Netanyahu discussed with Trump the possibility of calling on citizens to overthrow the regime

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu discussed with President Trump last week the possibility of calling on the Iranians to take to the streets and overthrow the regime, but Trump finally decided that the conditions were not ripe for that, according to two senior American officials and an Israeli source.

• While the US and Israel agree on most of the military objectives of the war, there are certain differences between them on the issue of regime change in Iran.
• Netanyahu said that one of Israel’s goals is to create the conditions for a popular uprising to topple the regime, but the Trump administration does not see this as an official goal, and American officials say it could be a “bonus.”
• Trump said on the first day of the war that after the end of the military operations, the Iranian people would have an opportunity to take over the government – but since then he has hardly repeated it.

• Last Tuesday, Israel killed Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, who was considered the de facto leader after the killing of Ali Khamenei in the opening blow.
• On the same day, Israel also killed Basij commander Ghulam-Reza Soleimani and several of his deputies. Israeli officials said that Soleimani was responsible for suppressing demonstrations and that his elimination was intended to enable a popular uprising.

• A few hours later, Netanyahu spoke with Trump and claimed that the Iranian regime is once again in chaos after the assassinations – which creates an opportunity to undermine it even more, according to a senior American official and an Israeli source.
• According to the sources, Netanyahu suggested that he and Trump issue a joint call for Iranians to take to the streets.
• Two senior American officials said that Trump had reservations, and he feared that such a move would end in a massacre.
• “Why the hell would we tell people to take to the streets if the Revolutionary Guards will just cut them short,” Trump told his advisers, according to an American official.
• The drama: The decision was to wait and see if Iranians take to the streets during the festival of fire the next day.
• Trump and Netanyahu agreed that if there is a mass exodus – they will issue a joint call for an uprising.
• That evening, Netanyahu himself issued a statement from the air force headquarters: “Our planes are hitting terrorist operatives in the field – on the roads and in the squares. This is to allow the brave Iranian people to celebrate the Fire Festival. So go out and celebrate… we are watching from above.”

 

“Why the hell should we tell people to go to the streets if the Revolutionary Guards will simply cut them short”

President Trump to his advisers

• Israeli and American officials say that very few Iranians took to the streets to protest. The conclusion was that the “fear barrier” still exists.

• A few days later, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yehiel Leiter, told CNN that the goal is still to weaken the regime until it cannot suppress the opposition.
• “We hope this will bring a boiling point where the people can take control of their lives… I think it is possible to weaken the regime until it collapses from the air. The boots on the ground must be Iranians,” he said.