Journalist and International Affairs Commentator, Tom Gross, joined AnewZ from Tel Aviv to tell us why he thinks the attack happened now and whether this could mark the beginning of the end for the Iranian leadership.
Gross said there were “two interests” behind the strikes. The first, he said, is “a defensive, a pre-emptive defensive attack by Israel and the U.S. to prevent the Iranians from being in a position where they pose a really serious threat, eventually a nuclear threat, to Israel, the U.S., and European allies”.
The second, he said, is that Trump is “honouring his promise to the Iranian people in January”, when the U.S. president said that “if you protest against the regime, we’ll have your back”. Gross added that Trump “essentially said, America will be with you”.
The central question now, Gross told AnewZ, is “what will the Iranian people do?”
Gross said the issue is whether this is “just a military strike” or “some kind of plan for the Iranian protesters to attempt to seize power” and prompt a leadership change.
Gross outlined three main possibilities. The first, he said, would be a short operation lasting only “a few hours”, after which Washington “will pose again the question to the Iranian regime, this is your chance, negotiate properly”, telling Tehran to address its nuclear and missile programmes before the campaign stops.
The second possibility is a longer effort, “until the regime in Iran crumbles”, depending on Tehran’s reaction and internal stability. While the third possibility, which Gross compared to a Venezuela-style shift, involves someone inside Iran’s power structure moving to redirect the country away from confrontation. He said the U.S. could accept such a figure if it changed course, noting Trump would “probably be OK with that”.
He said “there will not be any ground troops” and that the outcome “will be up to the Iranian people”. Gross added that “up to one-third of American naval forces are essentially surrounding Iran”, underscoring the pressure behind these scenarios.
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Iran and Pakistan discussed developments in stalled Iran-U.S. negotiations during a visit to Tehran by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsen Raza Naqvi, amid Islamabad’s ongoing mediation efforts.
Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts to accelerate peace talks between the United States and Iran, as Tehran reviews Washington’s latest proposals and U.S. President Donald Trump signals he is prepared to wait only a few days for what he called the “right answers.”
Demand for electric vehicles has surged across Europe as elevated fuel prices linked to the Iran conflict push consumers toward new and second-hand EVs, according to data shared with Reuters. It is providing a boost to an auto industry that has struggled with slower-than-expected adoption.
Asian stocks surged on Thursday as some vessels resumed passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while forecast-beating results at Nvidia and a suspended workers' strike at Samsung Electronics lifted shares of chipmakers.
Day four of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Baku brings a packed agenda on sustainable cities and the global housing crisis, with sessions on green housing, smart cities, public spaces and urban rights taking place on Wednesday (20 May) at Baku Olympic Stadium in Azerbaijan.
At least 21 people have been killed and thousands evacuated after torrential rain triggered flooding, landslides and transport disruption across southern and central China, with authorities warning that more heavy rainfall is expected along the Yangtze River.
The penultimate day of the World Urban Forum 13 in Baku will see Azerbaijan's Pavilion highlight post-construction efforts in Garabagh and East Zangezur, as well as host events on the future of Baku and architectural education.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya warned on Tuesday (19 May) that Moscow could retaliate against Baltic states if Ukraine launches military drones from that region. Latvia, the United States and Ukraine responded strongly during a UN Security Council meeting.
Azerbaijan is stepping up efforts to strengthen its position as a regional hub for investment and connectivity ahead of the second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum in Baku this September.
Iran and Pakistan discussed developments in stalled Iran-U.S. negotiations during a visit to Tehran by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsen Raza Naqvi, amid Islamabad’s ongoing mediation efforts.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday (21 May), with both leaders discussing bilateral ties, regional developments and ongoing peace efforts in the South Caucasus.
Georgia’s parliament speaker has accused Britain of “blatant hypocrisy” after London quietly allowed Russian-origin oil products into the country - a move UK officials had reportedly urged Tbilisi to avoid.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the Swedish city of Helsingborg on Thursday and Friday, diplomatic sources said.
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