Trump Administration National Security Advisor: Pezeshkian is Not a Reformer, He is a 'Two-Faced' Politician

"Axis of Aggressors" is a term used in the United States to refer to the four governments of Russia, China, North Korea, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and their military and economic collaborations. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, military threats from China against Taiwan and other neighbors, and the destabilizing actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran, such as supporting militia and insurgent groups in the Middle East like the Houthis, which have repeatedly jeopardized civilian security, shipping, and international trade through missile attacks, have raised concerns among officials and experts. They say that in the absence of American forces in South Korea, North Korea will attack its southern neighbor. Retired General Herbert Raymond McMaster spoke on Thursday at a meeting at the "Foundation for Defense of Democracies" about the "Axis of Aggressors," stating that some of America's security priorities from the past remain relevant today, including how to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS and achieving a permanent solution to the Syrian civil war that not only encompasses the lasting defeat of ISIS but also limits the influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Middle East and post-war Syria. He stated that Russia's influence in Syria must also be limited after the war. Additionally, how to prevent China from establishing exclusive areas in the Indo-Pacific region and disrupting the existing global order is a priority, as China seeks to replace the current order with rules aligned with its authoritarian system and economic models. The former national security advisor of Trump during his presidency also identified as a priority for America how to have a stable Iraq that is not aligned with the Islamic Republic of Iran. He also referenced ensuring that the U.S. maintains a leading role in space. Regarding defense budgets and the necessity of a strong U.S. military capacity, General McMaster noted that there were thoughts suggesting that high technology could have a significant impact, thereby downplaying the importance of troop quantity, but America's enemies may want to coordinate their actions by engaging the U.S. in war on one front while advancing their interests on another. He mentioned that during Barack Obama's presidency, the percentage of the defense budget relative to the total GDP of the United States saw a significant decline, even while the U.S. was involved in two active wars (Afghanistan and Iraq). He stated that a large portion of that money was spent on operational costs rather than on acquiring necessary equipment. According to General McMaster, considering inflation, the military budget during Joe Biden's presidency also represents a "decrease." McMaster, author of the book "Battling Ourselves," responded to the question of "many Americans saying we have many problems at home, why are we worried about the rest of the world?" with two counterarguments: first, that as soon as global problems reach "our shores," a "heavy cost" must be paid to address those problems, and second, that "preventing war is much cheaper than fighting it." In McMaster's view, the U.S. defense budget needs to be increased for modernization and quantity, and immediate attention should be given to recruitment issues. The program host then asked him about the cooperation of the "four members of the Axis of Aggression"—Russia, China, North Korea, and the Islamic Republic—and how concerning this is. General McMaster particularly pointed to the collaboration between the Islamic Republic and Russia, stating: "What you are seeing is more evidence of what we all somewhat knew, this material support is... (the export of) Shahed drones and missiles that are, for example, provided from Iran to Russia, is quite clear so that they (Russian forces) can continue their attack against the people of Ukraine." This senior official of the former U.S. government stated that in exchange for delivering drones and missiles to Moscow, the Islamic Republic "receives technical assistance for their missile program and possibly for their nuclear program, they also receive a lot of diplomatic cover and intelligence support" from Russia. General McMaster also mentioned that Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, hosted leaders of the Hamas terrorist group, supported by the Iranian government, just two days after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel. He said, "Putin... is the best liar in the world that you know," to the extent that he even told Israel to align with him in "keeping Assad in power" in exchange for Moscow working on reducing Tehran's influence in Syria after the civil war. General McMaster stated that this was "clearly a big lie" and that Bashar "Assad relies much more on the proxy army (of the Islamic Republic) of Iran." He also described Hamas leaders as wealthy individuals who have caused the suffering of Palestinians. The former Trump administration advisor added that Hamas, which aims to destroy Israel, cannot be part of the two-state solution and that such a solution cannot be achieved with Hamas present, and Israel cannot have such a group in its neighborhood. He emphasized that destroying Hamas is a prerequisite for the two-state solution and improving the situation of the Palestinian people. General McMaster also stated that for the post-Hamas era in Gaza, an international force, likely involving Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, and others, is needed to control that strip and deal with remaining Hamas cells so that Hamas does not regain power, as its members are the only ones armed. He noted that the Israeli army cannot take on such a task, as the people there do not have a good relationship with the Israeli army and will not provide information, but a group is needed that is seen as "pro-Palestinian." He said that over time, the Palestinian people must be shown that Hamas is the main cause of their problems and suffering, and this can be demonstrated with reconstruction and humanitarian aid, and it is important that they choose a political group to lead them that is "not a death cult terrorist group." McMaster said, however, that no one wants to be the "mayor of Gaza after the war" and that the U.S. must use its persuasive power to ensure that someone or some government takes on this responsibility. The former U.S. national security advisor emphasized that the Iranian government is the cause of the Palestinians' suffering. Regarding the conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel, and that tens of thousands of Israelis have left their homes in northern Israel due to rocket fire from Hezbollah, he stated that there is no political solution that does not reflect the military realities on the ground. He said that the ongoing war in Israel will be a long one, and the U.S. must support Israel stronger than before, stating that the U.S. must say that a ceasefire cannot be established until Hamas is destroyed or Hezbollah retreats from the border. General McMaster also mentioned that towards the end of Donald Trump's presidency, his administration sent "mixed signals" to the Islamic Republic by not responding to the Islamic Republic's missile attack on the Ain al-Asad base, which hosted American forces in Iraq, or not responding to the downing of an American drone by gunfire from Iranian soil, or not responding to the Islamic Republic's attack on Saudi oil facilities. In McMaster's view, however, the "real mixed signals" occurred during Joe Biden's presidency with his administration's efforts to revive the nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA and "not enforcing current sanctions" and releasing billions of dollars. He also deemed the Biden administration's indirect negotiations with Tehran over nuclear issues as humiliating, stating that "this humiliation" was endured while the U.S. was not directly talking to Iranian officials, and he expressed surprise that the U.S. was using Russia as a mediator in those negotiations, calling it "astonishing." McMaster added that only eleven out of more than 170 attacks by Iranian proxy forces on American forces have been responded to during the Biden administration. He said that the U.S. sending messages in every military response indicating it is seeking to "de-escalate" sends the wrong signal to the Islamic Republic and leads it to adjust its response based on its own terms. He criticized that amidst all this situation, the U.S. has been seeking diplomatic initiative with the Islamic Republic. General McMaster described Masoud Pezeshkian as a "stubborn person" and apologized to the audience for using this term, stating that he "had him at the UN General Assembly, where the press has labeled him a reformist! Again? Do you remember Khatami?... It's the same talk. This is a deliberate narrative (of the Islamic Republic) that at any moment we can become moderate. (This narrative) suggests that there is a great competition within the regime... and if you don't treat us well and don't lift sanctions, those bad revolutionary forces will become strong and we will become weak. All of this is nonsense... the revolutionaries have prevailed and are responsible: (the revolutionaries) are the leader (of the Islamic Republic) and the IRGC." General McMaster stated that Pezeshkian "is not a reformist. He is two-faced. He wants to continue his proxy war and also wants the sanctions lifted." He emphasized that the U.S. should not be deceived by these claims multiple times. He said that negotiating with the Islamic Republic has not worked, and now the U.S. has sent its two good diplomats to Lebanon and Yemen to distance the Houthis and Hezbollah from the Islamic Republic, and this is an illusion, as these groups will not distance themselves from the Islamic Republic. The former national security advisor of the White House during Donald Trump's administration stated that the direct maritime and land routes for sending weapons from Iran to these groups must be closed, and when proxies attack "us," a "direct cost" must be imposed on the Islamic Republic, and there should be no talk of "proportional response"; the approach should be similar to how Israel deals with Hezbollah and Hamas, such that when Hezbollah fires 50 rockets, it is crushed. He likened this to a boxing match where one competitor does not refrain from delivering a strong punch to their opponent and is not concerned about a "proportional response" to their opponent's attack, and the U.S. should behave similarly, but keep civilian lives in mind. He added that Hezbollah has installed rocket launchers in many civilian homes, and the pagers are for that purpose. General Herbert McMaster also criticized the U.S. policy of withdrawing from the Middle East under the pretext of focusing on China, stating that if you are concerned about Beijing's influence and actions, you must be present in the Middle East, as America's rivals (China and Russia) will fill the void left by the U.S., and countries that are concerned about the actions of the Islamic Republic will turn to them.