United States President Donald Trump has stated that a regime change in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen,” amidst US Iran nuclear talks.
His administration is currently evaluating military options against Tehran in light of the deployment of a second aircraft carrier group to the Middle East.
These remarks were made shortly after Trump visited troops at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, where he confirmed the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford.
When questioned about advocating for the removal of Iran’s Islamic clerical regime, Trump remarked, “It seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.”
“For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking”, he continued. Although the president had recently emphasized the importance of Iran reducing its nuclear program, he suggested on Friday that this was merely one component of the concessions the US is seeking.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently had a meeting with Trump in Washington, has expressed support for any agreement that incorporates measures to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile program and to cease its financial support for proxy organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
Trump commented while addressing Tehran’s nuclear program, which experienced setbacks due to US military strikes last year, “If we do it, that would be the least of the mission.”
Iran asserts that its nuclear program is intended for peaceful purposes, although it had been enriching uranium to a purity level of 60 percent prior to a conflict in June.
US Iran nuclear talks
The USS Gerald R. Ford, recognized as the largest aircraft carrier globally, is being sent from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East to support other naval vessels and military resources already present in the area.
This deployment comes shortly after Trump suggested the possibility of renewed discussions with Iran, which ultimately did not occur, even though Tehran’s security officials were in communication with US intermediaries in Oman and Qatar.
“In the event that we do not reach an agreement, we will require it,” Trump remarked to journalists concerning the second carrier, further stating, “It will be departing very shortly.”
Gulf Arab countries have warned that any assault could trigger another regional conflict in a Middle East that is still dealing with the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Domestically, Iranians are participating in 40-day mourning rituals for those who lost their lives during a violent crackdown on widespread protests last month, thereby increasing the pressure on the sanctions-affected Islamic Republic.
The Ford will be joining the USS Abraham Lincoln along with its supporting guided-missile destroyers, which have been stationed in the area for more than two weeks.
Recently, US forces intercepted and shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the Lincoln, coinciding with Iran’s attempt to halt a US-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
In spite of the military escalation, Trump expressed cautious optimism regarding a potential agreement during the US Iran nuclear talks, remarking: “Give us the deal that they should have offered us initially. If they present us with the right deal, we will refrain from taking that action.”
