U.S. operations against Iran could be completed within four to six weeks, the White House said Friday, as the administration signaled it is already considering potential leaders for the country after the conflict.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the United States is making progress in the campaign and expects the military operation to last several more weeks.
Strikes in western Tehran
“We are well on our way to controlling Iranian airspace,” Leavitt told reporters, adding that U.S. weapons stockpiles are sufficient to sustain the operation.
She also said the administration is reviewing possible figures who could lead Iran in the future.
“There are a number of people who we are looking at to lead Iran,” Leavitt said.
Leavitt added that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will meet with defense contractors as the operation continues.
Trump has taken a hard line on the conflict, saying earlier that there would be no deal with Iran except “unconditional surrender.”
“After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction,” Trump said in a social media post.
Leavitt said Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender” means Iran must reach a point where it can no longer threaten the United States or American forces in the region. She said the goal of the U.S. campaign is to destroy Iran’s naval capabilities, eliminate its ballistic missile threat and prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons while weakening Iran-backed groups across the Middle East.
Trump also told Reuters he wants to be involved in selecting Iran’s next leader.
In a brief interview with CNN, Trump said he is not insisting Iran become a democracy and would accept any leadership that treats the United States and Israel well.
He also said Iran’s leadership had been “neutered” by the recent military campaign.