US President Trump declares Iran will be hit very hard following Iranian president’s apology to neighbors for previous attacks.
Trump Declares Iran a “Loser”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday (March 7) assured that Iran is not hostile towards its neighbors and apologized for previous attacks, stating they resulted from miscommunication.
US President Trump reacted by stating, “Iran, which was defeated, apologized and surrendered to its Middle Eastern neighbors, promising not to shoot at them anymore. The promise was made solely because of continuous attacks by the United States and Israel.”
Trump emphasized that Iran is no longer a “tyrant” but a “loser” and will remain so “for many decades, until capitulation or, more likely, complete collapse.” He added that Iran will be hit very hard, and “the complete destruction of areas and groups of people that have not previously been considered targets is being seriously considered.”
Civilian Casualties in Middle East Conflict
The USA and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28. The next day, March 1, Iranian media confirmed the death of the country’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Mohammad Pakpur, and influential security advisor Ali Shamkhani.
Iran responded by attacking US and Israeli military targets in the Persian Gulf region.
As a result of these strikes, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, reported that 1332 civilians, including women and children, have been killed, with thousands more injured. Schools and hospitals are being deliberately attacked, he stated.
Israeli Expert Doubts Regime Change Success
Ofer Shelakh, head of the national security program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Jerusalem, commented on the situation, stating that regime change in Iran would be very difficult.
He noted that President Trump tends to prefer easy victories, which may not align with the complex challenges of changing Iran’s government.