JOHN YANG: Tonight on PBS News Weekend, an# exclusive Frontline interview with Iran's## top nuclear negotiator as global sanctions# over its nuclear program are set to resume.

Then, as more women are choosing# to have children later in life,## we explore the skyrocketing# demand for freezing eggs.

And the iconic Rose Garden gets a new look as# part of a series of changes at the White House.

MAN: The White House history is living history and# certainly so much of American history takes place## there can be told through the prism of White# House history.

But it evolves and it changes.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: Good evening.

I'm John Yang.

Iran# is bracing for global sanctions over its## nuclear program to go back in place.

The measures# threaten to cripple Iran's economy.

Their currency## is at a record low and ordinary Iranians are# struggling to get the food they need to survive.

The U.N.

Security Council rejected a# last ditch effort to delay the sanctions## after negotiations with European# nations failed to reach a deal.

Barring some sort of last# minute diplomatic breakthrough,## the renewed sanctions will freeze Iranian# assets abroad, penalize any development## of Iran's ballistic missile program, and ban# the sale or transfer of conventional weapons.

Frontline correspondent Sebastian Walker# conducted an exclusive interview earlier## this week with Ali Larijani, head of# Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Seb, he previewed for you Iran's# reaction to these sanctions going## back in place.

Let's listen to what he had to say.

ALI LARIJANI, Head of Iran's# Supreme National Security Council:## The issue of the snapback mechanism must be# addressed first before this can be answe.. SEBASTIAN WALKER, PBS Frontline Correspondent:## It's conditional.

ALI LARIJANI: Well when they stand against# us like so, and try to enforce resolution## against us using might, we see no reason to not# pursue a different relationships with the IAEA.

JOHN YANG: Tell us.. SEBASTIAN WALKER: So he is the secretary of# Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Now,## this is the body that essentially has the say over# foreign policy decisions, head of the security## apparatus and also strategy over the nuclear# program.

So essentially he's the chief negotiator.

What he says is extremely significant.

This# is a very rare conversation.

This is the first## time that he has spoken to foreign media since# his appointment.

It's also the first interview## that he's given since the 12-day conflict with# the U.S.

and Israel.

And the timing of this,## just in the lead up to everything that# we've heard at the U.N.

and this deadline## for the sanctions to come back, made this# a very interesting conversation to have.

JOHN YANG: You also asked him to react to the U.S.## claims that attack by the United States and# Israel obliterated their nuclear program.

SEBASTIAN WALKER: President Trump# has said that the enrichment## facilities targeted were completely# and totally obliterated.

Is he right?

ALI LARIJANI: You need to ask Trump himself, he# announced that his forces were brave and powerful,## that they bombed us and were successful.# You shouldn't discount his words.

SEBASTIAN WALKER:## What's your assessment o.. how much this has set back Iran's nuclear program?

ALI LARIJANI: I don't have any specific# information to share.

But in my opinion,## Iran's nuclear program can never be destroyed.# Because once you have discovered a technology,## that can't take the discovery away.

It's# as if you are the investor of some machine,## and the machine is stolen from you.

Well, you have the knowledge# needed to make another one.

JONH YANG:## What was your take.. SEBASTIAN WALKER: Well, this is obviously# at the heart of what's going on with this## question over whether U.N.

inspectors# should be allowed back in or not.## Iran wants to preserve as much mystery as they# can about the extent of the damage.

This is what## everyone wants to know.

Did these strikes succeed# in degrading Iran's enrichment facilities?

Were## the U.S.

strikes on Natanz, Fordow, Esfahan# sufficient enough to set back the program?

We asked for access to these facilities.

We# were pushing as hard as we possibly could on## the ground to get any filming done of any of# the strikes where the U.S.

missiles hit.

That## was -- we were told that was impossible.

And# you heard from Mr.

Larijani there that they## don't think that the bombed sites should be# open to U.N.

inspectors.

This is something## that he said really is conditional on# the sanctions not being reimposed.

He was saying essentially if these sanctions come# back, then they will end their participation with## the IAEA.

And you're seeing signs of that already.# Iran has recalled its ambassadors from Germany,## France, the U.K.

for consultations.

He# warned about the consequences of these## actions and that Iran could withdraw# from these negotiations as a result.

So, I mean, that was -- we pushed him# on, you know, a number of questions that## I think international observers have about# the impact of these attacks.

We asked him,## where is Iran's stockpile# of highly enriched uranium,## more than 400 kilos of HEU that Iran says is# buried under rubble.

International observers## want to know where that is.

And we asked him for# information about that.

None was forthcoming.

So, again, the takeaway overall is that# Iran really is trying to kind of preserve## whatever mystery it can about the extent# of the damage.

That's one of the few tools## that they really have left after this# devastating war that's taken place.

JOHN YANG: And you also asked him about# the possibility of more U.S.

attacks.

SEBASTIAN WALKER: What's your message# to the Trump administration if there## are more attacks?

What will# be the consequences of that?

ALI LARIJANI: I don't have a message for the# Trump administration.

I would only say that## they should be mindful of their words and# the insulting way they speak to Iranians.## When he says Iran must surrender., it's clear# he's not familiar with the Iranian people.

JOHN YANG:## Do you get the sense that they'r.. more attacks either from the# United States or from Israel?

SEBASTIAN WALKER: I think there's definitely# a worry about that.

The attacks, I mean,## were able to travel around the country to# places that were targeted.

We didn't see## the U.S.

strike sites, but were able to visit# locations where Israel had eliminated some## of Iran's leading nuclear scientists, places in# Tehran that had been bombed apartment buildings.

There's a real apprehension on# the part of Iranians that we met## that more strikes could be coming# down the road.

There was, you know,## alarm about how much had happened during this# war.

The 12-day conflict really showed Iran's## weaknesses to a lot of ordinary people, that these# scientists could be eliminated so effectively.

And I think spending time in the country# while weren't able to really have a kind## of truly authentic engagement with Iranians# that we met.

You're very highly monitored,## controlled everywhere you go.

It's very# challenging as a reporter to report from Iran,## but there is a sense that these strikes# have really kind of had a huge impact.

The Iranian currency is at a record low.# The news of the sanctions coming back,## I think is incredibly worrying for# a lot of ordinary Iranians.

And## it's just something that I think is we're# really now at a point where anything could## happen next.

The sanctions coming back in puts# Iran into a place where the engagement with## the international community is now unclear.

You# heard from Mr.

Larijani there saying that they## are going to withdraw from participation with# the IAEA.

And I think that begs the question,## what are going to be the consequences of that?# What are the U.S.

And Israel going to do next?

JOHN YANG: Frontline correspondent# Sebastian Walker, thank you very## much.

Sebastian's exclusive# interview will be part of an## upcoming documentary for PBS's Frontline# in collaboration with the Washington Post.

In tonight's other headlines, President Trump says# he's sending troops to Portland to protect it from## what he called domestic terrorists.

In a social# media post, the president said the Department of## Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requested# the forces.

Mr.

Trump said he's giving the## military authority to use full force if necessary# to protect Oregon's war ravaged largest city.

Demonstrations at Portland's ICE# facility have become frequent,## some of them escalating to violence.

President Trump is asking the Supreme Court# to uphold the restrictions he wants to impose## on birthright citizenship.

The administration# says that lower court decisions blocking the## executive order the president signed on the# first day of his second term are undermining## our border security and confers the# privilege of American citizenship## on hundreds of thousands of unqualified# people.

If the court does take the case,## arguments probably wouldn't take place# until late winter or early spring.

Palestinians fleeing Gaza City are trying# to figure out where it's safe for them to## go.

Nearly 60 people died overnight.

Medical# staff who set up tents to receive the dead## and wounded say some were killed by# airstrikes and others were shot.

The## IDF said it was not aware of anyone# killed by gunfire in southern Gaza.

The strikes came a day after Prime# Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fiery## speech at the United Nations in which he said# Israel must finish the job against Hamas.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, the increasing# popularity of egg freezing as a way for women## to delay starting a family, and the iconic# White House Rose Garden gets a makeover.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: More people than ever are# putting their hopes for parenthood on ice,## literally.

They're freezing their eggs, removing# some of them from their ovaries and storing them## for the future.

Often, they're doing this# well before they intend to start a family.## It's a costly procedure that had primarily# been used by people undergoing medical## treatments like chemotherapy that# could affect their fertility.

But now it's becoming more# common among healthy women.## We asked people taking this step to explain why.

YULANDA: I'm Yulanda.

I'm a professor# in Illinois, and I froze my eggs at 36.

KATELYN: My name's Katelyn.

I'm 28 and I'm# currently planning on doing egg freezing.

YULANDA: I knew I wasn't ready# to have kids at that moment,## but I wanted to preserve some chance of# having a biological child in the future.

KATELYN : I want to just be able to live my life# and not feel like I'm on somebody else's clock,## or I guess, technically my own clock.

Right.

YULANDA: So my life since I've frozen my eggs,# I've gotten a promotion.

I've traveled to Paris,## Antigua.

I'm going to Mexico soon.

I# got my maternity leave in my contract.## It just freed some things for me.

KATELYN: Especially in your 20s for me,## anyways.

Like, I'm still exploring and# figuring out who I am as a person.

Right.## I really don't know.

And I don't want to# saddle myself with such a big decision## like having kids when I don't even know# who I am and what I'm doing with my life.

YULANDA: I think that I can bring so# much more to being a parent because## I've taken that time to discover who I am,# and I feel like I'm a much more mature,## patient person than I was earlier in life.

KATELYN: Society puts a lot of pressure on women,## too, especially find a partner to have kids,# to do all of these things.

And there's really## no right age to have kids.

There's no right age# to get married.

And I think doing something like## this for myself kind of normalizes that, but# also gives me that freedom and opportunity.

JOHN YANG: To learn more about why egg freezing# is becoming increasingly common and what it can## and cannot promise.

Ali Rogan spoke with# fertility specialist Dr.

Lucky Sekhon,## author of "The Lucky Egg: Understanding# Your Fertility and How to Get Pregnant,"## and journalist Natalie Lampert, who wrote# "The Big Freeze: A Reporter's Personal## Journey into the World of Egg Freezing# and the Quest to Control Our Fertility."

ALI ROGIN: Thank you both so# much for being here.

Lucky,## let's start with you.

What is egg# freezing and why do people do it?

DR.

LUCKY SEKHON, Author, "The Lucky Egg":# It's basically a method that is used to try## and get around the biological clock and# preserve one's fertility for the future.

And what you're essentially doing is the first# part of IVF.

It involves two steps.

Stimulating## the ovaries to try to get multiple eggs to mature.# And then the second part of the process is called## an egg retrieval.

We're extracting the eggs,# and then we look at them under the microscope,## and any of the eggs that are mature,# we know could one day be possibly## fertilized by sperm successfully.

So# those are the ones that are frozen.

And then those eggs can remain frozen# indefinitely.

They don't change or## degrade over time.

And if someone runs into# fertility issues later in life, they can## utilize those healthier eggs that will have a# better chance at turning into healthy embryos.

And Lucky, is there an ideal age at which people# should consider freezing their eggs?

And also,## what are you seeing in terms of the demographics## with people that are coming to you for this?

LUCKY SEKHON: Well, the simple answer is the## younger, the better, right?

Whenever we crunch# the numbers and look at the data, the two most## important variables that predict success are how# many eggs are frozen and at what age it was done.

But truth be told, we see great outcomes even when# patients are doing this in their very early 30s,## because it's still kind of a subtle shift that's# happening in their biological clock at that point.

In terms of changing demographic, we've seen a# massive reduction in the mean age of the typical## patient coming in to freeze their eggs.

It# used to be mostly women in their late 30s,## and now we're seeing a lot of people# do this more proactively.

I'm seeing a## lot more patients in their late 20s and early 30s.

And along with that, those patients, when they# are coming back years later to use their eggs,## we are seeing improvements in outcomes# because we're seeing lots more eggs being## frozen and a better conversion rate when# we go to turn those eggs into embryos.

ALI ROGIN: And, Natalie, from your perspective,## how popular has egg freezing become,# and what do we know about why?

NATALIE LAMPERT: Author, "The# Big Freeze": So, initially,## egg freezing was done only out# of m.. mostly cancer patients who froze eggs before# undergoing chemotherapy, which can leave a## woman sterile.

But egg freezing very quickly# moved beyond doing it for medical reasons.

In 2009, 482 healthy women in the U.S.

froze# their eggs.

And in 2022, nearly 23,000 did,## which is something like a 4,000# percent increase in just over a## decade.

So a few things contributed to this.

First, in 2012, the American Society of# Reproductive Medicine removed the experimental## label from egg freezing.

And then in 2014, Apple# and Facebook announced that they would cover## the cost of egg freezing for female employees.# Like, thousands and thousands of dollars person.

So that kicked off a huge increase in companies# offering a whole range of fertility benefits,## including egg freezing.

And there's also# now much more coverage from insurance## companies.

So those major developments really# contributed to egg freezing skyrocketing.

ALI ROGIN: And, Natalie, you've spoken with many## patients who have done this.

What's# prompting them to go down this path?

NATALIE LAMPERT: What I found while reporting my# book was consistent with what the research shows,## which is that the vast majority of women# freeze eggs because they haven't found## the right partner, the person that# they want to have children with.

Now, I do want to say that I'm talking# mostly about heterosexual women here,## and it's important to mention# that, you know, for example,## women in same sex relationships rely on egg# freezing to have biological children.

And so the## motivations are certainly different for LGBTQ# people or solo parents by choice, et cetera.

ALI ROGIN: And Lucky, egg freezing is far from## a guarantee.

How much should patients# be banking on this procedure working?

LUCKY SEKHON: I always emphasize that egg# freezing is never a guarantee of future## fertility.

What you're doing# is you're freezing potential.## It's not an insurance policy.

It's not# a sure thing, because human reproduction## is inefficient.

And when you go through# the process of extracting those eggs and## freezing them, your freezing potential and# that inefficiency doesn't magically go away.

You're still working with a bunch of eggs, which# we look at as long shots.

You have to eventually,## if you want to come back and use them, thaw# them, you will lose some eggs at that step,## and then maybe 70 to 80 percent may fertilize.# And again, this can vary from case to case.

And the biggest drop off is only about half# of those fertilized eggs will turn into an## embryo.

So you really have to start# out with a lot more eggs than people## often will assume.

And we usually talk to# patients to emphasize this point by saying,## you know, it's like a 10 to 1 ratio# from eggs to live birth.

But obviously,## that ratio is going to vary depending on# factors like age and your egg quality.

ALI ROGIN: And Natalie, what do we know about how# this affects people once they've gone through it?

NATALIE LAMPERT: So for many# women, freezing their eggs sparks## a very positive and powerful psychological# shift.

The research is very clear on this,## and what they feel is powerful relief.

They# feel less dating pressure, more career focus,## and really a break from the constant# tick, tock, tick, tock of their ovaries.

What I find even more fascinating is that# most egg freezers say that the price tag,## it's very expensive and the intense side# effects are worth that peace of mind,## even if they never end up using their# frozen eggs, which is incredibly powerful.

ALI ROGIN: There's a lot on social media# that is targeting young women who might## be considering doing this.

What are some# of the pitfalls that you've observed in## terms of the efforts to kind of# advertise this service to women?

NATALIE LAMPERT: I'll start by saying# the most important thing to remember if## freezing eggs is that egg freezing is a# backup option.

It offers some assurance,## but it is not insurance.

And that# is a very important distinction.

And so what I say to women who are considering# freezing is one, choose a reputable clinic,## one that's been doing egg freezing# and IVF for a long time.

Don't go to## the shiny new clinic across from your# office or the chain of clinics that## you always see advertised on social# media.

Because, Ali, to your point,## the marketing is quite aggressive.

Those are# the two most important things to keep in mind.

ALI ROGIN: Natalie Lampert and Dr.# Lucky Sekhon.

Thank you so much.

NATALIE LAMPERT: Thank you.

JOHN YANG:## In his second term, President Trump is# pu.. making changes to the building# and its grounds.

Just this week,## he unveiled the Presidential Walk of Fame# along the West Wing colonnade.

It features## portraits of each of the previous# commanders in chief, except for one.

In place of President Biden's portrait is a# photo of an auto pen signing his name.

Elsewhere,## work has begun on a grand ballroom, and even# the iconic Rose Garden has gotten a new look.## Ali Rogan is back with that story.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S.

President: I am## officially declaring a national emergency.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): It's hosted addresses# to the nation in uncertain times, bill signings.

BILL CLINTON, Former U.S.

President: Family and# medical leave is a matter of pure common sense.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): Weddings.

And# this month, another history making moment.

DONALD TRUMP: This is the Rose Garden.

We never# touched a rose.

The roses are in full bloom.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): A garden of roses# by the same name and smelling just as sweet,## but with many changes.

There's new patio# furniture and umbrellas with bright yellow## accents resembling President Trump's# club in Florida, Mar-a-Lago.

There's a## newly laid slab of concrete.

And for the# people's house, some members only flare.

DONALD TRUMP: You know, you're the first ones on# this great place.

We call it the Rose Garden Club,## and it's a club for senators, for Congress# people, and for people in Washington.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): The President said the# changes would make space more accessible and## easier to navigate.

Mr.

Trump announced the# new Rose Garden Club during a dinner of about## 100 people, a mostly partisan crowd made up of# Republican lawmakers and top White House staffers.

But after the unveiling, public opinion was# divided, some headlines calling it tacky,## focusing on the stark paving job,# some historians take a longer view.

STEWART MCLAURIN, White House Historical# Association: The White House history is## living history, and certainly so much of# American history takes place.. be told through the prism of White House# history.

But it evolves and it changes.

ALI ROGIN: Stewart McLaurin is the president# of the White House Historical Association,## a non-profit organization founded to help# preserve the Executive Mansion and its contents,## as well as educate the public about its history.

STEWART MCLAURIN: We forget that this is# a house to the president and his family.## It's an office to the president and his staff.# It's a ceremonial stage upon which welcome our## most important visitors from around the world.# It's also a museum that about 500,000 people## a year have the privilege of going through.# Imagine all of that happening in your home.

ALI ROGIN: In fact, once upon a time,# the Rose Garden was just a garden,## growing produce for the White House kitchen and# acting as a pasture for dairy cows and sheep.

MAN: Mr.

Kennedy taking the oath# administered by the chief Justice.

ALI ROGIN: It wasn't until 1961,# when the Kennedy family moved in## and took on the task of restoring# and modernizing the White House,## that the garden took on a more official role.# President Kennedy envisioned the space as an## extension of the White House, one where he# could address a crowd or entertain guests.

But those changes also came with# their share of public commentary.

STEWART MCLAURIN: President Kennedy# was concerned that there would be## press criticism or this money is# being spent.

What will people think?## And there were articles in the newspaper about# what is Mrs.

Kennedy doing to the White House.## There were concerns raised when she did her# Rose Garden renovation in the 1960s as well.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): That renovation ended# abruptly with Kennedy's assassination in 1963,## but subsequent presidents and# first ladies took up the mantle.

STEWART MCLAURIN: There have been presidents# since John and Abigail Adams that have lived## in this house.

They've been of all# political persuasions, conservative,## liberal, Republican, Democrat.

And yet the# house has emerged and sustained to be the## great house of the American presidency.

And it# will continue to be that for generations to come.

ALI ROGIN (voice-over): Their# surroundings may change,## but the White House roses bear witness to# it all.

For PBS News Weekend, I'.. JOHN YANG:## Now online, the many ways Health# Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's## vaccine policy changes have critics on# high alert about the effectiveness and## safety of vaccines.

All that and more# is on our website, PBS.org/NewsHour.

And that is PBS News Weekend for this Saturday.# I'm John Yang.

For all of my colleagues,## thanks for joining us.

See you tomorrow.