The chief of staff and commander of the Iranian armed forces, Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, describes Tuesday's missile attack on Israel, which Iran has dubbed "Operation True Promise II", as a response to "violations of Iran's sovereignty" and "many of the crimes of the Zionists".
The targets are said to have been Israel's "main military and intelligence bases" - including air bases and the Mossad intelligence headquarters.
Baqeri stresses that Iran has “exercised self-restraint” despite the Israeli air strikes on Iran’s capital Tehran on 31 July, which killed Palestinian Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh. However, patience ran out after the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and top Iranian commander Abbas Nilforoushan, the commander said in a speech on Wednesday.
– After Martyr Haniyeh’s assassination, Iran went through a tough period of self-restraint amid repeated requests by the Americans and Europeans, who would ask us to exercise self-restraint so they would establish a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Bagheri said.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Tasnim News agency further described the rocket attacks as a response to “the regime’s ongoing deadly aggression against Gaza and Lebanon”.
Air bases and intelligence services
Targets are said to have included three of the Israeli regime’s main air bases, the headquarters of the Mossad intelligence service, which the major describes as a “center for terrorism”, the Nevatim air base, which is said to house Israel’s F-35 warplanes, and the Hatzerim base, which is said to have been used to facilitate the assassination of Nasrallah.
Other targets mentioned are Israel’s strategic radar, “the centers housing the regime’s tanks and personnel carriers” and “the center accommodating those of the regime’s forces that partake in massacres against Palestinians in Gaza”.
A warning to the US
The military chief concludes that Iran’s capabilities are far greater than those revealed by True Promise II, and warns that, if necessary, “tonight’s operation would be repeated with multiple magnitude”.
The commander expresses hope that the US would withdraw its support for Israel “so the region could move towards experiencing calm” and that in the event of direct US intervention, “a powerful and regret-inducing response against their centers and interests across the region” is to be expected.
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Israel’s campaign against Iran is characterized by unrealistic hopes for regime change, in which the son of the deposed Shah, Reza Pahlavi, could emerge as a pro-Israeli puppet leader for a new Iran.
This is the view of Elfadil Ibrahim, a geopolitical writer and analyst, who warns that the strategy risks creating the same chaos as previous foreign interventions in the region.
In an article for the think tank Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Ibrahim describes how the Middle East is a region where history rarely repeats itself exactly, but where it often “rhymes in ways that are both tragic and absurd”. According to him, this is particularly evident in Israel’s current strategy toward Iran.
The campaign, which on the surface is about knocking out Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities, actually has more far-reaching ambitions: to overthrow the Islamic Republic and replace it with a friendly regime under Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last shah.
“This is not a policy officially declared in Jerusalem or Washington, but it lingers in the background of Israel’s actions and its overt calls for Iranians to ‘stand up’ to the Islamic Republic”, the writer notes.
Israel wants to get rid of the mullahs for good—and wants to see a pro-Israel government in their place. Photo: Khamenei.ir
He highlights Reza Pahlavi’s visit to Israel in April 2023 as an important symbolic act. During the visit, Pahlavi prayed at the Western Wall but refrained from visiting the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount and made no attempt to meet with Palestinian leaders. An analysis by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs described the visit as a message that Israel considers Pahlavi “the main leader of the Iranian opposition”.
CIA overthrew secular leader
Israeli officials have also openly expressed a desire for regime change. Ibrahim quotes former intelligence minister Gila Gamliel as saying that “window of opportunity has opened to overthrow the regime”.
According to Ibrahim, what could have been dismissed as diplomatic gamesmanship has instead developed into “a strategic bet” in which military pressure is hoped to create conditions for a political shift entirely to Israel’s liking.
“The irony is hard to overstate. It was foreign intervention that set the stage for the current enmity”, he states bluntly.
The writer is referring to the 1953 coup in which the CIA and MI6 overthrew the democratically elected Mohammad Mossadegh and reinstated the Shah an intervention that paved the way for totalitarian rule, growing anti-imperialism, and the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
The Shah was reinstated when Prime Minister Mossadegh was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by the CIA and MI6. Photo: Pahlavi.org, fararu
“The coup reinstalled the Shah, whose autocratic rule and dependence on the West bred a potent mix of anti-imperialist sentiment and religious fervor”, he explains, continuing:
“The 1979 Islamic Revolution, in its own way, was a delayed reaction to 1953, a radical assertion of national sovereignty over foreign interests. Now, Israel and the US seem to believe that a new foreign-backed intervention could be the solution to a problem the last one helped create”.
Israel’s preferred leader
In his analysis, Ibrahim points out that Israel’s air strikes since June 12 have targeted more than just nuclear facilities. Among the targets are government institutions, the headquarters of state television, and the notorious Evin prison, where political prisoners are held.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the conflict as a path to liberation for the Iranian people. “As we achieve our objective”, Netanyahu said in a video message addressed to the Iranians, “we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom”.
The name of the operation, Operation Rising Lion, is also, according to Ibrahim, a clear reference to Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag and the legacy of the monarchy.
Several analysts believe that a weak, easily manipulated leader such as Pahlavi would have benefited both Israel and the US. Photo: Benjamin Netanyahu/FB
However, the geopolitical analyst emphasizes that there is considerable uncertainty surrounding what a regime change in Iran would actually entail in practice. He points out that Israel’s public support for Pahlavi contrasts with official statements that the Iranian people themselves should choose their leaders.
“Reza Pahlavi has spent decades cultivating an image as a democratic statesman-in-waiting. In interviews, he speaks of a future decided by a popular referendum, backed by detailed proposals like a 100-day transition plan. To Israel’s delight, his alignment extends beyond symbolism to the core of Israeli strategic thinking”.
During his visit to Israel, he dismissed the nuclear agreement negotiations as a “waste of time” and claimed that “the quickest way to eliminate all threats” is to invest in an alternative to the Iranian regime.
Many remember the Shah’s torture chambers
But Ibrahim warns that Pahlavi’s vision – including ideas about “Cyrus agreements” and a reborn friendship between the Persian and Jewish peoples – is unrealistic in today’s Iran.
He points out that for many, the name Pahlavi is still associated with the security service “SAVAK torture chambers, lavish corruption, and dependence on foreign powers for viability” and emphasizes that even though there is widespread dissatisfaction with the mullahs’ rule, many still remember the Shah with deep hatred and contempt.
“Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Leader”, was one of many similar slogans chanted during opposition protests in Tehran in 2022.
“The monarchy Israel hints at reviving was not merely overthrown in 1979, it was actively rejected by a powerful coalition of Islamists, leftists, and nationalists united against the Shah’s repression. This legacy of popular rejection severely curbs Reza Pahlavi’s appeal today”, the writer continues, assessing that Pahlavi is in fact perceived by many Iranians as “opportunistic” and “disconnected from the Iranian people”.
Elfadil Ibrahim is a writer and analyst with a particular focus on Sudan. His work has been published in The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The New Arab, and several other media outlets. Photo: Private
Iran’s future must be decided by Iranians
He further argues that it is extremely dangerous for Israel to try to force or hasten a “popular” uprising through assassinations and bombings, pointing out that even within the opposition there are many who do not want to see a new Iranian regime forced upon them by a foreign power rather than by the Iranian people themselves.
“In addition, the fantasy that a successor regime in Tehran would be inherently friendly to Israel ignores deep-seated suspicion embedded through decades of conflict, propaganda, and animosity now being cemented by overt foreign intervention. Even Reza Pahlavi, if somehow installed, would likely face immense pressure to distance himself from any perception of being ‘Israel’s man in Iran'”, Ibrahim continues.
The analyst believes that Israel certainly has the capacity to weaken the Islamic Republic significantly, but that it will never be able to conjure up a new, pro-Israeli Iran from the ashes, least of all by promoting a “successor from a fallen dynasty that Iranians have long since rejected”.
“In the end, the future of Iran should be decided not in Jerusalem or Washington, but by Iranians themselves – on their own terms, in their own time”, he concludes.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, known as the Shah of Iran, took power in 1941 after his father was forced to abdicate under British and Soviet pressure. His rule was characterized by rapid modernization, but also by brutal political repression, systematic persecution of dissenters, growing social and economic inequalities, and a strong dependence on Western powers, especially the United States and the United Kingdom.
In 1951, Mohammad Mossadeq was elected prime minister and quickly became popular for his policy of nationalizing the country's oil industry, which was then controlled by the British. This led to a crisis that culminated in a coup in 1953, orchestrated by the CIA and MI6, in which Mossadeq was overthrown and the Shah's power strengthened. The coup created widespread hatred of foreign interference and undermined popular faith in the monarchy.
The Shah's authoritarian rule was characterized by oppression and harsh repression through the corruption of the security services (SAVAK) and widening social divisions. Dissatisfaction grew during the 1970s, uniting various opposition forces - Islamists, leftist activists and nationalists - in opposition to the Shah's regime.
In 1979, the Shah was overthrown in the Islamic Revolution, which at the time was seen by many Iranians as a way to regain national independence and end both the Shah's oppression and Western influence. After the revolution, however, the new clerical leadership quickly purged former allies of the opposition, including leftist activists, nationalists and secular groups. Through persecution, arrests and executions, the ayatollahs consolidated their power and established a one-party theocratic state, which many observers say has become even more brutal than the Shah's rule.
After pushing for some of the most disastrous wars in US history, neoconservative Senator Lindsey Graham wants the US to step up its military involvement even further – and for Trump to force regime change in Iran.
Lindsey Graham, from South Carolina, has for decades been one of the most vocal advocates of US wars and military interventions around the world. He has consistently backed calls for new wars and for many years helped to initiate or prolong protracted and disastrous conflicts.
Graham supported the invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq and has repeatedly called for the US to bomb Iran, overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, invade Libya, and use force to stop North Korea’s nuclear program.
According to analysts, his line is strongly influenced by neoconservative warmongering rather than diplomacy, and even in the Ukraine war, he has been one of the most vocal advocates of increasingly aggressive Western involvement, with constant demands for increased arms deliveries.
Graham also wants the US to further escalate the situation with Iran. He is not satisfied with the US bombing Iranian nuclear facilities, but wants the US to force regime change in the country.
“A new chapter in the Middle East”
Even before the Trump administration joined Israel’s bombing campaign, Graham argued that this was not enough, saying that the US should take strong action to force out the Iranian regime and replace it with another government that better serves the interests of the US and Israel.
“But here’s the bigger question: Wouldn’t the world be better off if the ayatollahs went away and were replaced by something better? Wouldn’t Iran be better off?” asked the Republican senator, before answering his own question.
BREAKING: Senator Lindsey Graham calls for regime change in Iran, says Trump should go “all in” in helping take out Iran’s nuclear program.
“It’s time to close the chapter on the Iranian Ayatollah and his henchmen! […] Start a new chapter in the Middle East.”
“It’s time to close the chapter on the ayatollah and his henchmen. Let’s close it soon and start a new chapter in the Mideast: one of tolerance, hope, and peace”, he declared.
In recent days, the bellicose senator has repeated the message that the US should force regime change in interviews and on social media, stating that “it is time to end the madness in Iran”.
Trump wants to “make Iran great again”
This stance also seems to have gained some support from President Trump, who recently hinted that the US – despite promises to the contrary – may still use military force to overthrow the current regime.
“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change’, but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!” he wrote on his own platform, Truth Social.
Graham was quick to praise the president’s statement and stated that the Iranian regime must change “either through their behavior or new leadership”.
“who in their right mind would want this regime to continue the status quo, attacking their neighbors, oppressing their people, and being the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the planet? If you like that, you’re a sick puppy. Count me in for any way possible to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN by making it decent again”, the senator said.
As usual, President Trump is spot on with his desire to make Iran great again by changing the regime either through their behavior or new leadership.
As President Trump suggested, who in their right mind would want this regime to continue the status quo, attacking their… pic.twitter.com/l25Uk3KBqh
It is difficult to determine exactly how many people have lost their lives in the wars that Graham has helped to incite, but the Iraq War alone is estimated to have cost around one million lives. In Afghanistan, the Taliban are back in power, and in Syria, Islamists with ties to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State are now in control.
Mr. President: It’s time to end this madness in Iran.
Many of Trump’s supporters have long been critical of the influence that Lindsey Graham and other neoconservative Republicans still wield, pointing out that they appear to serve interests other than those of the American people.
Others have noted that Trump’s voter base elected the president precisely to avoid unnecessary and protracted major wars and instead focus on the US – and that people like Graham should therefore be kept as far away from influence as possible.
MAGA figure and Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has sharply criticized Donald Trump and his administration’s decision to join Israel’s war against Iran.
In an emotional social media post, the prominent Trump supporter accuses the president of betraying his campaign promises and the ideals of the MAGA movement.
Greene, who is one of the most popular figures in the movement, points out that she herself invested significant resources in supporting Trump and his agenda:
“I spent millions of my own money and TRAVELED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY campaigning for President Trump and his MAGA agenda and his promises”.
She emphasizes that the original MAGA movement was built on three central promises: “No more foreign wars. No more regime change. World peace”.
According to Greene, it was precisely these promises that the people voted for – and expected to be fulfilled. But just six months into the new presidential term, she sees a development that is moving in the opposite direction:
“Only 6 months in and we are back into foreign wars, regime change, and world war 3”.
I spent millions of my own money and TRAVELED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY campaigning for President Trump and his MAGA agenda and his promises.
And Trump’s MAGA agenda included these key promises:
Greene describes Trump’s actions as a huge betrayal of voters and accuses the president of giving in to forces she believes are far removed from MAGA’s core principles:
“It feels like a complete bait and switch to please the neocons, warmongers, military industrial complex contracts, and neocon tv personalities that MAGA hates and who were NEVER TRUMPERS!”
In the post, she emphasizes that her fight is about the future of her children and their generation:
“I will literally fight ANYONE for their future. And their future and their entire generation’s future MUST be free of America LAST foreign wars that provoke terrorists attacks on our homeland, military drafts, and NUCLEAR WAR”.
“Trump is not a king”
Greene also emphasizes that MAGA is and should be a free movement with high standards – not some fanatical cult where Trump is the autocratic leader who cannot be questioned.
“Contrary to brainwashed Democrat boomers think and protest about, Trump is not a king, MAGA is not a cult, and I can and DO have my own opinion”.
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R): No one slept better after America bombed Iran.
We’re getting threats on our homeland. Americans abroad are being told to shelter in place.
Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of relatively few high-ranking politicians in the AIPAC-dominated Republican Party who has openly and vocally opposed US involvement in Israel’s war against Iran.
This, in turn, has led neoconservative activists and pro-Israel lobbyists to target her and launch smear campaigns on social media, where she is repeatedly described as a “traitor” for not wanting to drag the US into another potentially major war.
Former UN weapons inspector and Marine Corps officer Scott Ritter condemns Donald Trump’s decision to drag the US into a new war in the Middle East.
On social media, Ritter asserts that Trump has not only broken his own promises of peace, but also dragged the entire MAGA movement down with him.
“MAGA is officially dead as a movement”, Ritter writes, arguing that by wearing his trademark red MAGA cap while allowing the US to enter yet another war, Trump has stripped the movement of all meaningful content and turned it into an empty symbol.
“When a President wears a MAGA hat while conspiring to take America to war after promising that, as the leader of MAGA, he would pursue peace, MAGA stands for nothing”, Ritter concludes.
MAGA is officially dead as a movement.
When a President wears a MAGA hat while conspiring to take America to war after promising that, as the leader of MAGA, he would pursue peace, MAGA stands for nothing.
If you’re MAGA, then you must disassociate yourself from this President…
Ritter, who became known for his fearless stance during the UN weapons inspections in Iraq in the 1990s, is now directing his message directly to Trump’s voters. He urges them to openly distance themselves from the president and those who stand by him, whom he believes are pursuing a dangerous agenda that has nothing to do with the original ideas of MAGA.
“If you’re MAGA, then you must disassociate yourself from this President and everyone who stands with him. They are not MAGA. They are Israel first. And that’s the most dangerous ideology facing America today”, he writes.
“A national disgrace”
The former UN inspector dismisses Trump’s bombing of Iran as a pointless and pathetic attempt to save face after talking himself into a corner.
“An act of theater. Trump’s big mouth had boxed him into a corner. Iran wouldn’t play his game. So he had to bomb Iran to save face”.
An act of theater.
Trump’s big mouth had boxed him into a corner.
Iran wouldn’t play his game.
So he had to bomb Iran to save face.
He bombed two empty facilities that had been previously struck by Israel.
And he bounced six bombs off an indestructible facility (Firdos),…
The action itself, Ritter argues, was as ineffective as it was cynical.
“He bombed two empty facilities that had been previously struck by Israel. And he bounced six bombs off an indestructible facility (Firdos), claiming destruction despite the opposite being the case. That’s it. A ‘contained’ strike. A nothing burger”.
The outspoken commentator concludes his criticism by describing Trump as a leader unworthy of both his office and the trust of his voters.
“And this is the man whose supporters call the greatest leader in the world. He’s a national disgrace”.
