Trump: Regime change is the best thing that could happen in Iran

2026-02-14 14:43:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US President Donald Trump said regime change is the "best thing that could happen" in Iran, as he confirmed that a second aircraft carrier will soon join the "massive" US fleet in the Arabian Sea, amid high tensions between the two rivals.

"Seems like that would be the best thing that could happen," Trump told reporters on February 13 while standing at a military base in North Carolina when asked if he was aiming for "regime change" in Tehran.

"For 47 years, they've talked and talked and talked. In the meantime, we've lost a lot of lives while they've talked," he added. This is Trump's most direct call yet for the overthrow of Iran's clerical regime.

Trump did not say who he wants to take over the government if the regime were to fall, but only said that "there are people."

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last shah, is one of many figures seeking to gain influence within the fragmented Iranian opposition in exile.

Iran's theocratic regime has been in power since 1979, when the Islamic Revolution led to the overthrow of the US-backed Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, by clerics loyal to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The two countries have not had diplomatic relations since 1980.

Washington and Tehran have been engaged in indirect talks over Iran's nuclear program. Western countries suspect Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon, while Tehran insists its program is for civilian purposes only.

Trump has also threatened a new military attack on the Iranian government if it executes any of the protesters arrested during the recent massive anti-government protests.

"Difficult" nuclear talks

Trump told US troops at the base that Tehran has been "difficult" in nuclear talks and suggested that pressure on the Iranians should be increased.

"They have made it difficult to reach an agreement," he said. "Sometimes you have to be afraid. That's the only thing that will solve the situation."

Trump also lauded the 12-day war that took place in June last year, when Israel and the US carried out a bombing campaign targeting Iran's nuclear and military facilities.

The American leader's latest statements come at a time when Washington is having a massive military buildup in the Persian Gulf region.

Experts say the deployment of forces is intended to give Trump a military option if he chooses to act on his threats to attack Iran, because the latter has failed to reach a nuclear deal and has violently suppressed protesters.

Iranian security forces killed thousands of demonstrators in January, following protests that erupted in late December 2025, initially over economic issues but later morphed into general anger against the regime. More than 53,000 people were arrested, according to human rights groups.

Previously, the US has deployed the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln to the Persian Gulf region as part of what Trump calls a "massive fleet" deployed near Iran.

On February 13, Trump confirmed that another aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, along with accompanying ships, was sailing from the Caribbean and would soon join US forces in the region, most likely within about seven days.

Gerald R. Ford is considered to be the largest warship in the world, measuring 337 meters long and capable of carrying some of the most advanced military technologies.

When asked why he was sending the second warship, Trump said: "In case we don't make a deal, we're going to need it... If we need it, we'll have it ready."

Negotiators met last week in Muscat in talks brokered by the Omani government, and subsequent rounds are unclear, although Reuters, citing sources, said a new round of talks is scheduled to be held in Geneva on February 17.

Iran has been hit hard by Western financial sanctions, which have contributed to the collapse of the country's economy.

In 2015, Iran agreed to a nuclear deal with world powers. The pact aimed to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

However, Iran began to backtrack on its commitments after Trump, during his first presidential term, withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran./ Rel