Former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton urged the Trump administration on Thursday to intensify pressure on Iran, arguing that Washington should seek to “destroy the regime” rather than ease off as negotiations falter.
Bolton Calls For More Iran Pressure
Bolton wrote on X that “now is exactly the wrong time to lessen pressure on Iran,” adding that the United States should increase efforts and “destroy the regime,” possibly to be followed by a “non-ideological military government” that could restore order.
Bolton linked to an op-ed he wrote for the Arabic-language edition of The Independent, where he argued that efforts to launch constructive U.S.-Iran negotiations “appear to have failed so far” and that prospects for progress were dwindling. He framed the standoff as one between Iran’s clerical leadership and Revolutionary Guard, which he described as ideologically rigid, and President Donald Trump’s administration, which he said was unwilling to offer meaningful concessions.
Regime Collapse Strategy Gets Detailed
Rather than wait for talks to collapse, Bolton called for a multi-front strategy aimed at regime collapse. He urged the United States, Israel and Gulf states to provide Iranian dissidents with communications tools, money and weapons, while keeping military pressure on Tehran. He also advocated ending the ceasefire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining the U.S. naval blockade and striking surviving Iranian strategic sites.
Bolton also argued that Gulf oil producers should flood global markets to weaken Iran’s leverage and called for renewed pressure on Iranian-held disputed islands, including Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs.
His comments arrive days after he told NewsNation that the United States “hasn’t finished the job” in Iran and that Trump still had unused military and political leverage.
Hormuz Clashes Test Fragile Ceasefire
Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command said on Thursday that American forces carried out “self-defense strikes” after three Navy destroyers came under Iranian missile and drone fire, though none were hit.
Iran says it is reviewing the latest U.S. proposal to end the war while also moving to formalize control over the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes. CBS News reported that Trump said on Thursday that the war would be “over quickly” and was going “unbelievably well,” after warning on Wednesday that rejecting the U.S. offer could bring “higher level” strikes.
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