Trump recounts shift in thinking on Iran regime change

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he initially believed the conflict with Iran could lead to a change in the country’s government but later concluded that such an outcome was unlikely.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he thought at the outset of the conflict that Iran’s government could be overthrown, adding that the situation might have been different if anti-government protesters had been armed.

Trump said he underestimated the extent to which Iranian authorities were prepared to use force to maintain control. He also referenced his earlier public statements urging Iranians to oppose their government, before later acknowledging that government opponents lacked the means to confront state security forces.

The president further claimed that strikes targeting senior Iranian officials had effectively weakened the country’s leadership, although Iran’s governing system remained in place.

Separately, Israeli media reported that Israel had attempted to establish contact with former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as part of broader efforts related to potential political change in Iran, though those reported efforts were unsuccessful.

Trump also alleged that Kurdish fighters in Iraq retained weapons that he claimed had been intended for operations against Iranian government forces. The claims have not been independently verified, and no supporting evidence was provided during the interview.