US envoy says strike on Iran could come this weekend
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
US envoy Tom Barrack says the United States could strike Iran as soon as this weekend, amid mounting threats from Washington and Israel. He says, however, that the US objective is not to overthrow Iran’s government, according to remarks to podcaster Mario Nawfal.
A US strike on Iran could take place as soon as this weekend, Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and envoy on Syria, said on Friday in an interview with podcast host Mario Nawfal. “Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely,” he said, according to Vanguard.
Tom Barrack said, however, that President Donald Trump remained open to a deal with Tehran and that Washington was not seeking to overthrow the Islamic Republic. “The consequence will not be regime change,” he said, referring to Iranian threats against the United States, its allies and Gulf countries.
The comments come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an election on Tuesday, has repeatedly promised to overthrow Iran’s religious leadership. Donald Trump himself had raised the possibility of renewed strikes, while previously saying they would not take place before the US midterm elections on 3 November.
Tom Barrack does not have direct responsibility for the Iran portfolio. He nevertheless said Donald Trump was “open, available and accessible” to a deal, after several months of stalled talks. This position comes after Trump considered a pre-emptive strike on Iran on 21 October.
