Transcript [00:00] Hey everyone, this is the Iran update [00:02] for Monday, February 23rd. And there [00:04] have been some statements now out of [00:06] some American officials that are very [00:07] revealing in terms of what the US [00:10] strategy actually is. And I have a fair [00:14] bit to say about it. So, let's start [00:15] with this clip of President Trump and [00:17] then Ambassador Mike Huckabe. [00:19] >> President, are you considering a limited [00:21] military strike to pressure Iran into a [00:24] deal? [00:24] >> Thank you, PR. Keep moving. Thank you. [00:26] >> Are you considering a limited strike, [00:28] sir? press exiting out. [00:33] >> President Trump confirming he is [00:34] considering a limited military strike on [00:36] Iran, putting Middle East and Israel on [00:39] alert. It comes days before Secretary of [00:41] State Marco Rubio is set to visit the [00:43] Jewish state. So, let's bring in the US [00:46] ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabe. Uh, [00:48] great to see you this morning, [00:49] Ambassador. So, um, where do we stand [00:52] right now in terms of negotiations with [00:55] Iran? [00:57] The talks continue. We hope that they [00:59] could be successful, but successful [01:01] means that Iran's got to give up their [01:03] nuclear aspirations. They have to stop [01:06] enriching uranium. The president has [01:08] been so clear and he's also been so [01:10] consistent. It's one of the things I [01:12] love about it. He's not a person who's [01:14] constantly changing his mind or making [01:16] compromises on important principles. [01:18] He's told them what has to happen. It [01:21] really is up to them. Do they want to be [01:23] a part of a civilized society? Or do [01:26] they want to continue to do what they've [01:27] done for 47 years, and that's yell out [01:30] death to America, put contracts out to [01:33] assassinate President Trump, kill [01:35] thousands of Americans, and work really [01:38] hard to get a long range ballistic [01:39] missile with a nuclear warhead so that [01:41] they could shoot it at America. That's [01:43] their choice. They need to make it, and [01:45] they need to make it quick. [01:46] >> Yeah. So, do we have real evidence at [01:48] the moment that they are in fact [01:50] rebuilding their nuclear program? [01:53] We know that they're continuing to try [01:55] to enrich uranium. They haven't given up [01:57] on it. Uh yes. So we know that they have [02:01] not scrapped their program and said, [02:03] "Yeah, we don't really need this after [02:05] all." We also know that they are [02:07] building up at an alarming rate their [02:09] ballistic missile capacity. Uh that's [02:11] not a defensive posture. They're not [02:13] doing that to defend themselves. They're [02:15] certainly not doing it when they're [02:16] medium range ballistic missiles the size [02:19] of 18 wheel trucks. [02:21] When uh when people talk about uh when [02:24] President Trump talks about a limited [02:26] strike, what do you think that that [02:28] looks like given the enormous military [02:30] buildup we have seen in the region? [02:34] >> Only the president could answer that [02:36] question. I mean, you you made a very [02:38] important point. We have put enormous [02:41] levels of military assets in the region. [02:44] Uh I don't know uh if that means that [02:47] they're all going to be employed if [02:49] necessary or they're there to uh send a [02:52] strong statement to Iran. And again, [02:54] only President Trump knows what he's [02:56] going to do and when he's going to do [02:58] it. [03:00] Okay, let's unpack what we just saw from [03:03] Ambassador Huckabe. [03:06] Uh limited strike is what President [03:08] Trump said. What does a limited strike [03:10] look like? The last thing he was asked, [03:11] he says only the president knows. And it [03:12] was a good question. Considering all the [03:14] buildup, why a limited strike? Let's [03:15] think about what President Trump is [03:17] doing here. So why do you bring in all [03:20] these assets and then say we're [03:21] considering a limited strike? So we're [03:24] going to take a look at a clip from [03:26] Steve Witoff the other day, also on Fox, [03:29] talking to Lara Trump, where he revealed [03:32] really what's going on in President [03:34] Trump's thinking. And we'll put that [03:35] together with what we heard from [03:37] Ambassador Mike Huckabe. But also you [03:40] see that Mike Huckabe focuses in on the [03:43] ballistic missiles when the interviewer [03:45] asks him about the nuclear program. And [03:47] this is a key issue here. We need to [03:50] clear the air about. Many many people in [03:54] media are talking only about the [03:55] nuclear, okay? The nuclear stuff is what [03:57] took center stage in the 12-day war. [04:00] That's what the B2 bomber attacks were [04:02] about. And President Trump has mostly [04:05] throughout this whole saga been talking [04:07] about the nuclear ambitions and making [04:08] it seem that the negotiations are all [04:10] about that. But Ambassador Huckabe is [04:13] correct. The ballistic missile [04:14] capability is what's really growing at [04:16] an alarming rate. They have much they [04:18] have better missiles now than they had [04:19] back in June. And that's the real [04:22] danger. Now, key point for Israel right [04:26] now. That's the key urgent issue. The [04:28] nuclear problem is a problem. And I got [04:30] criticized on one of my videos that I [04:32] just made last week saying that, oh, the [04:34] nuclear issue is not such a pressing [04:36] issue. And someone in the comments said, [04:37] what are you talking about? Of course, [04:38] it's look, it's a it's a pressing issue [04:40] in the long-term sense. If they rebuild [04:42] it, it's not an urgent issue right now. [04:45] The ballistic missiles are an urgent [04:47] issue. So, he was right to bring that [04:48] back. But, let's go take a look at this [04:50] clip from Steve Whit, and then we'll [04:52] talk about what the um, you know, what [04:55] President Trump is uh is is thinking [04:58] right here. This is this is a key point. [04:59] Here it is. Here's the clip from Steve [05:01] Wood. [05:01] >> Sure. [05:02] >> So, the future of the Middle East [05:03] largely also depends on what happens in [05:05] Iran and I know that you've been very [05:08] deep in talks with Iran. Uh we just saw [05:10] this week in in Geneva there was [05:12] conversation, but there have been some [05:14] very hard red lines drawn. The US of [05:17] course wants to dismantle Iran's nuclear [05:19] arsenal. Iran says that is a [05:21] non-starter. So based on what you've [05:24] seen in the negotiations that that [05:26] you've been part of, what could a deal [05:28] actually look like with this regime? [05:30] >> Well, I think the president has uh has [05:33] he gave Jared and I direction before we [05:35] went over there. There were red lines, [05:37] zero enrichment. We have to have the [05:39] material back. You know, they say that [05:41] it's all about their about their civil [05:45] program. And yet they've been enriching [05:47] well beyond the um number that you need [05:50] for uh for civil nuclear. It's it's it's [05:54] up to 60%. They're probably a week away [05:57] from having uh industrial uh uh [06:00] industrial [06:02] uh bomb making material and that's [06:04] really dangerous. So they can't have [06:06] that. This is something that they have [06:09] to stick with until they prove to us [06:11] that um you know they can behave. I know [06:14] that you we have red lines here from the [06:16] US. How about over with Iran? [06:18] >> The president asked me that this morning [06:20] and he's I don't want to use the word [06:22] frustrated. It's almost because he he [06:24] understands he's got plenty of [06:25] alternatives, but it's curious. He's [06:28] curious as to why they haven't [06:32] I don't want to use the word [06:33] capitulated, but why they haven't [06:34] capitulated. [06:36] Why under this sort of pressure with the [06:39] amount of um uh sea power, naval power [06:42] that we have over there, why they [06:43] haven't come to us and said we profess [06:45] that we don't want to be we don't want a [06:47] weapon. So here's what we're prepared to [06:49] do. And yet it's hard to to sort of get [06:51] them to that place. [06:52] >> Well, there's that pressure. There's [06:54] also pressure coming from within Iran [06:56] from their own people. Obvious. [06:59] >> Okay, this is uh I think the most [07:03] revealing clip that I've seen since this [07:06] thing started about what President Trump [07:08] is thinking. And I don't know if WhitF [07:10] was supposed to say this or not, but you [07:11] notice he says there that President [07:13] Trump is frustrated that Iran has not [07:16] capitulated considering all of the [07:18] military assets that have been put there [07:20] and all of the threats that are going [07:21] on. And this says it all. I wrote a [07:26] column about this in the Jerusalem Post. [07:28] It was published just a few days ago. Uh [07:30] and uh this is this is what they are [07:35] missing. Let me lay it out. Iran has a [07:39] strategy. It is a very clear strategy. [07:44] Their strategy is based on survival of [07:46] the regime. That's what they care about. [07:49] And they have determined and this is [07:51] what the the US administration is [07:53] missing. This is what Witoff is missing [07:54] in that clip. And it could be that Trump [07:56] is missing. [07:59] The regime, I believe, has made the [08:01] calculation [08:02] that capitulating to the US demands [08:07] will weaken them such that they there is [08:10] a good chance the regime will fall. [08:14] But that attacks, military strikes on [08:17] them, even if they cause tremendous [08:19] damage and they cause tremendous [08:20] destruction and they cause death, will [08:22] not bring down the regime or have less [08:25] of a chance of bringing down the regime [08:27] than capitulation to the US demands. [08:30] Why? Because you cannot bomb a regime [08:32] out of existence. We saw this also in my [08:35] previous Iran update where we showed the [08:37] clip from the former uh commander of [08:40] Sentcom who even said this. You can't [08:41] bomb you can't bomb a regime out of [08:43] existence. you can create the conditions [08:44] that make it easier for the Iranian [08:46] people to bring down the regime. Well, [08:49] what are those conditions? Those [08:50] conditions are a weakened regime that [08:53] that can no longer enforce itself on its [08:56] people through a reign of terror. If [08:58] they capitulate to the US demands which [09:00] include no longer oppressing their [09:02] people and and firing on them, it they [09:05] include no longer funding their proxies, [09:08] no longer having a ballistic missile [09:09] program like they do uh or limiting [09:12] their ballistic missile program, no [09:13] longer having a nuclear program. They [09:15] will appear so weak from capitulation [09:19] that the it will embolden the Iranian [09:22] people and it will make it easier for [09:24] them to bring down the regime. And they [09:25] have made the calculation that the [09:26] regime has a better chance of surviving [09:29] if they h allow the Americans to attack [09:32] them if they go into a kinetic conflict [09:34] with America because they're also [09:38] they're also betting on the fact that [09:40] President Trump does not want a [09:42] prolonged conflict. So if they can get [09:45] into a kinetic conflict and make it last [09:47] without the make it last a little while [09:49] without the regime falling and cause any [09:53] damage at all, any deaths at all to [09:56] American assets in the region, any [09:58] deaths of American personnel in the [09:59] region, the hue and cry in America for [10:03] America to stop the attacks, for Trump [10:06] to stop the attacks, which which are [10:08] already starting. They've already [10:09] started before. They were we had this [10:11] also in the 12-day war before the B2 [10:12] bomber attacks. There was a lot of [10:13] pressure on Trump not to attack and he [10:16] got away with it. He got away with it [10:19] because nothing happened. Uh meaning no [10:21] American personnel died. The Iranians [10:23] are betting on their but there it's a [10:26] hedge. They don't there's no there's no [10:28] guarantees. But they look at this and [10:30] say if we go to kinetic war, we can [10:32] prolong it. We can possibly cause some [10:34] American casualties. We can create the [10:37] conditions where President Trump will [10:38] get cold feet at some point and pull [10:40] out. he'll stop it before the regime [10:42] falls. As long as that happens, that's a [10:45] better outcome for them than [10:47] capitulating to the demands. And this is [10:49] what the Americans are missing. And you [10:51] can see this also from what was said in [10:54] a press conference that was given by the [10:59] Iranian uh the Iran the by by Iran's [11:02] foreign ministry. This is the spokesman [11:04] of Iran's foreign ministry, Esmael [11:06] Bagayi. And he gave a press conference [11:09] today. today on February 23rd and he [11:13] laid out a number of of important points [11:16] for what's going on. First of all, he [11:18] talked about cooperation with [11:20] inspections of nuclear facilities and [11:22] look what he said here in response to [11:23] remarks by Rafael Gross suggesting that [11:26] any agreement would be conditional on [11:28] inspections of bomb facilities. Bagay [11:30] said Iran does not accept such a [11:32] precondition. You understand how much [11:33] they're digging in? Forget about not [11:35] dismantling ballistic and not funding [11:37] proxies. They're not even agreeing to [11:39] the precondition that the bombed nuclear [11:41] facilities will be inspected. [11:44] They're digging in. [11:47] They're driving a tougher bargain. [11:49] They're not not only are they not moving [11:51] in the direction of capitulation, [11:53] they're moving in the direction of [11:55] digging in and and driving a more [11:57] difficult bargain. asked in the press [12:00] conference about the source of Iran's [12:01] confidence amid military pressure in [12:04] response to a question about how Iran [12:05] maintains confidence amid increased US [12:07] military presence in the region. Bagayi [12:09] said in said this confidence is rooted [12:12] in Iran's historical civilizational and [12:15] cultural legitimacy stressing that the [12:17] Iranian ethos is incompatible with [12:20] submission. He added that for more than [12:22] four decades, the Iranian people, [12:24] meaning the regime, have sought dignity, [12:26] independence, and respect for national [12:27] sovereignty and that from their [12:29] perspective of international law, the [12:32] raising the notion of surrender runs [12:34] counter to established principles. Okay. [12:38] He also said the spokesperson attributed [12:40] the United States inability to grasp [12:43] Iran's strength to a lack of [12:45] understanding of Tehran's concept of [12:47] dignity and national interests. He said [12:49] Iran's security and national concerns [12:51] cannot be ignored, adding that Iran will [12:53] stand firm against excessive demands [12:56] whether from the United States or any [12:57] actor and went on to talk about [13:01] demanding sanctions relief and they're [13:03] looking at recognizing Afghanistan, [13:04] which is interesting. We we might talk [13:06] about that in a later video. Uh took a [13:09] swipe at Israel. [13:11] And then look at this look at this [13:13] comment here. responding to a question [13:15] about the rise in threats alongside the [13:18] negotiation process. Okay, so let's [13:20] pause. We've seen this from the [13:22] Americans. Trump's whole tactic has been [13:25] to constantly threaten while also [13:28] talking about wanting to make a deal in [13:29] negotiations. So now the the [13:32] spokesperson of the Iranian foreign [13:34] ministry was asked about that the rise [13:36] in threats alongside the negotiation [13:39] process. So he said that the country's [13:41] military forces stand ready to defend [13:43] the nation with eyes wide open. [13:45] According to him, Thran has consistently [13:47] stated that it will not be influenced by [13:49] threats and that throughout the talks, [13:51] it has pursued whatever it deemed to be [13:53] in the national interest both in shaping [13:55] the format of the negotiations and [13:57] setting the agenda. [14:00] And look at this. He stressed that [14:01] Iran's focus remains on advancing the [14:03] interests and rights of its people and [14:05] that threats are not a determining [14:07] factor in this path. At the same time, [14:09] he warned, here we go, that if Iran [14:11] concludes the other side intends to use [14:13] the negotiations for deception or [14:15] trickery, it will take appropriate [14:18] counter measures. The foreign ministry [14:20] official added that participating in [14:22] negotiations does not mean neglecting [14:24] developments on the ground. While talks [14:26] continue, Iran's military forces are [14:28] monitoring developments with heightened [14:30] vigilance. By the way, this is from WA. [14:31] This is from the Iranian regime English [14:33] language news website. Okay. Um, now [14:39] keep going here. Oh, this is really [14:41] interesting. In this same press [14:42] conference, look what he said about the [14:43] European Union. The spokesperson also [14:45] reacted to a recent statement by the [14:47] Council of Ministers of the European [14:48] Union regarding the designation of the [14:51] Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a [14:53] terrorist organization. He described the [14:55] move as contrary to international [14:57] regulations and the charter of United [14:59] Nations stressing that labeling part [15:01] labeling part of the official armed [15:03] forces of a country is not permissible [15:06] under any circumstances. Well, are they [15:07] the official armed forces? There are two [15:09] armies in Iran. There's the IRGC and [15:11] there's the Iranian army. But here's the [15:14] key that I wanted to point out here. In [15:17] response, Iran has placed the naval and [15:19] air forces of EU member states on its [15:23] own list of terrorist entities. Right? [15:26] So he characterized the move as a [15:27] response to Europe's illegal decision [15:30] and added that from now on the presence [15:32] of these forces will be assessed [15:34] differently by Iran as they are now [15:36] considered terrorist organizations. This [15:38] designation will carry specific [15:40] consequences and implications. In other [15:43] words, what he's saying is that now uh [15:46] adding to the legitimate targets that [15:49] Iran might retaliate against if United [15:51] States attacks will be EU affiliated [15:56] vessels in the region. Okay? Because [15:58] again the whole strategy is to cause [16:00] enough damage, cause enough escalation. [16:02] Remember what everyone fears, what [16:04] everyone who is all the all those who [16:06] are counseling President Trump or in the [16:08] media saying that they don't want there [16:10] to be any kinetic conflict are all [16:13] arguing against the fears. They're [16:15] arguing based on the fears of [16:16] escalation. So Iran's whole tactic, they [16:19] don't need to win. This is what [16:21] everyone's missing. This was this was I [16:23] think the title of my piece in the [16:24] Jerusalem Post was Iran's not trying to [16:26] defeat the United States. [16:29] All they need to do is escalate enough. [16:31] They need to make some of the fears come [16:34] to fruition. A few American casualties, [16:36] some regional escalation, [16:39] prolonging the the kinetic conflict long [16:42] enough that President Trump feels that [16:44] this is not what he wanted that he [16:46] didn't because he doesn't want [16:47] escalation. He doesn't want a wider he [16:48] doesn't want to cause a wider regional [16:50] war. He doesn't he certainly doesn't [16:51] want any US casualties. That is what is [16:55] going on here. Let me uh let's uh [16:57] there's a little bit more I wanted to [16:58] share here. Right. In the same press [17:01] conference, he also said in another part [17:03] of the briefing, the spokesperson [17:05] pointed to what he described as [17:07] contradictory statements by US [17:08] officials. Aha. You see, that's what [17:10] President Trump's been doing. We want a [17:12] deal or it's about nuclear. And then we [17:14] have and then we have Rubio saying, "No, [17:16] it's actually about four different [17:17] things and and always warning of [17:19] attacks." All these misdirection plays [17:21] and mixed messages, which I think is a [17:23] fantastic tactic by the by the United [17:26] States. part of President Trump's [17:28] unpredictability doctrine, as I like to [17:30] call it. And here he's basically [17:32] complaining about it. The spokesperson [17:34] pointed to what he described as [17:35] contradictory statements by US officials [17:37] regarding the negotiation process, [17:39] saying there is no doubt that such [17:41] inconsistencies represent one of the [17:42] major obstacles to progress in talks. [17:45] From Tehran's perspective, differences [17:47] in tone and messaging within official [17:49] statements from Washington deepen [17:52] mistrust and complicate efforts to reach [17:54] a durable understanding. You see, they [17:56] want clear, consistent messaging from [17:59] the US because it makes it easier for [18:01] them to maneuver because then they know [18:03] exactly what the US position is. And [18:05] they're getting mixed signals and that's [18:07] making it more difficult for them to [18:08] read the Americans. Basically, the Trump [18:11] administration's negotiating tactics are [18:13] beating the Iranians at their at their [18:17] own game because traditionally in the [18:20] Middle East, that's what these guys do. [18:22] They're constantly giving mixed messages [18:23] and playing both sides. Now, we started [18:26] off this this video with that uh clip of [18:29] President Trump saying that he's [18:30] considering a limited strike. And we [18:32] said, "Why is he doing that? What is a [18:34] limited strike?" And we saw the [18:35] interviewer asked Huckabe, "What's a [18:36] limited strike?" And he just said, "Only [18:38] Trump knows." [18:40] Responding to statements by US officials [18:42] about the possibility of a limited [18:43] strike against Iran, the spokesperson [18:45] rejected the terminology outright. [18:47] "There is no such thing as a limited [18:49] attack. An act of aggression is an act [18:52] of aggression," he said. He stressed [18:53] that any military action against Iran, [18:55] regardless of its scale or label, would [18:58] be regarded as aggression. In such a [19:00] case, Thran would respond within the [19:02] framework of its inherent right to [19:04] self-defense. According to him, any [19:06] sovereign state would interpret such [19:07] action as a violation of its sovereignty [19:09] and would react decisively and force and [19:11] forcefully, meaning anyone would do the [19:13] same thing. Our response would be the [19:15] same, he added. Okay. Now, [19:19] this is [19:21] it's very important to read what the [19:23] other side is saying in an unfiltered [19:25] way. We tend to read quotes from the [19:27] other side most of the time in media [19:29] within Western media where they're [19:30] quoted. But it's good to find these [19:32] websites. I like to read, for example, [19:34] uh you know, Saudi Arabia has has regime [19:37] media in English. Iran has regime media [19:39] in English. The Turks have regime media [19:41] in English. You got to read these things [19:43] so that you actually know what their [19:45] messaging is unfiltered. And this is [19:47] really important here. So, here's Trump [19:49] talking about a limited strike. Why is [19:50] he doing it? Let's put the whole [19:51] strategy together. Everything that I've [19:53] said, Trump is saying [19:56] Trump's putting all these assets there, [19:57] but he actually doesn't want a war. And [20:00] if he's going to go to war, he wants it [20:01] to be very limited. So, the negotiations [20:04] aren't working. You saw what Witkov [20:05] said, like all the threats and all the [20:08] buildup. He thought the Iranians would [20:10] would be terrified and capitulate. Now, [20:11] the Iranians are probably afraid. [20:13] They're never going to show it, but [20:14] they're also reading Trump. You see it [20:16] in this press conference, in this [20:18] transcript I just read to you, or this [20:20] this summary of this press conference [20:21] with the Iranian Foreign Ministry [20:23] spokesman. You see how they're un they [20:26] they've they've figured out what Trump [20:28] is doing. They've figured out that he [20:30] doesn't want escalation. And especially [20:33] when he says he's considering a limited [20:35] strike, he just showed his hand. He [20:37] tipped his hand [20:39] because what does that mean? It means [20:42] that he he doesn't really want an [20:44] all-out war. He was this is all the goal [20:47] of this really the first choice is that [20:50] this is all a big threat and that the [20:52] Iranians will capitulate. They're not [20:53] capitulating. He says, "Okay, I'll do a [20:54] limited strike." And they're saying, [20:55] "No, no, no, no. There's no such thing [20:57] as a limited strike." They're forcing [21:00] his hand. They're playing they're [21:01] playing Trump perfectly, [21:04] okay? because they know that he doesn't [21:06] want any escalation. They're saying [21:08] you're not going to get that a limited [21:09] strike. You got your escalation and [21:11] that's going to scare Trump. That's what [21:13] they're hoping that it'll back him off [21:15] because he doesn't want escalation. So, [21:18] if they say you're going to get to your [21:20] escalation even if the strike is [21:21] limited, then that gives him cold feet [21:24] about the limited strike. Okay? This is [21:26] what the Iranians are doing. And Wickoff [21:29] Wickoff revealed it by saying that [21:31] President Trump is frustrated because he [21:33] thought the Iranians would capitulate. [21:35] It shows what President what President [21:37] Trump's strategy is. And I believe that [21:39] what I said is the Iranian strategy, [21:42] what I've written about in my in my [21:43] Jerusalem Post oped and uh and also what [21:46] I wrote about and and and and what I [21:48] talked about in um in the videos in the [21:51] videos that I've done both on the Israel [21:52] 365 news channel and here I believe is [21:55] being confirmed. So look, as it stands [21:59] now, I think the Iranians are playing a [22:01] very smart game. There's no guarantee [22:03] that they'll be successful, of course, [22:05] but they're, you know, they're hedging, [22:07] and they're hedging based on the fact [22:08] that they feel, again, just to sum it [22:10] up, they have a better chance of [22:12] survival if they actually go to kinetic [22:14] conflict than if they capitulate to the [22:17] US demands. That's my understanding of [22:19] the situation, and I'm going to stick to [22:21] it until anything happens that shows me [22:25] otherwise. All right, keep watching [22:28] folks. Please like, share, subscribe, [22:30] all that great stuff. And uh thank you [22:32] very much for uh for watching and for [22:34] your support of this channel. God bless.
