President Donald Trump is pressing his national security team to develop what he calls “decisive” military options against Iran’s ruling regime, signaling that the White House is not backing away from the possibility of force even after calling off strikes days earlier, according to a new report by the WSJ. The push comes as an American aircraft carrier and fighter jets are moving toward the Middle East, sharpening pressure on Tehran’s embattled leadership amid nationwide protests and open calls from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for the security forces to defect to the people.
Trump Demands ‘Decisive’ Options, Including Regime-Toppling Scenarios
According to U.S. officials cited by the Wall Street Journal, Trump has repeatedly emphasized that any potential U.S. response to the Islamic Republic’s aggression must be “decisive,” prompting aides at the White House and Pentagon to prepare a wide range of military options.
Those scenarios reportedly include operations directly aimed at toppling the Islamic Republic—an unprecedented step that would align with the aspirations of millions of Iranians who want to see the clerical regime replaced. More limited plans, such as targeted strikes on facilities tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), are also on the table, designed to punish the regime’s praetorian guard without necessarily triggering full‑scale war.
Officials say President Trump has not ruled out the use of force, even after he stepped back from an earlier strike package, underscoring that military action remains a real option if Tehran escalates. For Iranians protesting in the streets and for Prince Reza Pahlavi and the opposition in exile, the mere fact that regime‑change options are being war‑gamed in Washington is a clear signal that this White House is willing to challenge the ayatollahs far more aggressively than past administrations.
Carrier Strike Group Heads Toward Iran’s Neighborhood
The deliberations are unfolding as a U.S. aircraft carrier and its air wing move toward the Middle East, adding real firepower behind Trump’s demands. The deployment gives Washington the ability to launch rapid strikes on IRGC bases, command nodes, and regime infrastructure if the president orders action, while also reassuring U.S. allies and Iranian protesters that America is not merely issuing rhetorical condemnations.
For the Islamic Republic’s rulers, the sight of U.S. naval and air assets drawing closer comes on top of a growing internal revolt and an information war they are struggling to control. Hackers recently broke into state TV to broadcast a message from Prince Reza Pahlavi urging the “national army of Iran” not to fire on the people, highlighting the widening gap between the regime and large parts of the population—and the potential for outside pressure to accelerate that split.
A Convergence of Pressure: Pahlavi’s Appeal and Trump’s Posture
The combination of President Trump’s demand for “decisive” options and Prince Reza Pahlavi’s direct appeal to Iran’s armed forces points toward a moment of rare convergence between U.S. policy and the aspirations of Iran’s pro‑freedom opposition. Prince Reza Pahlavi has called on soldiers to see themselves as part of the nation, not the Islamic Republic, while President Trump is reportedly examining options that range from crippling IRGC infrastructure to scenarios that could help bring the regime itself to an end.
