Latest news with #regimechange


Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Biden Diplomat: American Public Not Ready for Iran Intervention
"There's no question that the American public is not ready, has not been prepared, by the president or his administration for the prospect of US military intervention in Iran," says Barbara Leaf, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Leaf suggests the fear is now that Israel's war aims have shifted from destroying Iran's nuclear program and attriting its military to regime change. "That opens up a Pandora's box of possibilities," she adds. (Source: Bloomberg)


Sky News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Regime change in Iran is 'unacceptable', says the Kremlin
Why you can trust Sky News Regime change in Iran is "unacceptable" and the assassination of the country's Supreme Leader would "open the Pandora's box", the Kremlin has said. In a rare interview with a foreign media organisation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sky News that Russia would react "very negatively" if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. The comments came as US President Donald Trump said he will decide within two weeks whether America will join Israel's military campaign against Tehran, after earlier speculating on social media about killing the Iranian leader. "The situation is extremely tense and is dangerous not only for the region but globally," Mr Peskov said in an interview at the Constantine Palace in Saint Petersburg. "An enlargement of the composition of the participants of the conflict is potentially even more dangerous. "It will lead only to another circle of confrontation and escalation of tension in the region." They are the Kremlin's strongest comments yet regarding the Israel-Iran conflict, which has stoked fears in Moscow that it could be on the verge of losing its closest ally in the Middle East. Russia has deepened its ties with Iran since invading Ukraine, and the two countries signed a strategic partnership in January. "[Regime change in Iran] is unimaginable. It should be unacceptable, even talking about that should be unacceptable for everyone," Mr Peskov said, in a thinly veiled reference to Washington. 1:35 But Mr Peskov refused to be drawn on what action Russia would take if Khamenei was killed, saying instead it would trigger action "from inside Iran". "It would lead to the birth of extremist moods inside Iran and those who are speaking about [killing Khamenei], they should keep it in mind. They will open the Pandora's box." Vladimir Putin's offers to mediate an end to the conflict have so far been rejected by Mr Trump, who said on Wednesday that he told the Russian president to "mediate your own [conflict]", in reference to Russia's war against Ukraine. Mr Peskov denied the American president's words were insulting, adding: "Everyone has a different language. "President Trump has his own unique way of speaking and his unique language. We are quite tolerant and expect everyone to be tolerant of us." The Trump administration's own mediation efforts to end the war in Ukraine have failed to yield any major breakthroughs, despite two rounds of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Moscow has stepped up its aerial bombardment of Ukraine in recent weeks and continues to reject Volodymyr Zelenskyy's calls for a 30-day ceasefire. "Now we have a strategic advantage. Why should we lose it? We are not going to lose it. We are going further. We're advancing and we'll continue to advance," Mr Peskov said. 👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈 Russia has previously said it would only commit to a ceasefire if Kyiv stops receiving foreign military support, fearing that a pause in the fighting would offer Ukraine a chance to rearm and regroup its forces. 0:57 Asked if Moscow could commit to not using a ceasefire in the same way, Mr Peskov said: "A ceasefire is a ceasefire, and you stop. "But America is not saying that 'we'll quit any supplies'. Britain is not saying that as well. France is not saying that as well. This is the problem."


Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
MAGA tears itself apart over Iran as Steve Bannon unloads on Bibi for dragging America into war: 'Who the hell are you?'
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon pivoted his criticism away from President Donald Trump and aimed it toward Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu as the president weighs further military action against Iran. Bannon lambasted the Israeli government for pushing Trump to get involved in the goal of 'regime change' in Iran and trying to manipulate the American people into support of further military strikes in Iran. 'Who in the hell are you to lecture the American people? Who are you to lecture the American people?' Bannon said angrily on his War Room podcast. He demanded that Netanyahu do more to 'finish the job' to destroy Iran's nuclear capacities. 'The American people are not going to tolerate it. Not going to put up with it. Who are you to jam us into this situation which you knew you couldn't finish the job, or if you can, go finish it!' he announced. In recent days, Netanyahu has pressed Trump and his MAGA allies for more support, speaking to the media about the importance of getting the United States further involved with the war against the 'evil' in Iran. 'Today, it's Tel Aviv. Tomorrow, it's New York. Look, I understand "America First" I don't understand "America Dead,"' he said on ABC News on Sunday. Bannon said that it was the Israeli's responsibly to conclude the war, and expressed frustration that they had no problem starting the conflict. 'Go finish it! Quit coming to us to finish it. President Trump may come to that conclusion, but it's not something he would just say… 'Oh yeah, let's go bomb 'em and take care of it,"' he said. 'He's going to do it because he's got to weigh the options now that you've gotten us into it. That's reality. That's the truth. That's exactly where we are and people should be truthful with each other, particularly in these tough decisions,' he said. 'That's what allies do. Allies don't manipulate and don't inextricably draw people into situations of which the other party has to get them out of,' he continued. On his show, Bannon questioned the timing of the military strikes on Iran, asking the Israelis why it had to be now. He demanded Netanyahu show their intelligence that proved the Iranians were on the cusp of obtaining a nuclear weapon. 'Why did you start something that you couldn't finish?' he asked. Bannon told his viewers that Trump was facing enormous pressure to get involved in the war. 'The pressure on President Trump is coming from the outside and it's coming from people who are not straight with him,' he said. He conceded that Trump could conclude that military action was necessary but that it was important to detail the reasons why they had to do it. 'We have enough faith in President Trump and his judgement that he will come to the right conclusion, but we have to get all the cards on the table,' he concluded.


Sky News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Russia would react 'negatively' if Iran's leader is killed, says the Kremlin
Why you can trust Sky News Regime change in Iran is "unacceptable" and the assassination of the country's Supreme Leader would "open the Pandora's box", the Kremlin has said. In a rare interview with a foreign media organisation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sky News that Russia would react "very negatively" if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. The comments came as US President Donald Trump said he will decide within two weeks whether America will join Israel's military campaign against Tehran, after earlier speculating on social media about killing the Iranian leader. "The situation is extremely tense and is dangerous not only for the region but globally," Mr Peskov said in an interview at the Constantine Palace in Saint Petersburg. "An enlargement of the composition of the participants of the conflict is potentially even more dangerous. "It will lead only to another circle of confrontation and escalation of tension in the region." Russia has deepened its ties with Iran since invading Ukraine, and the two countries signed a strategic partnership in January. "[Regime change in Iran] is unimaginable. It should be unacceptable, even talking about that should be unacceptable for everyone," Mr Peskov said, in a thinly veiled reference to Washington. 1:35 But Mr Peskov refused to be drawn on what action Russia would take if Khamenei was killed, saying instead it would trigger action "from inside Iran". "It would lead to the birth of extremist moods inside Iran and those who are speaking about [killing Khamenei], they should keep it in mind. They will open the Pandora's box." Vladimir Putin's offers to mediate an end to the conflict have so far been rejected by Mr Trump, who said on Wednesday that he told the Russian president to "mediate your own [conflict]", in reference to Russia's war against Ukraine. Mr Peskov denied the American president's words were insulting, adding: "Everyone has a different language. "President Trump has his own unique way of speaking and his unique language. We are quite tolerant and expect everyone to be tolerant of us." The Trump administration's own mediation efforts to end the war in Ukraine have failed to yield any major breakthroughs, despite two rounds of direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Moscow has stepped up its aerial bombardment of Ukraine in recent weeks and continues to reject Volodymyr Zelenskyy's calls for a 30-day ceasefire. "Now we have a strategic advantage. Why should we lose it? We are not going to lose it. We are going further. We're advancing and we'll continue to advance," Mr Peskov said. Russia has previously said it would only commit to a ceasefire if Kyiv stops receiving foreign military support, fearing that a pause in the fighting would offer Ukraine a chance to rearm and regroup its forces. 0:57 Asked if Moscow could commit to not using a ceasefire in the same way, Mr Peskov said: "A ceasefire is a ceasefire, and you stop. "But America is not saying that 'we'll quit any supplies'. Britain is not saying that as well. France is not saying that as well. This is the problem."


Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Top Trump ally unloads on Israeli leader for dragging America into war: 'Quit coming to us to finish it.'
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon pivoted his criticism away from President Donald Trump and toward Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu as the president weighs further military action against Iran. Bannon criticized the Israeli government for pushing Trump to get involved in the goal of 'regime change' in Iran and trying to manipulate the American people into support of further military strikes in Iran. 'Who in the hell are you to lecture the American people? Who are you to lecture the American people?' Bannon said angrily on his War Room podcast. He demanded that Netanyahu do more to 'finish the job' to destroy Iran's nuclear capacities. 'The American people are not going to tolerate it. Not going to put up with it. Who are you to jam us into this situation which you knew you couldn't finish the job, or if you can, go finish it!' he announced. In recent days, Netanyahu has pressed Trump and his MAGA allies for more support, speaking to the media about the importance of getting the United States further involved with the war against the 'evil' in Iran. 'Today, it's Tel Aviv. Tomorrow, it's New York. Look, I understand "America First" I don't understand "America Dead,"' he said on ABC News on Sunday. Bannon said that it was the Israeli's responsibly to conclude the war, and expressed frustration that they had no problem starting the conflict. 'Go finish it! Quit coming to us to finish it. President Trump may come to that conclusion, but it's not something he would just say… 'Oh yeah, let's go bomb 'em and take care of it,"' he said. 'He's going to do it because he's got to weigh the options now that you've gotten us into it. That's reality. That's the truth. That's exactly where we are and people should be truthful with each other, particularly in these tough decisions,' he said. 'That's what allies do. Allies don't manipulate and don't inextricably draw people into situations of which the other party has to get them out of,' he continued. On his show, Bannon questioned the timing of the military strikes on Iran, asking the Israelis why it had to be now. He demanded Netanyahu show their intelligence that proved the Iranians were on the cusp of obtaining a nuclear weapon. 'Why did you start something that you couldn't finish?' he asked. Bannon told his viewers that Trump was facing enormous pressure to get involved in the war. 'The pressure on President Trump is coming from the outside and it's coming from people who are not straight with him,' he said. He conceded that Trump could conclude that military action was necessary but that it was important to detail the reasons why they had to do it.