President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming envoy, Ret. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, recently advocated for the U.S. to resume its “maximum pressure” policy against Iran, arguing that the regime’s vulnerabilities present a crucial opportunity to reshape Iran’s future.
“This year should be one of hope, action, and change,” Kellogg, a Trump administration veteran, stated at a Paris event organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an Iranian opposition group.
The retired lieutenant general highlighted the destabilizing impact a nuclear-armed Iran would have on the Middle East. Kellogg reminded the NCRI of his efforts to withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal during his prior term, despite internal opposition.
“For the United States, a policy of maximum pressure is essential, requiring global cooperation and solidarity with the Iranian people’s democratic aspirations,” Kellogg emphasized.
Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and subsequent reimposition of stringent economic sanctions were applauded by some, like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but opposed by leaders of the UK, France, and Germany.
These remarks, made shortly before Trump’s second-term inauguration, signal a renewed focus on countering Iran’s threats, particularly amidst heightened regional conflict following the October 7th attack on Israel.
“Ironically, the beginning of the end of Iran’s dominance started a year ago, on October 7th,” Kellogg observed.
Kellogg stressed that pressure on Iran must encompass economic and diplomatic measures in addition to military options.
Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s president-elect, asserted that the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria creates a unique opportunity for Iranians to determine their own future.
“Khamenei and his IRGC failed to save the Syrian dictatorship; they certainly cannot preserve their regime in the face of organized resistance. The regime will fall,” Rajavi declared.
Rajavi described this as a pivotal moment in Iranian history. The NCRI, according to Rajavi, has a plan for a democratic Iran, involving a phased transition after the regime’s overthrow. This includes a six-month transitional government to organize free elections for a Constituent Assembly and transfer power to the people.
“Overthrowing the mullahs’ regime is the only path to freedom in Iran and regional peace,” a hopeful Rajavi stated.
Kellogg supported these views, advocating for a “friendly, stable, non-belligerent, and non-nuclear Iran” as a short-term goal, urging the U.S. to leverage Iran’s current weaknesses.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei condemned France for hosting what the Iranian government termed a “terrorist group,” accusing France of violating international law by failing to counter terrorism.