Senator: US goals in Iran conflict just "weeks away"

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of US President Donald Trump and a supporter of military intervention in Iran, said the United States is “weeks away” from achieving its military objectives in the conflict.

Speaking to reporters on March 10, Graham warned that further operations could be required if Iran’s leadership remains unchanged, per an American outlet.

Graham told reporters that the military objective of “crushing the regime” is “weeks away.” His comments came as President Trump suggested the war could end soon, without specifying what the final objective would be.

“We’re not going to occupy the place,” he said of Iran, adding, “I don’t mind working with people to create some new system that will be up to them. But the point is that whoever follows can’t do what the Ayatollah was doing, build weapons, build nukes, and the best way to ensure that is to have somebody that rejects that idea.”

The South Carolina Republican also criticised Iran’s reported decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as his successor.

On March 10, Trump said that it would be “inappropriate” to suggest that the younger Khamenei had been directly targeted, but acknowledged disappointment over Iran’s choice.

Graham emphasised that the Iranian people should ultimately determine the country’s political future, expressing confidence that they would reject the ayatollah’s son if given the opportunity to choose their leadership.

By Khagan Isayev