Former national security adviser John Bolton is urging President Donald Trump to pursue regime change in Iran as the only viable path to ending the ongoing conflict and ensuring long-term stability in the Middle East, according to a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Wednesday.
In the piece, Bolton argues that the "logic of regime change is inexorable," contending that the scale of the current U.S. military campaign makes a limited outcome unrealistic.
He writes that if Trump is not committed to removing Iran's ruling clerical leadership — the ayatollahs — he should not have initiated such an expansive military operation in the first place.
Bolton emphasizes that targeting Iran's military infrastructure alone will not be sufficient to end the war.
Instead, he calls for a broader strategy aimed at weakening the regime's core institutions, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated militias.
Such actions, he suggests, would expose the government's inability to defend itself and accelerate internal fractures within Iran's political system, particularly amid what Bolton describes as an ongoing leadership succession crisis.
Bolton also stresses the importance of internal opposition, arguing that anti-regime forces inside Iran must coordinate with disaffected officials to bring about collapse.
However, he warns that hesitation or failure by Washington could leave Iranian civilians vulnerable to retaliation, with many already fearing consequences if the regime survives.
Bolton frames the stakes of the conflict in global terms, pointing to three major risks if regime change does not occur: disruption to oil markets, the expansion of international terrorism, and the continuation of Iran's nuclear ambitions.
He highlights Tehran's recent move to close the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global oil transit chokepoint — as evidence of the regime's willingness to weaponize energy supplies.
The closure triggered market instability and rising oil prices, catching the administration off guard.
According to Bolton, it would be "untenable" for the White House to declare victory while such threats to global energy security persist.
He argues that if Iran's current leadership remains in power, it will continue to exploit vulnerabilities in global markets and pursue aggressive regional policies.
The op-ed also raises concerns about Iran's relationships with other major powers.
Bolton claims that both Russia and China have historically supported Iran's military and nuclear programs and could deepen that cooperation if the regime survives.
He warns that future efforts to dismantle Iran's nuclear capabilities would become significantly more difficult under those circumstances.
Bolton aligns his position with that of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he describes as understanding the necessity of regime change.
He also suggests that Iran's leadership is fully aware of this dynamic and is primarily focused on survival rather than outright military victory.
Trump himself has offered mixed signals about the war's endgame.
In a recent interview, Trump said the right moment to conclude the conflict will be "when I feel it in my bones," reflecting a degree of ambiguity that Bolton criticizes.
However, Bolton points to remarks Trump made during a speech in Kentucky on March 11, where the president hinted at a longer-term objective.
"We don't want to go back every two years," Trump said, implying that a temporary or incomplete solution would only lead to recurring conflict.
While Bolton's argument represents one of the most forceful public endorsements of regime change from a prominent Republican figure, it also highlights divisions within Trump's circle.
Some advisers and supporters have reportedly urged caution, advocating for a more limited military objective rather than a full-scale effort to topple Iran's government.
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