Trump on Iran: 'Regime change occurred,' but warns of military action

Trump claims 'regime change' has occurred in Iran, opening doors for diplomacy with a 'more reasonable' leadership. However, he issued a stark warning of military action on electric plants if negotiations fail, citing US military dominance.

Trump Claims 'Regime Change' in Iran, Opens Door for Talks

In an official address to the nation amidst the ongoing West Asia conflict, Trump on Wednesday (local time) said that while regime change in Iran was never an official objective, leadership in Iran has shifted following the death of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Speaking from the White House, Trump said, "Regime change was not our goal. We never said regime change, but regime change has occurred because of all of their original leader's death. They're all dead. The new group is less radical and much more reasonable," suggesting a potential opening for negotiations. He emphasised that diplomatic discussions remain ongoing.

Stark Warning of Military Escalation

At the same time, Trump issued a stark warning, saying that failure to reach an agreement could trigger military action. Trump said, " If during this period of time, no deal is made, we have our eyes on key targets." Outlining the possible escalation, Trump said, " If there is no deal, we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously."

He also highlighted restraint in targeting critical infrastructure, noting that oil facilities have so far been spared. The US President said, "We have not hit their oil, even though that's the easiest target of all, because it would not give them even a small chance of survival or rebuilding." However, he underscored that such options remain on the table.

He said, "But we could hit it, and it would be gone, and there's not a thing they could do about it," Trump warned, further claiming that Iran's defence capabilities have been severely "annihilated". "They have no anti-aircraft equipment, their radar is 100 per cent annihilated. We are unstoppable as a military force," he added.

US Claims Decisive Victory in 'Operation Epic Fury'

Trump provided an update on the month-long "Operation Epic Fury," which he said was launched against the "world's number one state sponsor of terror." He asserted that over "these past four weeks, our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield."

The US President maintained that the adversary's maritime and aerial capabilities have been systematically dismantled. "Iran's navy is gone, their air force is in ruins, its leaders, most of them terrorists, are now dead," Trump declared, adding that the country's broader military infrastructure has been severely diminished.

Detailing the impact of the strikes, the President stated that the opposition's "ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed." He noted that "weapons factories and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces - very few of them left," and claimed that the United States is "winning bigger than ever before."

Trump's speech signalled a dual-track approach by the US administration, which is keeping diplomatic channels open while maintaining the threat of decisive military action if negotiations fail.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)