'Military strike is a possibility': Ex-NSA John Bolton urges Trump to target regime change in Iran

As protests against Iran's ruling clerical establishment intensify, former US National Security Adviser John Bolton has said the threat of American military action is real and argued that any use of force should be explicitly aimed at regime change, not symbolic support for protesters.

Speaking to India Today in an interview, Bolton said Washington was already signalling an escalation through economic and military pressure, even as uncertainty remains over US President Donald Trump's ultimate objective.

Asked about reports that the US is considering its "strongest possible options" if the crackdown in Tehran continues, Bolton said military force could not be ruled out. "Military force is a possibility. The President announced last night that there would be tariffs of 25% on any country trading with Iran. So that's a sort of extraordinary economic statement. But given the fact that the US did use force against Iran's nuclear program along with Israel last year, I think the threat of military force is real. Whether he decides to do it or not, we don't know yet."

Pressed on what a credible military option would look like, Bolton said clarity of purpose was missing, but insisted that regime change should guide any action. "It would be nice if Trump had an objective. If his objective was regime change, that would give you one potential set of targets. If it's just to make a demonstration in support of the protesters in Iran, that might be something else."

"I think regime change should be the objective. I would advise that he go after the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard, again, the nuclear program, the ballistic missile program. But with Trump, we don't know what his objective is."

When asked whether a US-backed military push for regime change in Iran - a country at the heart of West Asia and far from American shores - would be acceptable internationally, Bolton argued that the key audience was inside Iran itself.

"I think it might be acceptable to the opposition in Iran. The people said if the US ever attacked Iran's nuclear program, it would rally the people of Iran to the side of the regime. There'd be turmoil all over the Middle East. Well, last year we did (that). And today in Iran, the people are out in the streets chanting 'death to the Ayatollas.' So I think there's a good reason for this, not just the oppression of the people of Iran, but there never is going to be strategic stability and peace in the Middle East as long as the Ayatollah are in charge in Tehran."

Bolton also addressed the risk of retaliation by Tehran, noting that Iranian threats have not always translated into action and that US and Israeli strikes have already weakened Iran’s military capabilities.

"The Iranian government has certainly threatened retaliation. The use of military force can be graduated. You can take out the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard, but not much else. We will certainly destroy whatever remaining or new air defenses Iran has put in since the 12-day war. The Iranian fleet in the Gulf might be another target. The Iranians threatened retaliation as we were striking the nuclear weapons program, and after that was over, they did exactly nothing. So their capabilities have been degraded not just by the US attack but more by the Israeli attack."

He said the Iranian public had interpreted those strikes as a sign of regime vulnerability. "The people in Iran, by the way, read those attacks as being very specifically targeted and are indicating that if the regime couldn't protect its nuclear weapons program, its crown jewel, the regime's days were numbered. And I think that was an accurate reading."

Asked directly whether he believes the current protests could actually bring down Iran’s long-standing clerical elite, Bolton said the regime is facing its deepest legitimacy crisis since the 1979 revolution. "The regime is at its most unpopular point since taking power in 1979."