U.S. Must Target Iran’s Ballistic Missiles and Repression, Crenshaw Asserts

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said on Wednesday that he supports the Trump administration’s effort to pursue a diplomatic resolution with Iran. The potential for U.S. military action has raised concerns across the region and the United States.

When asked what U.S. targets would be if war breaks out—whether nuclear sites, regime leaders, or both—Crenshaw stated, “That’s a question for the president.” He added, “I think they’re letting these negotiations play out.”

A member of the House Intelligence Committee and a retired Navy SEAL who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Crenshaw emphasized that clear parameters must be defined in talks with Tehran. “We need to be talking about what our parameters are in these negotiations,” he said. “We can’t fall for the same tricks that were played on the Obama administration, where you left everything else off the table except nuclear facilities.”

Crenshaw specified that the “everything else” includes Iran’s ballistic missile program and its surrogate warfare operations that destabilize the region. “You can’t leave these issues off the table,” he stated.

The representative also highlighted Iran’s internal repression as a critical factor in negotiations. “I would also include in that killing their own people,” he said, noting estimates of civilian deaths range from 7,000 to 60,000 depending on sources. “All of those have to be part of this negotiation.”

While acknowledging it is difficult to envision Iran agreeing to all demands, Crenshaw argued the U.S. now holds a stronger position than in past negotiations. “We’re negotiating from a position of massive strength,” he said.

Crenshaw referenced the U.S. capture and return of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to face federal drug charges as evidence of the administration’s leverage. “They’ve also seen what we did in Venezuela. That does change the power dynamic.”

If diplomacy fails, Crenshaw stated, “there is nothing that is not on the table.” However, he repeatedly stressed the importance of exhausting diplomatic avenues first. “The president likes to exhaust diplomatic options before taking action,” he said. “And I think that’s the right approach. You want to exhaust all options diplomatically before moving on. That’s the approach they’re taking right now.”

When asked about a surgical strike against Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Crenshaw noted significant intelligence challenges: “This is a highly protected person in Iranian society, likely moving from place to place. You don’t want to miss if you’re going to take that shot.”

He also questioned whether eliminating the Supreme Leader would topple Iran’s regime, stating such an assessment “takes quite a bit of analysis” and carries “an element of risk.”

Crenshaw noted that negotiations are likely to continue despite President Trump’s upcoming State of the Union address. “It’s very difficult to predict what happens next,” he said. “The Iranians are tricky. They pride themselves in being clever and tricky and deceiving their enemy.”

Despite these challenges, Crenshaw expressed confidence in Trump’s leadership: “We have a president who believes in taking action, who understands that peace through strength means you can’t forget about the strength part. Trump won’t be conned as Obama was last time.”