Washington, August 10 (RHC)-- Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has slammed President Donald Trump for taking “too soft an approach” on Iran, saying that his administration should bring down the Islamic Republic.
In September last year, Trump fired Bolton, saying he has “disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions.” Trump was reportedly unhappy with Bolton who had adopted an aggressive approach towards Iran.
Independent observers had accused Bolton of conniving with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in order to provoke a military conflict between Iran and the United States. Bolton had also opposed Trump's peace initiative towards North Korea and urged the president to pursue gunboat diplomacy against the East Asian country.
Bolton disappeared following his disgraceful exit in September but has repapered recently to publicize his book about his time in the administration: "The Room Where it Happened."
Bolton -- a foreign policy hawk who was influential in President George W. Bush's interventionist administration -- said in a recent interview that Trump should implement regime change in Tehran.
"I think one of the things that we should look for in Iran is the overthrow of the regime," Bolton said. "I think that one way that happens is if the regular military and the Revolutionary Guard fragments."
"So this could exacerbate the instability that already exists in Iran where I think the regime is very unpopular. And I think it should be US policy to overthrow the Ayatollahs and restore the government to the people of Iran," he continued.
Bolton said he does not think that Trump really wants regime change in Tehran. "I think that's been one of the problems.”
The former Trump official said that he backed the U.S. assassination of prominent Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani in January, and Trump's withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement, but added this is not enough.
After imposing several rounds of sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports, Washington has also sent warships and bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter what it calls Iran's threat for shipping in the Persian Gulf.
It is currently ramping up efforts to kill the JCPOA completely through pushing the remaining parties to the multilateral agreement to extend a UN arms embargo on Tehran.
