Israel-Iran conflict: Trump open to regime change in Tehran after his administration said that wasn't the goal

Following the US military strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, President Donald Trump on Sunday called into question the future of Iran's ruling theocracy.
While Washington maintains that it is not seeking regime change in the Islamic Republic, Trump's more ambiguous remarks have fuelled speculation.
On Sunday, the US military launched strikes on three key sites in Iran, raising urgent questions about the status of Tehran's nuclear programme and how its weakened military might respond.
The strikes marked a significant escalation, coming after over a week of Israeli attacks aimed at systematically dismantling Iran's air defences, offensive missile systems, and nuclear infrastructure.
The US and Israeli officials said American stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound (13,600-kilogram) bunker-buster bomb - capable of reaching Iran's deeply buried nuclear facilities - offered the best chance of neutralising fortified sites.
Trump announced the strikes, and Iran's state-run IRNA confirmed that the targets included Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz nuclear sites.
The Pentagon claimed the strikes had 'devastated' Iran's nuclear programme, aligning the US with Israel's ongoing military campaign. Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister declared that the country reserves the right to retaliate, as tensions mount and the international community urges restraint to prevent a wider regional conflict.
According to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, Israeli strikes across Iran have killed at least 950 people and wounded 3,450 others. Of the dead, the group identified 380 civilians and 253 members of the security forces.

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