US President Donald Trump is in full readiness, according to American officials cited by the Wall Street Journal, as he appears open to supporting groups in Iran that are willing to take up arms to overthrow the regime, in an idea that could transform Iranian factions into ground forces theoretically backed by Washington.
Read: Trump: Iran is running out of weapons, I’m open to cooperation – The war could end in a few days
Donald Trump’s plan
The American president spoke on Sunday with Kurdish leaders in Iran, according to the same officials, and continues to approach other local leaders who could exploit Tehran’s weakness for their benefit. The Kurds maintain significant forces along the Iraq-Iran border, while Israel has bombed positions in western Iran, reinforcing speculation that it is preparing the ground for a Kurdish advance. “President Trump has spoken with many regional partners,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, without explicitly confirming Trump’s objectives.
Officials emphasized that Trump has not made a final decision on the matter, including whether to provide weapons, training, or intelligence support to groups opposing the regime. Announcing the start of US and Israeli attacks against Iran, Trump urged the Iranian people to rise up and “take power,” adding that “America supports you with overwhelming force and devastating power.” However, by offering at least conditional support to armed resistance groups, each with different objectives, Trump is moving beyond simply calling for popular uprising. On Tuesday, Trump shared twice on social media a Washington Post opinion article about the “Trump doctrine.” “There is no need for American invasion,” wrote columnist Marc Thiessen. “The Iranian people are the force on the ground.”
