What is President Trump’s Endgame in Iran

Last year, the Trump administration said the pretence of striking Iran was its nuclear programme. After Israel attacked Iran in June in what became known as the 12-day war, the US bombed several Iranian nuclear sites, then quickly declared the “war was over.” Whether American military action triggers a rapid collapse of Iran’s regime or gradually erodes it over time, all paths lead to one destination: The end of the Islamic Republic… This time around, the focus seems to be regime change, as telegraphed earlier this month when Trump urged Iranian protesters to “take over state institutions”, promising “help is…