Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton cautioned that partial U.S. military strikes against Iran risk leaving the regime intact, allowing it to recover and strengthen its nuclear and terrorist capabilities.
US Risks Leaving ‘Wounded Beast’ In Iran
On Tuesday, in a post on X while sharing a CNN interview, Bolton wrote, “If the White House leaves a wounded beast alive in Tehran, whatever is left of the regime will come back and rebuild its nuclear program, its terrorist infrastructure, and the regime.
He added, “It will only be a matter of time.”
During the CNN interview, Bolton elaborated on the risks, saying, “The basic problem is, remains the regime is as long as they’re there.”
He added, “They now have palpable proof that if they close the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s economy suffers. So their leverage is significantly up if we allow this to continue.”
Bolton also criticized what he described as half-measures by the Trump administration.
He noted, “If you leave a wounded beast in control in Tehran at this point, they will rebuild the nuclear capability, they will rebuild the terrorist infrastructure, they will strengthen the regime again.”
He stressed the importance of supporting internal opposition forces in Iran to push for regime change, calling it a missed strategic opportunity.
Strait Of Hormuz Tensions Escalate
President Donald Trump revealed that Iran had given U.S. negotiators a “gift” related to the Strait of Hormuz, allowing “non-hostile” vessels to pass, though ships linked to the U.S., Israel, and other hostile parties were excluded.
The waterway had been closed since Feb. 28, stranding thousands of ships, some paying up to $2 million for safe passage.
Last week, Trump had warned that he would “hit and obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the strait was not reopened within 48 hours, but later said the U.S. held “productive conversations” and postponed strikes for five days.
Iran’s military threatened retaliation against critical regional infrastructure, including energy, IT, and desalination facilities.
Iran also reported that U.S. and Israeli forces struck the Natanz enrichment complex, but officials said no off-site radiation was detected.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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