Biden: The Iranian regime is in its 'weakest position in decades'

Joe Biden, the President of the United States, on Sunday, January 30, coinciding with the start of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, referred to the fall of Assad's regime in Syria, stating that the path for the Iranian regime to reach Hezbollah in Lebanon has been destroyed, and now the Islamic Republic is in its 'weakest position in decades.' He confirmed the release of three female hostages and added that in the next seven days, four more female hostages will be released, followed by three hostages each week thereafter. According to Biden, on the sixteenth day of the agreement's implementation, negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire will begin, during which discussions will take place regarding the release of Israeli soldiers and ending the war without Hamas remaining in power. The U.S. President added that currently hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid are delivering their shipments to civilians in Gaza. Referring to 'fundamental' changes in the Middle East, he mentioned that Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, has been killed, and Israel, with U.S. support, has inflicted heavy damage on Hamas's regional supporters, including Hezbollah. Biden described Israel's military operations against Hezbollah as very successful and stated that new presidents and prime ministers have been elected in Lebanon, both of whom support an independent Lebanon. He said that from now on, the implementation of the agreement is in the hands of Donald Trump's administration. Just hours before Biden's speech, Mike Waltz, Trump's nominee for U.S. National Security Advisor, in an interview with CBS News, stated that if Hamas violates the current agreement with Israel, the United States will support Israel 'in doing what it needs to do.' Waltz emphasized: 'Hamas will never rule Gaza. This is completely unacceptable.' Meanwhile, in Israel, senior officials stated that the war will continue until all abducted hostages are freed. Israel Katz, the Israeli Defense Minister, during a visit to a military base near Gaza, which is set to be the initial inspection site for the released hostages on Sunday, said: 'We will not stop the war until all [hostages] return home.' Katz described the purpose of his Sunday visit as ensuring the army's readiness to protect Israeli citizens 'even during the ceasefire.' The Israeli Defense Minister promised that army soldiers will remain in the buffer zone along the Gaza border and 'will respond with force to any violation [of the ceasefire] and threats.' In this context, Gideon Sa'ar, the Israeli Foreign Minister, stated that Hamas's continued control of Gaza poses a threat to Israel's security and is 'a nightmare for the Palestinians themselves.' Sa'ar, during a press conference with foreign media in Jerusalem, added: 'If Hamas remains in power, the instability created by this group may continue.' He echoed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks, stating that the current ceasefire is 'temporary' and negotiations for a 'permanent ceasefire' will begin on the sixteenth day of the current agreement. Gideon Sa'ar expressed hope for establishing a permanent ceasefire, stating that achieving this requires the overthrow of Hamas and the return of all hostages; otherwise, the war against Hamas will resume. This comes as Prime Minister Netanyahu also emphasized his country's determination to destroy Hamas's military and governmental capabilities, ensure permanent security from Gaza, and return all hostages. Netanyahu, in a message to Israeli citizens, emphasized three fundamental principles of the agreement, including maintaining the ability to return to war, increasing the number of live hostages in the early stages of release, and ensuring Israel's complete control over the Philadelphi route and the security buffer zones in Gaza, stating: 'We will not allow weapons to be smuggled into Gaza, and hostages to be transferred out of this area.' He described Hamas's October 7 attack as 'the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust' and stated: 'In this war, we showed our enemies and the world that when the people of Israel are united, no force can defeat them. It is this strong spirit of our people that leads us to success.' The Israeli Prime Minister also expressed condolences to the grieving families and victims of the war, referring to the military successes of the country, stating: 'We have eliminated Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar and Mohammad Deif, as well as Hassan Nasrallah and Hezbollah leaders, and have severely weakened the military capabilities of Syria, the Houthis in Yemen, and the Iran axis.' Netanyahu thanked both the Biden administration and Trump's incoming government for their roles in achieving this agreement, stating: 'Both presidents have fully supported Israel's right to return to war if negotiations fail.' The battle between the Israeli army and the Palestinian group Hamas, supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran, began following the terrorist group's attack on October 7, 2023, during which more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and over 250 others, including women, children, and the elderly, were taken hostage. The joy of Gaza residents coincided with the start of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with Israel announcing that the ceasefire was implemented with a few hours' delay. The names of three female hostages to be released today by Hamas were provided. Netanyahu reiterated the need to destroy Hamas and return all hostages. The names of 33 Israeli hostages for release in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement were published. Netanyahu stated that Hamas has violated some provisions of the ceasefire agreement. American officials stated that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza was the result of '96 hours of intensive negotiations.' Global reactions to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the release of hostages were noted. The High Commissioner for Human Rights described the ceasefire in Gaza as 'calming.' Netanyahu thanked Trump and Biden for their roles in the 'Gaza ceasefire agreement.'