A Full-Court Press Against Iran
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton have also been rattling the sabers against Iran.
In a speech to the Heritage Foundation, Pompeo listed 12 demands Iran must meet, including cessation of uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes, which is allowed under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
"The demands would constitute a complete transformation by Iran's government, and they hardened the perception that what Trump's administration really seeks is a change in the Iranian regime," according to The Associated Press.
Bolton, who has long advocated overthrowing Iran's government, promises regime change in Iran by the end of 2018.
The United States has also mounted a disinformation campaign intended to undermine Iran's government. "The Trump administration has launched an offensive of speeches and online communications meant to foment unrest and help pressure Iran to end its nuclear program and its support of militant groups, US officials familiar with the matter said," according to the Jerusalem Post. "The current and former officials said the campaign paints Iranian leaders in a harsh light, at times using information that is exaggerated or contradicts other official pronouncements, including comments by previous administrations."
Trump Plans Air War Against Iran; House Says Not Without Our Consent
The Trump administration is moving toward war with Iran. Eric Margolis, veteran war correspondent in the Middle East, reports that the Pentagon has drawn up plans for an air attack on Iran:
"The Pentagon has planned a high-intensity air war against Iran that Israel and the Saudis might very well join. The plan calls for over 2,300 air strikes against Iranian strategic targets: airfields and naval bases, arms and petroleum, oil and lubricant depots, telecommunication nodes, radar, factories, military headquarters, ports, water works, airports, missile bases and units of the Revolutionary Guards."
Likewise, senior officials in the Australian government told ABC they think the United States plans to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities, maybe as soon as next month.
But the House of Representatives just passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which includes an amendment stating that "nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize the use of forces against Iran" and an attached statement indicating "the conferees are not aware of any information that would justify the use of military force against Iran under any other statutory authority."
Even if the Senate approves that amendment, Trump won't necessarily follow Congress's mandate. He might say he's going after suspected Iranian "terrorists" inside Iran or anywhere on his global battlefield. We will then see if there is any congressional pushback.
At the same time, however, Trump is talking about making a deal with Iran. "We're ready to make a real deal," he declared. Trump said he is willing to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani with "no preconditions." But the Iran deal Trump renounced took years of painstaking negotiations.
Meanwhile, Russia is allied with Iran and would oppose US military intervention. On July 12, Putin met with Ali Akbar Velayati, foreign policy adviser to Iran's supreme leader, outside Moscow.
Feigning Concern for the Iranian People
Trump claims to care about the people in Iran, but the economic sanctions he reinstituted while pulling out of the Iran deal will hurt the Iranian people. As CODEPINK co-director Medea Benjamin wrote:
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