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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday framed the peace deal with Iran as the successful culmination of a de facto regime change, asserting that a "brutal" campaign of military strikes has effectively dismantled the nation's established power structures.
Addressing a press conference at the G7 summit, the President argued that the current Iranian officials engaging in negotiations are a new cohort that emerged only after their predecessors were removed by US operations. "You talk about regime change, nobody will say that, but their one set of leaders is all gone. Their second set of leaders is all gone. Their third set of leaders, a little bit gone, but for the most part, and frankly, I think that's regime change," Trump stated. The President expressed confidence that this forced transition will yield long-term geopolitical shifts. "I think they're going to behave much differently. I think they see a different way of life that they were never exposed to," Trump remarked. Detailing the intensity of the recent military pressure, Trump noted the expenditure of "$200 million worth of bombs" used to neutralise Iranian defensive infrastructure. "By the way, those last two days were brutal. $200 million worth of bombs. They (Iran) knew I was coming for a third night. We informed them we're coming for a third night. They didn't have their navy; it sank. They didn't have their air force; it's gone. They didn't have anti-aircraft equipment. So we got free rein," he said. Trump contrasted the perceived radicalism of the former regime with the disposition of the current leadership, suggesting that the power vacuum has been filled by more pragmatic actors. "They didn't have their leaders, but they have a new group of leaders that are smarter, they're far less radicalised, they're really good. They love their country," he asserted. Trump's remarks come ahead of the impending US-Iran memorandum signing ceremony, which is now less than 48 hours away, with the peace deal set to be signed on Friday in Switzerland. (ANI)
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