Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned on Fox Business Monday that any nuclear deal with Iran is doomed to fail unless the Islamic Republic undergoes a regime change.
President Donald Trump left open the possibility of U.S. involvement in Israel’s offensive against Iran, saying Sunday that “it’s possible” America could enter the war, though it wasn’t involved at this stage. During an appearance on “Kudlow,” Gingrich said history has made it clear that negotiations with Iran’s ruling mullahs are futile and dangerous.
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“For 46 years, since 1979, the Mullahs, the theocracy, has said death to America, and, as recently as a few months ago, the Ayatollah Khomeini went on national television to say ‘I want to reassure you death to America is not a slogan, it is a policy.’ And, of course, the other part of that policy is death to Israel. So we’ve had a 46-year experience of what it’s like to try to deal with people who have been again and again and again engaged in terrorism,” Gingrich said when host Larry Kudlow asked him to explain why he thinks no deal with Iran could succeed without regime change.
Gingrich said the regime’s hostility is not just rhetoric. He said the State Department designated Iran as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism in 1984, a label it has maintained ever since.
“In 1984, where the State Department said they were the leading sponsor of terrorism in the world. That’s been true ever since. So at some point, you got to learn the lessons of history. The fact is, you wouldn’t have to use B2 bombers, and you wouldn’t have to use giant blockbusters if you had a regime that agreed that it would destroy Fordow as part of the peace agreement,” Gingrich added.
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Gingrich said that a secular and democratic Iran wouldn’t require American military force or tax dollars to rebuild.
“The fact is, if you get regime change, you’re in a different world. And, by the way, you wouldn’t need to use American tax dollars. There are an amazing number of very successful Iranian-American businessmen and businesswomen who would be thrilled to be able to go back and invest in rebuilding Iran and creating a prosperous, dynamic country,” Gingrich said. “It’s twice the size of Texas. It has huge resources. It has people who are inherently very smart, very well educated. And if they were liberated from this theocracy, they would rapidly become prosperous, be good neighbors, and be a remarkable step in the right direction.”
Gingrich also said Trump held the line against what he called the “appeasement, defeatist mentality” of both American and foreign elites.
“I’m very proud of President Trump because he stood up against the appeasement, defeatist mentality of the elites and has continued to say no nuclear weapons in Iran, period. As long as he sticks to that and allows Netanyahu to continue his work, I think we will presently see a remarkable historic change in the Middle East,” Gingrich said.
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Iran reportedly informed Arab mediators it may consider talks with Israel and the U.S. if Washington refrains from taking part in future attacks on the regime, according to European and regional sources cited by The Wall Street Journal before Trump confirmed the news Monday. Israel has gained effective air dominance over Iran after its June 12 surprise attack, which killed top military leaders and severely damaged Tehran’s nuclear facilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his government has no plans to restart nuclear talks with Iran. He dismissed the idea of renewed diplomacy as Israeli forces intensified strikes on Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, military assets, and senior officials, despite reports that Iran might engage if the U.S. stays out of direct conflict.
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