The US Department of Defense - the Pentagon, after a months-long hiatus, held a press briefing and made important statements regarding the war around Iran. During the briefing, US Defense Secretary Pete Heggett emphasized that Washington's strikes were not intended to "switch the regime." According to him, the main goal of the operation was to destabilize Iran's missile, naval, and other security infrastructure using precise targets. At the same time, he acknowledged the change of leadership in Iran and assessed it as a "good result for the world."
Hegset's speech was not just a military report, but also a politically harsh statement. He called on the Iranian people to "take advantage" of the current situation and overthrow the ruling regime with their own hands. However, he also emphasized that this US campaign is not a mission of "building a state" or "bringing democracy" as in Iraq or Afghanistan. That is, although Washington does not officially call changing the regime a goal, it does not deny the weakening or change of power in Tehran as a political result.
The Pentagon chief also emphasized that the US did not start the war. According to his interpretation, the current regime in Iran waged a one-sided and ruthless struggle against America for 47 years. Hegset explained this claim by the explosions in Beirut, attacks on American ships, murders around embassies, as well as terrorist attacks against Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan. In his opinion, Washington did not start this war, but intends to end it during the presidency of Donald Trump.
The statements of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also complemented this rhetoric. According to Reuters, he portrayed the war against Iran as a struggle aimed at eliminating the "threat to existence" for Israel. At the same time, he said that this process could lead to a change in the regime in Iran, but described it as a result of an internal political shift, not a direct external force. Netanyahu also emphasized that Iran poses a threat not only to Israel and the US but to the peoples of the entire region, stating that he is acting in concert with Washington.
In short, current official statements show that the US and Israel are avoiding publicly calling the war a "rejim change operation." However, there is one important hint between the words of both sides: they see the weakening or change of current power in Iran not as a negative, but rather as an acceptable political consequence. Therefore, this conflict is now being debated not only as a military war, but also as a war related to major geopolitical goals.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
