Ali Hossein Ghazizadeh, a member of the Iran International editorial board, said about Donald Trump’s latest remarks on the need to overthrow the Islamic Republic: “The Iranian government knows that if it loses the nuclear lever and the Strait of Hormuz, it will no longer have any power to confront the United States. The government’s insistence on preserving these levers may push Trump toward a decision to finish off the Islamic Republic— a decision that could be taken at any moment. However, because of considerations related to the transition of power and keeping the door to diplomacy open, Trump has continued to leave avenues for negotiations with Tehran open.”