US senator: Limited strikes against Iran could be "in a matter of days"

On February 24, Senator Ted Cruz (R‑Texas) said that U.S. military forces could soon undertake “limited” strikes against Iran, possibly “in a matter of days,” and argued that Tehran’s theocratic leadership “has never been weaker.” 

Cruz spoke in an interview with CNBC host Joe Kernen from the Russell Rotunda, urging President Donald Trump to act quickly to exploit what he called a rare geopolitical opportunity.

“What I’ve urged the president is, number one, support the protesters and arm the protesters. Let the people of Iran give them the ability to overthrow their government. And number two, I think there is a very real possibility we will see, potentially in a matter of days, limited strikes,” Cruz said.

Cruz insisted that any U.S. action would be limited to targeted strikes and ruled out the deployment of American troops on the ground. “What we’re not going to see is boots on the ground. We’re not going to see a ground presence of American troops there, but I think there’s a real possibility of targeted strikes that are designed to support the Iranian people who are protesting,” he added.

Cruz also argued that Iran’s internal situation makes the regime unusually vulnerable. “I said, ‘Listen, the regime has never been weaker. They are teetering,’” he said.

Cruz further projected that the next six months could bring dramatic political change not only in Iran but also in other U.S. adversaries, saying: “We are at a moment … where in the next six months we could realistically see the regimes in Iran, Venezuela and Cuba all fall, and we could see them replaced with governments that want to be friendly with America.”

“If that happened, that would be the biggest geopolitical shift since the fall of the Berlin Wall,” he added.

Earlier, Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, saying it must reach an agreement on its nuclear programme within 10 to 15 days or face “really bad things.” The threat prompted Tehran to respond that it would retaliate against U.S. bases in the region if attacked.

Amid a major U.S. military buildup in the Middle East that has raised concerns about a potential broader conflict, Trump said talks with Iran were progressing but insisted that Tehran deliver a “meaningful” deal to resolve the standoff.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on February 24 that a deal to prevent a military confrontation with the United States was “within reach” as the two sides prepare to resume talks in Geneva,

By Aghakazim Guliyev