campaign trail, and trying to edadvocate for, and so it is fair to criticize the policies,

but it is of course always cause for celebration when the americans who have been held hostage for a long period of time will come home. >> will hillary clinton get a boost from the hostage release? as a former obama official, and could she as former secretary of state take any credit? >> no, she has not been involved in any way of this deal, and all of the events transpired here have been transpiring since she left office, but she does have a lot of explaining to do in terming of her role of the overall diplomatic efforts with iran, and certainly in a republican primary, i don't think that anybody thinks that the obama a administration has played their cards very wisely. >> all right. former romney deputy campaign manager katie packer gauge. thank you is much. and john yang has been standing by in council bluffs, iowa, and that is where bill clinton is going to continue a second full day of campaigning for his wife.

john, anything yet from the officials a tb big news? >> well, alex, the former president has been speaking here for half an hour now, and he has not said anything about the news developments coming out of the middle east. it may well be that he is cognizant of the campaign, or the campaign is cognizant that even though he is a former president in the campaign, she is not the principle. the principle is hillary clinton who is preparing for the nbc news debate in south carolina tomorrow night that may well be that they want the candidate to go first. we have heard from bernie sanders who says that even diplomacy can work in a volatile part of the world. and so we may hear more of that, it is a dividend of the diplomacy, and the dividend of the things that helped the them to reach the iran nuclear agreement, a while the republicans are critical of that saying ta have g ing that they

too much, and four iranians coming back to the united states, and trying to put the best face on this, and the dividends of reopening a diplomatic talks or ties. alex. >> all right. john yang using a somewhat muted voice as you speak with us while president clinton is there speaking behind you. and the news of the prisoner swap comes behind us as the debate continues tomorrow night in the democratic presidential race. and so now, let's go the ricks and talk to you about your how the big news out of iran could define president obama's legacy when it come ts to the foreign policy. >> thank you, alex. it is good to be with you again. and look, this is very, very important news as has been said that it shows that diplomacy does work and i hope that the

american people will join in what is a very important milestone in the diplomatic relationships in iran and that part of the world. i hope that it is is going to be addre addressed a lt the democrat ig debate here as well as in charleston, south carolina. >> how could the developments today, impact hillary clinton's candidacy in the extent that republicans are trying to tie her to president obama's foreign polic policy? >>. >> well, certainly, that is a question that hillary clinton will have to answer, and certainly as secretary of state, she did a very good job in improving the diplomatic relation relations around the world. and how much she is involved with this particularly unfolding with iran, and i am hearing the bits and the pieces of it as we are becoming informed, but clearly, this could be an opportunity for her to continue to stand up and talk about her leadership, and not just the

domestically here in the united states, but abroad. >> and rick, let's get back to the msnbc youtube debate going to be held in south carolina, your home state, and what do you want to hear from the candidates? >> well, the people want to know where they stand on the issues, and that is most important. this debate is critical, as you kno know, as soon new hampshire is going to be in the rear-view mirror, and all eyes on south carolina, and so, this is a good chance for 50% of the voters to be african-american, and this is a good chance for the democrats to talk to a diverse and different type of voter here in south carolina. this could be a defining moment depending what happens in iowa and new hampshire for bernie sanders and hillary clinton. >> and if bernie sanders wins iowa and new hampshire, what would there be for hillary clinton, any chance things could turn around for her in south carolina considering the popularity there for her, and the south overall? >> well, she is very popular

here sh here, and she has been on the ground with a strong infrastructure, and a dynamic tea team, and if you recall in 2008, iowa was a very important valid-dater, if you will for then senator obama. and if you wait for the outcome of iowa and new hampshire, the effect it will have on the voters of south carolina, but again, i would argue that, as candidates are talking about the issues that matter to the people of south carolina, and matter to most of them, that they have the inf infrastructure in place, and i believe that both do. the other part of this is the ability to be able to inspire voters, and galvanize them and move them to the polls. and so i am very hesitant to predict the outcome here, because this is a very unusual season as you are a well aware of. >> and i am sorry to cut this interview short, because i had a few more political questions to ask you, but will you, rick, be making an endorsement and would

you like to do it now? >> well, i am not now sh, but i will come back the you, alex, because i enjoy being on the show, but i will get involved in the campaign in a short time. >> well, consider yourself booked. >>n thank you, alex. >> the democratic presidential candidate debate is going to be air tomorrow night on msnbc, and you can also watch it on youtube. and in a moment, we are going to be speak to a friend of jason rezaian. ♪ ♪ why fit in when you were born to stand out. the 2016 nissan altima has arrived. ♪

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last year and a half. and here to join me is the president of the national iranian council and a friend of jason's, and treated with a welcome to you. and what was your reaction and where did you first e hear of his release? >> well sh, you know, we are absolutely delighted that he is released as well as the others, and we are hoping that siamak namazi would be released at the same time, but that does not appear to be the case. and is so it is a very exciting day for the u.s. and how the diplomacy is working. and it is a reasonable approach to diplomacy and going to the counterparts and how to get it done. >> did you see this coming trita? >> well, it was obvious ly in te making, and this is a e negotiation separate from the nuclear negotiations bs, but th nuclear negotiations was necessary to get done before we could see the other positives come about.

i have expectations that we will see more thing, and not become a love-fest, b love-fest, but there are many difficulties be between the united states and iran, and can be done mindful that they are in a different context, and modicum of trust between the two, and open channels of communication, and it is critical. >> i know that a short time ago, trita, you tweeted that if it weren't for president obama, there would not be a deal, and the u.s. prisoners would still be in prison. how do you feel about it? it would not have happened if not for the nuclear agreement, and president obama doubling down on the diplomacy in 2012 when the secret negotiations began, we would not be here today. and there were numerous opportunities for diplomacy,

that each side has passed up, and president bush even denied them, and so it is fortunate that president obama pursued it at a moment when the iranians were at a moment to pursue it. as a result, we have a deal. and prisoner release, and a record short time of the u.s. sailors being kept in the iranian detention which is because of the fact that the deal on the prisoner swap already had been concluded and neither side wanted to complicate, and that is part of reason why the issue was resolved. >> thank you, so much, and we know it is a happy day for you knowing your friend jason rezaian has been released. and we will have much more coming up. with creative new business incentives, and the lowest taxes in decades, attracting the talent and companies of tomorrow. like in the hudson valley, with world class biotech. and on long island, where great universities are creating

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also, the drirector of iaea wil also be there, and so as soon as we have anybody at that podium, we will take you there. and now, meanwhile, we are being joined by joe who is a member of the global fund, and proponent of the iranian deal since the beginning, and he worked for nine years in the white house on government operations and the white house staff, and so you are a great guy to talk about this, as we have in the past, joe. and can you tell us about what this means for the u.s./iranian diplomacy, and this? >> this is a great day to be an american, and celebrate ing tin news that we are hearing of five americans freed after being unjust ti held, and not because of threats or military coercion or attacks, but diplomacy conducted by john kerry. so it is a good day. it is the latest indication that iran is beginning to moderate

the behavior and we are seeing them join the talks to end the syrian civil war, and at least get a cease-fire, and we have seen them quickly release americans who have drifted into the territory, and not have it become an international incident, but resolved within 15 hours. and now we will see finally the release of the prisoners. and you are starting to see the dots being connected that the iran nuclear deal is leading to a change in iran iian behavior. >> and joe, i don't have to tell you that there are a lot of skeptics still out, there and how much are you concerned that iran's behavior modification, if you will, in order to get the implementation day put it into effect, and you know, it is just for that, and that there are still a number of things that we are not maintaining? >> well, we are never going to be friends can iran. we are adversaries and fundamental differences in the

region. but you have to look at this as a gateway issue. it is important in and of itself, because iran is sur r d surrendering the nuclear weapons capability, and later today, we will have verification that the complex has been dismantled, but you have to get through that issue in order to get through that issue to have conversations on the other issues of concern, and some of which we have overlapping strategic objectives defeating isis, and other economic issues, but until the deal, you could not have them. a and the indication is that in the last couple of weeks there is more progress in the area than we had hoped for previo previously. >> and certainly more to come in our discussion. thank you so much for scrambling to get to the studio for us. we appreciate it >> thank you, alex. >> and how will the iraqis respond to the prisoner swap? that is next. [ cough ]

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new questions of what the iran prisoner exchange could mean to the worst start of the market ever. and with us is rick from the u.s. stock markets. and you say, that when they met the commitments and we would have a day of the sanctions lifted, that means that iran would now be able to sell oil sbesh fashlly, and how does that translate for us? >> well, it is anticipated and so the markets have been anticipating that iran will start to put the oil back on the markets, and so it does not have too much effect, but the geopolitical events will rattle the markets even when they don't have too much to do with the london and hong kong and just to say that there is unsecertainty and the investors hate the uncertainty, but it is good news. so we saw the markets unnerved a

couple of weeks back over the saber rattling over saudi arabia and iran, and so it depends what else is going on, but maybe it is going to help push up the market, and it creates a good vibe where we haven't had in a long time. >> and what about a glut of oil on the market, ap it is great at the gas pump? >> well, right, like i said, we have known that the iranian oil is coming back on, and iran will put an additional 1.2 billion barrels per day on the markets, and it is a 90 million per barrel per day market, and so 1.2 against 90, and not that much extra supply. we have known it is coming, and it is factored into the pricing, because the prices are futures price, and two months out or three months out. >> and so this is not baked in? >> well, it has been baked in for the most part, and what happens with iran back in global markets? well, they are going to start rebui rebuilding the economy, and get some extra money when the sanctions ends, and $100 billion or so, and so they have $100

billion of their own, and it would be great to see them putting that into their own economy and build some inf infrastructure, and not funding the terrorists, and so is this a tiny gesture of goodwill or are they turning a corner to become a better participant in the global economy. that is what we want to see. >> and tuesday, the markets will reopen after the mlk jr. holiday, and what will happen? >> well, the decline in the markets so far 8% or 9% down in stocks has been totally disconnected from the u.s. economy which is doing well. it is nice to see them realigned and the analysts are saying that we have a reason to see that, and have the markets bounce back, and it is going to be volatile for much of 2016, but there are reasons to be opt m optimistic. >> and we will buckle up. >> thank you, rick neumann. >> and news of the prisoner swap is coming as the candidates are preparing for the prisoner swap. and joining us is karen finney

who is the spokesperson for hillary clinton campaign in 2016, and karen, it is great to see you, and you had a chance to talk to secretary clinton about her reaction to the big news, and has she said anything to you? >> well, first of all, great to see you. and i have not had the opportunity to speak with the secretary about today's development developments. i expect that we will see a statement forth coming. but certainly, there is a lot that we don't know, but one of the important things is that it appears that the diplomacy played an important role in t s this, and obviously, that is very important to the national security interests of the k country that we have good diplomatic relations, and the ability to engage in the kinds of conversations when need be. >> all right. what kind of impact is this prisoner swap going to have on the president's legacy of the foreign policy, and given the fact that secretary clinton was secretary of state, can she benefit from this? >> well, secretary clinton, you know, one of the things that she

did work on in her tenure as secretary of state was to help get the iranians take place whi actually happened obviously after she was secretary of state. so, you know, we shall see. i mean, i think, you know, there was a lot of conversation, there's been a lot of consideration that, you know, there are -- this is a very firm agreement. there is a firm set of rules here, and it really depends on how the iranians move forward. as the sanctions lift and as we, you know, move forward in this agreement. >> is secretary clinton, is the campaign in general, at all nervous about the poll numbers given this tightening of the race? >> you know, alex, i'll tell you, personally i -- i'm always a bit skeptical of polls because we're trying to chart human behavior, but we've always in this campaign expected that things would tighten up. that's just the normal path of campaigns, so i think what we're

seeing is what we expected. at the same time, what i would tell you is this is where ground game and grassroots work really matters, bus at t s because at the day it's about turning out your voters that's where the thousand of volunteers who have been knocking on doors and making phone calls in iowa and new hampshire and south carolina, this is where that really comes in to bear really important. will we be able to turn out our voters? we feel good about our ground game, and i think ultimately that's going to be the most important thing here, not the polls. >> all right, karen finney, given all the breaking news we'll have to cut it short. next time come and stay a while. >> thank you, alex. the democratic debate will air at 9:00 eastern on msnbc and you can watch a live stream on youtube. what a surprise! you know what else is a surprise? shingles. and how it can hit you out of nowhere. i know. i had it. that's why i'm here. c'mon let's sit down and talk about it.

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it had no heart, but it was alive. (train wheels on tracks) it had no mouth, but it spoke to me. it said, "rocky mountaineer: all aboard amazing". the news out of iran is having an impact everywhere even on the campaign trail. let's bring in aaron mcpike

political reporter at reuters and "the new york times'" tripp gabriel with a welcome to you. first of all i want to get your reactions on the news out of iran. how might it change the presidential race going forward? erin, you first? >> already we're starting to hear a number of democrats saying diplomacy works and i would say that a number of republicans have said on day one they would rip up the iran deal, the two exceptions are john kasich and jeb bush who both have said they want to wait to see how it plays out and those answers are validated right now. but we're seeing jeb bush walk it back a little bit, but democrats are going to go hard on the diplomatic message and right now they are being validated. >> tripp, several of the republicans including marco rubio have suggested a swap like this shows iran that it is a valid way for them to get concessions from the u.s. do you think that might become a new attack point for the gop? >> yeah, i think that's a good -- a good point. there's been such heated rhetoric, you know, from donald

trump and rubio and others about the fact that, you know, americans drove such a terrible deal, that we gave away this, secretary kerry or president obama gave away the store before ever, you know, in the negotiations and trump in particular likes to talk about how the hostages -- hostages, the prisoners are still over there and were never even on the table. i think that undercuts this argument to a certain degree. you know, are they going to soften their rhetoric about it, i certainly doubt it. >> and, tripp, very quickly, jeb bush single digits right now most of the recent polling but he's just weighed in saying the u.s. cannot treat iran as a potential ally. do you think toughening up the rhetoric will boost his image? >> i don't think it will make a huge difference. he's got these new -- all kinds of problems particularly here in iowa where i am today or new hampshire and beyond that are

more complicated than this single issue. i don't know that this is going to change, you know, how he's -- how he's regarded by, you know, by republican voters. >> erin, hillary clinton, the candidate with perhaps the most and the strongest foreign policy experience in the race, but she's one of the last to comment on the prisoner swap. any chance that's going to hurt her? >> no, i don't think so. and i think she'll come out very strong about this at the debate first thing tomorrow night and say, you know, where she has contributed to this leading up to this moment and i do think that helps hillary clinton and, in fact, just last night hillary clinton's campaign put on some pictures on instagram from her days as secretary of state. i'm sure they will be playing that up. >> okay. we're going to have to call it a wrap, erin mcpike and tripp gabriel, thank you so much for that. i'll see you right back here tomorrow at noon eastern. and up next richard lui with more on the breaking news from iran. dominique wilkins...

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