U.S. media: If Iran's next leader demonstrates pragmatism, sanctions on Iran may be lifted

ChainCatcher reports that President Trump said in an interview that if necessary, the U.S. military plans to continue attacking Iran for “four to five weeks,” and he insisted that Israel and the U.S. would “have no trouble” maintaining combat strength. He also warned that U.S. forces could suffer more casualties.

When asked about the transition of power, Mr. Trump said he hopes Iran’s elite forces—including senior officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who have significant influence and profit from the current regime—will hand over weapons to the Iranian people. During the approximately six-minute call, Trump also mentioned he has three “very good” candidates to lead Iran but refused to disclose specific names.

He repeatedly referenced his experience in Venezuela, which may suggest he believes the effective methods used there could also apply to Iran. He also stated that if Iran’s new leadership shows a pragmatic and cooperative attitude, he would be willing to lift sanctions on Iran. However, he also refused to clarify how—or if—his administration would defend the Iranian people, whom he says should overthrow the current government.