WASHINGTON : US President Donald Trump has options to intervene in protest-hit Iran that range from low to high risk, but choosing his course depends on him deciding his ultimate goal. Iran has been a sworn foe of the United States since the 1979 Islamic revolution toppled the pro-Western shah. The downfall of the Islamic republic in power since then would transform the Middle East. But Trump has previously lashed out against “regime change” as a goal, especially pointing to lessons from US involvement in Iraq, a smaller country. Pahlavi and a number of Republican hawks have voiced opposition to diplomacy, warning it would only give the Islamic republic a lifeline.

Source: The Patriot January 13, 2026 08:39 UTC