US President Donald Trump has said the United States believes it has effectively achieved “regime change” in Iran, pointing to the killing of key figures during the recent conflict.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump echoed remarks he made earlier, saying, “You could really say we have regime change because they have been killed.”
He further elaborated: “But we've had regime change if you look already because the one regime was decimated, destroyed, they're all dead. The next regime is mostly dead, and the third regime we're dealing with different people than anybody's dealt with before, it's a whole different group of people, so I would consider that regime change, and frankly they've been very reasonable.”
Trump added: “So I think we've had regime change, I mean you can't do much better than that.”
Describing the earlier leadership, he said: “The regime that was really bad, really evil ... the second was appointed, and they're all gone, they're all dead, other than one who may have a little life in him,” referring to Iranian leaders killed during the month-long war.
He also said he believes Iran may reach an agreement with Washington, stating: “I think we'll make a deal with them, pretty sure, but it's possible we won't.”
At the same time, Trump highlighted uncertainty in dealing with Tehran, adding: “You never know with Iran, because we negotiate with them and then we have to blow them up.”
#From BBC