Iran Misses Trump’s Normalization Opportunity in Prolonged Regime Struggle
(FILES) (COMBO) This combination of pictures created on November 07, 2024 shows former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) looks on during a campaign rally at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 4, 2024, and Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) speaks after casting his ballot during the runoff presidential election in Tehran on July 5, 2024. President Donald Trump said June 21, 2025 the US military has carried out a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear sites, including the crucial underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo. Trump said a "full payload of BOMBS" was dropped on Fordo, in a surprise announcement that came just two days after he had apparently opened a two-week window for diplomacy. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU and ATTA KENARE / AFP)
Former CIA analyst Fred Fleitz, who also served as chief of staff to the National Security Council under President Donald Trump, stated Sunday that Iran is “going to lose out on a tremendous opportunity” offered by President Donald Trump to normalize relations with the United States.
“Iran does not need a nuclear program,” Fleitz said, adding that “the nuclear weapons program, frankly, has been destroyed.” He noted there was “not much for them to negotiate away.”
Fleitz cautioned that while the next steps could energize protesters, expectations of a quick outcome should be tempered. “I know some people are saying this is going to be regime change,” he explained. “We’re not going to bomb the ayatollah away, but we can encourage the protesters.” He described Iranian student protests as “promising” but warned the struggle could be prolonged.
Fleitz indicated President Trump would likely outline a broader plan soon, including a State of the Union address where he would “make a case that we’re going to hit Iran now,” though Fleitz also emphasized it would involve “a long-term plan to support the Iranian people, which I’m afraid will be a long and bloody struggle to throw this regime out.”
Meanwhile, Amir Fakhravar, chairman of the National Iranian Congress and author of Comrade Ayatollah, sharply criticized any U.S. negotiations with Tehran. “First, let’s pray at some point, [U.S. special envoy] Steve Witkoff will stop this type of nonsense negotiations,” he said.
Fakhravar referenced a statement by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hamid Ghanbari, published by Tasnim News, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ official news agency. The statement, he claimed, described discussions with the United States that included “mutual interest in oil and gas,” “shared energy fields,” “mining investment,” and “even aircraft purchases.”
“This is disgusting,” Fakhravar declared. “We are talking about a regime that just killed 40 days ago, 100,000 protesters in the streets and shot 400,000 protesters.”
Fakhravar expressed confidence that President Trump would punish Iran’s leadership and predicted the regime’s collapse due to ongoing unrest. “Definitely, President Trump promised that, and I’m sure he will keep his promise,” he stated.
He added that Iranian protesters were actively fighting: “Yes. Iranian regime, they are fighting in the streets right now. All the students, they are out again 40 days after. It was a bloodbath. But all over the country, the people are not afraid. They are out, and they are fighting.”
“This is the end of this regime,” Fakhravar said. “This regime doesn’t have any chance to normalize its relationship with the United States.”
He also called for a political transition after the change in government: “We need to set up a constitutional assembly and move forward for the next step after the change of the regime.”
