Trump says ‘Regime change in Iran best thing,’ US sends second aircraft carrier

New Delhi, Feb 14: US President Donald Trump has said that regime change in Iran would be “the best thing that could happen”, in one of his clearest remarks supporting the replacement of the country’s clerical leadership, the BBC reported.

“For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking. In the meantime, we’ve lost a lot of lives,” Trump said on Friday. However, he did not specify who he believes should lead Iran if the current establishment is removed, only saying that “there are people” who could take over. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has not yet responded to Trump’s latest remarks.

Meanwhile, the United States has sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, increasing pressure on Tehran amid efforts to secure a new nuclear agreement. Trump said the USS Gerald R. Ford, described as the world’s largest and newest US aircraft carrier, would move “very soon” from the Caribbean to the region. He also shared an aerial image of the warship on his Truth Social platform as it heads to join the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is already deployed in the Middle East.

According to the BBC, the Pentagon had earlier sent the USS Abraham Lincoln in January after Washington warned it could strike Iran following a government crackdown on mass protests. Thousands were reported killed during the unrest, which marked one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought the clerical system to power.

Although Trump has warned of possible strikes if no nuclear deal is reached, he said after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House that talks with Tehran would continue. Speaking at Fort Bragg on Friday, Trump said Iran should “give us a deal that they should have given us the first time” when asked how it could avoid military action.

The US has demanded that Iran halt uranium enrichment, while Israel has called for Tehran to end its ballistic missile programme and stop supporting proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

Iran has indicated it may be ready to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for relief from sanctions. However, President Masoud Pezeshkian has said the country would “not yield to their excessive demands”.

Trump had earlier withdrawn the US from the Obama-era nuclear deal during his first term and reimposed sanctions that severely affected Iran’s economy. The Biden administration later restarted talks aimed at reaching a fresh agreement before a brief 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.