“This situation is very different and is about whether the regime is going to continue to exist in its present form or not,” Rosemary Kelanic, the director of the Middle East Program at think tank Defense Priorities, told Newsweek.
Kelanic said that seven months ago, Iran had been restrained, but “I’m not sure we would see the same level of restraint if the U.S. attacks the regime with an eye towards toppling the regime—it’s just a different level of threat to them.”
More on Middle East
By Peter Harris
February 1, 2026
Events on Iran
virtualMiddle East, Basing and force posture, Diplomacy, Houthis, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Israel‑Hamas, Military analysis, Syria
May 16, 2025
