Former NSC Head: "Trump Must Attack Iran"

Former NSC head, Brig. Gen. (res.) Prof. Yaakov Nagel, addressed the possibility that Trump will ultimately decide to attack Iran, as reported by Ynet. This follows last night's report in the Washington Post that the president's advisors were convinced he would order an attack against the Ayatollahs' regime on Wednesday night, but a message sent by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to envoy Steve Witkoff changed things. "Trump decides alone. He hasn't decided yet what kind of attack he wants. It's likely that Khamenei, with his statements, is pushing him more toward an attack," Nagel said.

On reports that Netanyahu asked Trump not to attack, he said: "It's irrelevant whether Netanyahu said it or not; Trump decides based on what's between his ears. He listens to Witkoff and Kushner and the rest of the friends. I have no doubt he's preparing an attack and wants an attack. Trump must attack in Iran, even symbolically, to send a message to the protesters that there's force behind them. If he doesn't attack at all, it would be catastrophic to enter negotiations with them, on the nuclear issue and other things.

He added, "The people in Iran must understand they have support from the US and the world. It's time for a leadership change in Tehran. Dan Shapiro says Trump will kill Khamenei or take him like Maduro, but in practice, history teaches that only a people can replace its leadership." According to him, eliminating Khamenei won't necessarily advance a revolution in Iran: "You need to do it even if you don't have an 'end game,' but it won't come from there. Even without Khamenei, they're very strong."

On Steve Witkoff, he added: "He's addicted to politics and diplomacy and wants to be the one who brings peace, the breakthrough. But he often doesn't understand what he's talking about, like with Putin and Ukraine, and Putin made mincemeat out of him. But he's done some good things too."