Donald Trump: The Islamic Republic is in a fragile state and struggling to survive

In a joint meeting between Donald Trump and the FBI director, Trump, while referring to the weakening of Iran's power, described the regime as "fragile" and struggling to survive.

He said the Islamic Republic's government was in a "fragile" state; at the same time, the FBI director announced a 50 percent increase in spy cases related to Iran.

In a meeting held at the White House on Wednesday, October 15, US President Donald Trump and FBI Director Kesh Patel discussed security and international issues. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to Iran and the current situation in the Islamic Republic.

In his speech, Trump described the Iranian government as being in a "fragile and vulnerable" situation, saying: "Iran did not come out well from the last conflict and is now struggling for its survival."

Referring to the joint military operation by the United States and Israel against Iran's nuclear facility, he considered this action to be the basis for the Gaza ceasefire agreement, adding: "If we had not destroyed Iran's nuclear capability, this agreement would never have been made. The Arab countries were afraid of Iran at the time, but Iran no longer has power now, and this is because of the action that we and Israel took."

Trump stressed that destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities was a necessary condition for regional stability. In his recent speech to the Knesset (Israeli parliament), he also said that a ceasefire agreement would not have been possible without attacking Iran's nuclear facilities.

In another part of his remarks, Donald Trump referred to the US airstrikes against Iran's nuclear facilities and praised the precision of Operation Midnight Hammer, saying: "The B2 bombers carried hundreds of thousands of pounds of bombs, and each one hit the target precisely. They entered Iranian airspace in the dark and at night, they were completely invisible to radar, and no one noticed them."

He warned that if Iran resumes its nuclear activities, related facilities will be targeted and destroyed. Trump also said that building a nuclear weapon is the last thing Iran wants and that if Tehran even comes close to it, the sites will be destroyed.

According to the Pentagon, in the operation, six B2 bombers dropped fourteen MAP bunker-busting bombs on the Fordow and Natanz facilities, while a US submarine also targeted the Isfahan facility with dozens of Tomahawk missiles. Trump said after the attack that the move had set back Iran's nuclear program for decades.

The US President continued his meeting with the FBI director and addressed the situation of the Hamas group, saying: "Iran used to support Hamas, but today it says don't bring us into the matter. The last time they got involved, they didn't get a good result."

Trump emphasized that "the terrorist organization Hamas has no support today," and considered this a sign of the weakening of the Islamic Republic's regional position.

In the Homeland Security section of the meeting, FBI Director Kesh Patel provided a report on the status of espionage cases. He announced that the processing of espionage cases related to the Islamic Republic of Iran has increased by 50 percent during the Trump presidency.

He said the FBI is simultaneously monitoring the espionage activities of three countries: China, Russia and Iran. “Arrests related to Chinese espionage have increased by more than 50 percent, cases related to the Islamic Republic have seen a similar increase, and Russian activities have increased by 33 percent,” Patel said.

According to the FBI, there have been 125 espionage-related arrests since the beginning of this year, compared to 100 during the same period last year.

Kesh Patel, who was appointed FBI director in December last year, previously served as national security adviser during Trump's first term. He also defended the attackers during the congressional investigation into the January 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

Patel is a staunch critic of the FBI's traditional structure and has repeatedly stressed that the agency must act in accordance with the policies of the Trump administration. In his harsh words, he said: "Anyone who disobeys this order should be fired."

Trump and Patel's recent thumbs-up can be seen as a demonstration of the US administration's focus on containing security threats from the Islamic Republic and its allies. At the same time, Trump's emphasis on the role of military strikes in weakening Iran and his claim of success in nuclear deterrence are signs of his militarized approach towards Iran.

In contrast, analysts believe that Trump's statements are more of a political message to Tehran and its regional allies than an emphasis on readiness for renewed military action.