Trump exploring backing militias in Iran to topple weakened regime following strikes: reports
President Donald Trump is open to the idea of supporting militia groups in Iran willing to help take out the regime, according to reports.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has spoken with Kurdish leaders, who have a sizable force along the Iraq-Iran border.
“President Trump has spoken with many regional partners,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the newspaper in a statement, without confirming Trump’s aims.
Trump spoke with two leaders of the main Kurdish factions in Iraq — Masoud Barzani and Bafel Talabani — a day after the Saturday bombing campaign began, Axios first reported.
Officials told the Journal that Trump hasn’t made a decision on the matter, including what type of help the United States would provide, be it arms, intelligence or other resources.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.
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Among the approaches being looked at for Iran moving forward are backing militias while weighing different scenarios for who could realistically take power after the country’s leaders fall, the newspaper reported.
Trump has urged the people of Iran to overthrow the country’s regime as Tehran appears to be weakened following U.S. and Israeli military strikes that have killed several key Iranian leaders and officials.
“Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” he told reporters at the White House. “And now we have another group, they may be dead also. Pretty soon we’re not going to know anybody.”
The strikes have fueled speculation that the Kurds could advance into Iran amid Israeli strikes in the western part of the country.
“It is the general view, and certainly (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s view, that the Kurds are going to come out of the woodwork … that they’re going to rise up,” one official told Axios.
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