Trump’s agenda now: Destroy Iranian regime's ability to govern – opinion

US President Donald Trump declared at a Camp David cabinet meeting that the US is prepared to significantly escalate military pressure on Iran, with plans to target the country's energy infrastructure, including power plants, oil refineries, and the electricity grid. The campaign could begin as early as this weekend. The article argues that the principal objective has shifted from destroying Iran's nuclear program to eroding the regime's governing capacity, aiming to push it into a corner and potentially ignite public unrest.

US President Donald Trump declared at a Camp David cabinet meeting that the United States is prepared to significantly escalate military pressure on Iran. He stated, "We're going to hit them very hard. Eventually, they'll reach a point where they say, 'We can't go on anymore.'" He added, "We just want to win." US media outlets report that Trump is reviewing or has already ordered preparation of a new phase of military operations against the Iranian regime, with the campaign possibly beginning as early as this weekend. The primary focus would be Iran's energy infrastructure, including power plants, oil refineries, and the national electricity grid. The final decision on executing strikes is expected only hours before launch. The article argues that Washington's strategic messaging has entered a new phase. The next stage is no longer confined to striking IRGC installations or nuclear sites; the principal objective is the erosion of the regime's governing capacity. The strategic emphasis has shifted toward critical energy infrastructure to push the regime into a corner, potentially igniting public unrest after nearly half a century of failed development. The author, Erfan Fard, asserts that many Iranians would welcome the regime's defeat, viewing temporary hardships as comparable to childbirth pains. He outlines four strategic objectives: crippling governing capacity, degrading military sustainment, increasing strategic pressure, and regional deterrence. He assesses that the regime's ideological rigidity makes surrender unlikely, and that this is now a form of system warfare targeting the regime's center of gravity: its electricity grid, refineries, and command systems. The article also notes the redeployment of American forces from Iraq's Kurdistan region and emphasizes Israel's significant role in planning and coordinating joint operations. It harshly criticizes past diplomacy with Iran, calling it an insult to intelligence and morality.