Trump has presented the devastating assault as a once-in-a-lifetime chance for the people of Iran to “take back your government”. They are ranked not according to likelihood, but in descending order of their peacefulness, from an orderly, benign transition to bloody chaos. 12:58 Iran war escalates: what’s Trump’s endgame? After fresh negotiations, the newly cooperative leadership would capitulate, surrendering Iran’s nuclear programme and accepting strict constraints on its missiles. Civil war and chaosIn this scenario, regime forces are progressively and severely drained by weeks of bombing by the US and Israel, who are determined that the Islamic republic should not be left standing.

Source: The Guardian March 03, 2026 17:16 UTC