Trump weighs Iran regime change as Tehran reportedly seeks talks President Donald Trump is again facing pressure from within his administration over whether the United States should move beyond military strikes and actively pursue the downfall of Iran's Islamic regime, according to new reports. As American attacks on Iranian military targets continue, officials are said to be debating whether Washington should stick to its stated goal of protecting international shipping or adopt a broader strategy aimed at weakening – and eventually replacing – Iran's leadership. The debate has resurfaced as Trump claimed on Tuesday that Tehran is now desperate to open negotiations. "They want to meet desperately to try and end it because they're getting decimated," Trump told reporters. He added that the US had "no interest" in talks until Iran was ready to negotiate seriously, warning: "They haven't seen anything yet. We've been nice." Military mission remains narrowly focusedDespite speculation over regime change, senior administration figures insist the current campaign has a limited objective. US Central Command says recent strikes have targeted Iranian command centres, missile and drone launch sites, air defence systems and naval assets threatening commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stressed that protecting maritime trade remains the official mission, saying US operations are aimed solely at Iranian military assets being used to attack global shipping. Regime collapse 'not the military objective'Security analysts say there is an important distinction between weakening Iran's rulers and making regime change an official war aim. Richard Goldberg of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said Washington may ultimately welcome the collapse of the Islamic Republic, but current operations are not designed to achieve that through direct military force. Instead, he believes any long-term effort would rely on sustained economic pressure, covert operations and targeted strikes against key regime figures rather than a full-scale invasion. Goldberg noted that highly sensitive nuclear facilities, including the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain complex near Natanz, could remain exceptional targets because of their strategic importance. Kurdish groups seen as possible alliesOne option reportedly discussed inside the administration is increased support for Iranian Kurdish opposition groups operating along the Iraq-Iran border. Earlier reports suggested the White House had explored providing assistance to armed Kurdish factions that have fought Tehran for decades. Such groups could give Washington allies on the ground without committing American troops. However, analysts warn the Kurdish movements remain politically divided, militarily limited and highly vulnerable to Iranian retaliation against their bases inside Iraq. Opposition remains fragmentedKurdish activist Majeed Gly believes recent operations suggest some opposition groups now see the Iranian regime as weaker than before. "This is not business as usual," he said, arguing that recent attacks have reached deeper into Iranian territory than previous border clashes. Even so, Iran's wider opposition remains deeply fragmented. Monarchists, secular reformers, ethnic movements and left-wing organisations all oppose the Islamic Republic but remain divided over who should govern if the regime were to fall. That leaves Washington facing the same dilemma it has confronted for years: widespread dissatisfaction with Iran's rulers does not necessarily mean there is a united alternative ready to take power. SOURCE
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