Trump Says Iran Strikes May Continue For ‘Four To Five Weeks,’ Adds He Has ‘Three Very Good’ Post-Regime Choices

President Donald Trump has suggested that the current U.S. military strikes against Iran could persist for “four to five weeks,” if necessary.

In a telephonic conversation with The New York Times on Sunday, Trump showed confidence in the U.S. and Israel’s capacity to uphold the intensity of the conflict, despite the potential for increased American casualties.

Trump earlier addressed the nation on Sunday, honoring the fallen troops, wishing the wounded a full recovery, and warning that casualties could increase despite efforts to prevent further losses.

While speaking to the NYT, Trump also touched upon the potential for a power shift in Iran, hinting at several possibilities, including a scenario similar to Venezuela, where the top leader, Nicolas Maduro, was ousted. He did not give specific names but mentioned having “three very good choices” for potential leaders.

Trump suggested that Iranians could have an “opportunity” to overthrow their government, saying it would ultimately be up to them.

Despite the ongoing conflict, Trump said he did not believe Arab states in the Persian Gulf needed to join the U.S. in striking Iran, even though Tehran has carried out retaliatory attacks against several of them, as well as Israel.

Iran Power Shift Amid US Rift

In January, Trump had shown openness to the leadership of Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, despite initial skepticism. The president had stated that Pahlavi “seems very nice”, indicating a potential shift in U.S. policy towards Iran.

In the wake of the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, senior Iranian cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has been named as the country’s interim Supreme Leader on Sunday. 

Meanwhile, Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, rejected claims that Tehran plans to negotiate with the U.S. and accused Trump of driving regional chaos, endangering American troops, and prioritizing Israel over U.S. interests.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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