garner's family. the breaking news on jeffrey epstein's will signed just two days before his death, what it reveals. also tonight prince andrew's friendship with epstein in the spotlight. what the palace is now saying. the potentially deadly plot spoiled by authorities in four different u.s. cities, dramatic body cam, police arresting one suspect outside a super market another man firing a gun on social media and life here in iran, what we saw on our rare journey inside >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt reporting tonight from inside iran good evening from the iranian capital where we have spent the last three days reporting a story that at moments this year has felt like it was carrying us to the brink of conflict. the adversarial relationship between the u.s. and iran mired in an even deeper mistrust over a series of actions, events, and deeds in an already volatile region

i have sat down with nearly half a dozen senior government officials as well as visited with iranians in their homes, workplaces, and cafes to better understand the issues, the attitudes, and what may happen next here in iran tonight officials are warning the united states against trying to detain an iranian oil tanker that was freed by authorities in gibraltar. the u.s. tried to block its release for violating american sanctions. it's the latest potential flash point between the u.s. and iran, and tonight we get a rare view of things from inside iran >> reporter: we're in iran as tensions in the u.s. grow. we travelled via germany one of few western european airlines still flying to an increasingly isolated iran. here on the ground in tehran, we find a country that remains defiant in the face of its high stakes, high risk staredown with the united states.

one of my first stops, the ministry speaking with javad zarif not long after he rejected an invitation to meet with president trump. >> do you think it was a result of your refusal? >> it was presented to me as such you will will be designated in two weeks, but you have an invitation to come to the oval office >> it was that quick >> that's one hell of a way of inviting someone for negotiations >> why reject it why not go visit the president, sit down, have a cup of tea, and talk it over >> we have talked it over. we talked with the previous administration at length we were talking to the current administration at the deputy foreign minister administer level >> the white house telling nbc news assertions that the administration conveyed a threat of sanctions unless zarif travelled to washington to meet with the president are patently false. zarif told us there is nothing more to talk about, but the

trump administration says there is plenty to talk about including iran's threats toward israel >> it accuses iran leading the world in terms of state sponsor of terror, assisting hezbollah, hamas, al qaeda, fuelling iraq, fomenting civil wars in syria. what do you say to all that? >> first of all, the nuclear deed we have was negotiated in the context of our regional disputes number two, who's the source of instability in the region? who supported saddam hussein what they invaded iran who supported the taliban when they took over in afghanistan in the '90s the answer to these questions would not be iran. the answer would be u.s. allies. >> reporter: the tensions growing after the united states unilaterally withdrew from an obama era deal that restricted iran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon

in a rare interview, i spoke to the powerful head of iran's security council who says in hindsight he regrets the deal. >> translator: there are people in my country who that feeling at the moment. >> are you one of them >> translator: i'm just following the viewpoints of my own nation, the people of iran yes. >> after president trump reimposed harsh sanctions, iran lashed out downing a u.s. drone and according to the u.s. sabotaging oil tankers, risking accidental war iran's national security chief saying the risk of war is low, but he warns -- >> translator: in the case of war, the u.s. will be in a very terrible situation. and its regional allies as well. >> how far is iran willing to go to defend its interests? >> translator: iran has multiple instruments at hand including the proxy war. >> reporter: as you can imagine the sanctions and the tensions

are on everyones' minds here on a daily basis and certainly in newspapers i don't speak persian, but i'm told this headline has to do with foreign minister zarif in northern europe right now trying to gain support against the sanctions. this is talks about president rouhani and warning about foreign forces in the region everyone we spoke to was talking about the showdown reza and zara invited us into their home a few months ago there was great concern that there could be war between your country and mine. were you worried about that? >> some people are worried she was worried. she was very worried >> we meet ali and madi at a coffee shop. >> grouf you've grown up under it your whole life the country has been under sanctions >> yeah, our whole life under sanctions people have learned to handle the pressure sometimes it's better.

sometimes it's not >> president trump says sunday iran now wants to talk >> their economy is crashing it's crashing. inflation is through the roof. they're doing really badly and they very much want to make a deal they just don't know how to call because they're proud people and i understand that. but i have a feeling that maybe things with iran could work out and maybe not. >> but iran still defiant tonight saying it will soon further reduce compliance with a now tattered nuclear deal. what's the next step for iran? >> translator: we will make that public we will continue and follow this active resistance approach in all sectors. there is no doubt there will be even more decisive steps to be taken. >> reporter: mistrust of u.s. intentions runs deep here. one official today thought it important to remind me that today is the 66th anniversary of the cia organized coupe that unseated irans elected prime minister we'll have more from the streets of iran, what everyday life is like here for the people here.

it's a rare and fascinating look inside this country and perhaps not what you might think that's just ahead. but for the moment, let's turn it to savannah guthrie in new york with a lot of other news breaking back home >> lester, thank you and there is breaking news tonight. in a case that made national headlines. new york's police commissioner fired the officer at the center of the eric garner case more than five years after his death became a rallying cry for the black lives matter movement. here's nbc's ron allen >> reporter: five years after the video showed daniel pantaleo arresting eric garner for selling untaxed cigarettes on a new york street -- >> i can't breathe i can't breathe. >> reporter: today the police commissioner fired pantaleo for using a choke hold, a violation of nypd rules.

>> it's clear that daniel pantaleo can no longer serve as a new york city police officer >> reporter: for garner's family a small victory. >> commissioner o'neal, i thank you for doing the right thing. i truly thank you for firing the officer. >> reporter: pantaleo, 34, 13 years on the force had been restricted to desk duty since the 2014 incident. federal prosecutors chose not to file charges but a judge found enough evidence he used a choke hold to say he should be fired >> what i want the residents of the new york city to take that there is accountability within the new york city police department it is fair and impartial >> reporter: the police union accused the commissioner of bowing to pressure >> our police officers are in distress because they realize they're abandoned. >> reporter: for garner's family it marks the first time in five years someone has been held accountable for his death. >> pantaleo, you may have lost a job, but i lost a son. >> that's right. >> reporter: garner's family wants the criminal case reopened and other officers involved to face discipline.

pantaleo's lawyer said he will appeal all this may be far from over. savannah >> ron allen thank you. there is more breaking news on accused sex trafficker jeffrey epstein. tonight we're learning about the will he signed just two days before his death and new reaction from buckingham palace has epstein's friendship with the prince is under scrutiny here's kelly cobiella. >> reporter: in the virgin islands where jeffrey epstein called home, a will filed before his death in federal custody it was filed two days before his death for an estate worth 577 million dollar also today, more fall out from his death. william barr reassigning the active director of the bureau of prisons. prince andrew is distancing himself after this video surfaced in british media. they say it shows the duke at the doorway of disgraced fancier's new york mansion

nbc news has not confirmed when the video was shot or if the prince is the person seen in the doorway. british media says the video was recorded around the same time the pair was photographed together in new york in 2010 after epstein was designated a sex offender buckingham palace did not comment the video when asked by nbc news but in a statement said his royal highness deplores the exploitation of any human being, and the suggestion he would condone, participate in, or encourage any such behavior is abhorrent prince andrews has face accusations around the sex trafficking ring, accusations he has denied this case clearly not put to rest on either side of the atlantic kelly cobiella, nbc news london. >> a battle over abortion access planned parenthood has announced it will withdraw from the title 10, the family planning program because of a new rule by the trump administration that prevents clinics from giving abortion provider referrals. that move could impact more than 1.5 million low income women who depend on planned parenthood for

birth control, pregnancy tests, std screenings and more. tonight four cities stopped mass shootings or bombing attacks. two suspects had white supremacist leanings and two were obsessed with mass shootings. nbc's pete williams now with the details. >> reporter: in a florida supermarket, authorities arrest a man 12 hours after getting a tip he was making threats. the county sheriff says 25-year-old tristan wix of daytona beach sent disturbing text messages to his exgirlfriend including, quote, i want to open fire on a large crowd of people. investigators say he was fascinated with mass shootings in connecticut, brandon wag shaw was arrested after a tip said he bought high powering magazines out of state he too was interested in mass violence he signed a statement saying he did not have intention of committing mass shooting in ohio, a search turned up four weapons after social media posts

from james reardon threaten ed jewish community center. investigators say he's a white supremacist who attended the charlottesville unite the white rally. las vegas police say he communicated with a neonazi group and talked with an undercover operative about attacking a synagogue or a gay bar. reports show him patrolling his neighborhood with an assault rifle. pete williams, nbc news washington now to iran and more of lester's exclusive visit inside the tensions escalating between the u.s. and iran. we wanted to look at something we hardly ever see, the impact on the people there. lester, i know you've been talking to people from all walks of life. >> yes, savannah the u.s. is maintaining its beefed up military presence in

the persian gulf region. it may have fired its most important and potent weapon, the harshest ever economic sanctions against iran officials here acknowledge they are painful. we tried to understand is there a breaking point for as many headlines as it makes in america, iran is a country we rarely get to see one of the first things you notice here, a stalled construction project along the tehran skyline unemployment is high food prices have doubled things are very expensive? >> yes >> shoppers in this bazaar tell us everything has gone up. even some who were better off are feeling the pinch. >> what is it like right now doing business in iran >> very hard >> entrepreneurs like high end fashion designer complain business is drying up. >> it's become very less customers for us >> because it's expensive. >> yes, because expensive.

>> of course pain to the economy is the point of the trump administration's maximum pressure campaign. using sanctions to force iran's leaders to change their behavior to get back to the bargaining table. >> we don't want money going out to sponsor terror. and they are the number one sponsor of terror anywhere in the world. >> back at home with reza and zara, they tell us those american sanctions were a surprise >> many people didn't expect this they thought that as iran stuck by its part of the deal, the united states would do the same. >> still we found not all iranians are blaming the u.s >> tell me about the economy >> it's terrible it's very bad. >> do you blame the united states >> well, no. there is a point -- i don't know if you can -- you have to get along with even the enemy. >> the jury is still out whether the u.s. pressure is working. consumers here still have access to popular items

for example, apple doesn't do business here in iran but as i discovered you can still buy apple computers and iphones through a gray market of third party countries. >> they come from china. >> right people want to buy them? they're popular here >> yeah. >> cyrus consults with companies looking to legally do business here >> those guys know how to get the products into iran and there is enough customer demand despite higher prices for those products to still be in the market >> after four decades of sanctions, iran has perfected the art of the work around take oil, iran's most valuable commodity. the u.s. effort to cut off iran's oil exports has cost the country billions of dollars in revenue. but iran's central bank governor insisting to me much still gets through. >> can you put a number on it? how much oil you are still able to export? >> translator: as mr. trump has announced we are exporting oil please let us keep the process to ourselves

>> tehran bureau chief ali arouzi has covered iran for 12 years. >> this is not a country on the brink of collapse by any ways. they figured ways of circumventing sanctions and using the sanctions. >> but for how long. that's the critical question the u.s. is testing tonight. while sanctions have long been a part of life here, people do say this latest round has been the most challenging savannah, back to you in new york >> we'll be back shortly there's much more ahead including the murder mystery rocking a college campus a victim found stabbed to death on the first day of the school year the man hunt tonight for a killer and the urgent surge at sea, two firefighters on a fishing trip missing three days. stay with us

we're back now with breaking news out of southern california. police are searching for a suspect after a man was found stabbed to death on the campus of cal state fullerton nbc's miguel almaguer with the details. >> reporter: the fatal attack on campus took place just days

before students returned to cal state fullerton. a retired administrator found stabbed multiple times in his own car. when police responded to the grizzly scene, the suspect was gone blood hounds combing the school as investigators launched a man hunt for the killer. >> the backpack was located. inside the backpack was an incendiary device. found inside the backpack were multiple items one would potentially use to kidnap someone. >> the police believe the victim and attacker may know one another. >> i never experienced anything like this, so it's kind of freaky >> reporter: with no apparent motive for the killing, tonight police say the school is safe and secure but there's no sign of the man who brutally killed another on this usually tranquil campus miguel almaguer, nbc news. coming up the massive search to find two firefighters lost at sea.

tonight there is an intense all hands on deck search for two

firefighters who haven't been seen since leaving for a fushing trip last week in florida. >> reporter: it's the rescue mission awing hundreds to the waters off florida >> they have left no stone unturned >> reporter: kevin mccluney confident his brother is live after leaving with his friend justin walker. the two firefighters last seen before a fishing trip on friday. >> they were in the same fire fighting class together. they're going to be looking out for each other for sure. >> reporter: the coast guard spending more than 70 hours scouring the waters, covering over 20,000 square miles >> these guys have the skills to survive for a long time. >> reporter: joining the search for than 50 fellow firefighters using their own boats to find their lost brothers. >> it's family and it's treated as so. it's something sacred and so amazing. >> reporter: tonight the only clue recovered, mccluney's fishing bag found nearly 50

miles offshore >> we're holding strong. they have the stubbornness and the drive. we are staying on it full course >> reporter: morgan chesky, nbc news we are back in a moment.

finally tonight from tehran, a bid about our journey on the ground officials are wary of western journalists. our activities are closely monitored, and we go only where the government grants us permission that said, we were allowed to speak to most of the decision makers we asked to interview, and it was enlightening. and so were our conversations with people who, like so many, struggle with the question how we got here and what the future looks like that's "nightly news" for this monday i'm lester holt reporting from

tehran for savannah guthrie and all of us at nbc news, thank you for watching and good night. >> she has two pugs that are ruining my perfect chihuahua. announcer: there's pets. steve: this is affecting your relationship? announcer: and they're pet peeves. steve: these monkeys they're in the bed every night? >> yeah. steve: how does that work? [cheers and applause] announcer: and they're growing up chrisley. steve: how is your crazy daddy doing? announcer: put your hands together for your host, steve harvey! cheers and applause]

steve: how y'all doing? i appreciate that. thank y'all. i want to talk to younger people. there's a lot of millenials in ere. i want to talk to younger people who have older relative who is ave still alive. i think if you're under 25, every six months you should go and sit down with an older person, just to pick up some knowledge. [applause] i'm telling you, man. they know a lot of stuff. now, it's a couple of things you need to know when you're talking to old people. and don't get frustrated with them because they're going to tell you stories that you've eard before. [laughter] they're going to tell you a story that this is actually your 5th time hearing it. but your duty is to act like you've never heard it before.

just sit there and go what. that's all they want you to do. [applause] here's another thing. when you go see old people, take them something that they ain't supposed to eat. because half of them are on medication of some kind. you know -- you know they blood pressure high. but take them some fried chicken. they want it. you know they got diabetes. take them a piece of cake. they want it. hey want it. now, when you call them, let me tell you what you cannot do to old people. do not facetime them. you ever facetime an old person? because they've got to find that button. and when they hit that button, they leave the phone right here. you be looking right up they nostrils. you don't know -- mama -- [applause]