00:00This obviously is a provocative step on the part of the leadership in Iran to try to elicit a response
00:08from the kingdom that would then be responded to by them.
00:13And it would widen the conflict not just between the kingdom and Iran, but also between the whole area and
00:21Iran.
00:22It's a very unwise move on the part of the Iranians.
00:26They seem to be simply lashing out in order to widen as much as possible the conflict and in order
00:37to inflict as much damage as they can,
00:41not just in terms of military damage, but also in terms of the ego and the pride and showing the
00:53ability that they can affect things as they go along.
00:58Why do you think Iran has been sending all of these missiles and drones across and directed at key Gulf
01:07states?
01:08What is the objective?
01:10Well, they didn't hide their objective.
01:13From when Mr. Trump started talking about military action against them some time ago, more than two weeks ago,
01:24they plainly said that their reaction to that would be widespread and will involve not just American targets,
01:39but other places and facilities, not just in the area, but around the world.
01:47From their perspective, I suppose, they think that they are in a conflict of existence, you know, existential threat to
01:56them.
01:57And so they want to be as forceful in their reply from their perspective in order to force on America
02:05to retreat
02:08or to reach some kind of conclusion to the conflict.
02:14Now, Saudi Arabia and Iran restored diplomatic relations back in 2023.
02:21That was after a seven-year hiatus.
02:24Do the events over the last three days change the calculus from the kingdom's perspective in terms of the relationship
02:33with Iran?
02:33Well, definitely, whatever trust and confidence building occurred during these past seven years to get over that previous low point
02:45in the relationship
02:46is being eroded by the actions of the Iranian leadership now.
02:52You saw the official statements that came out of the kingdom at the highest level,
02:58which described the Iranian attack, not just on the kingdom, but on the other Gulf states as well,
03:07as being treacherous and totally unacceptable.
03:12And from that perspective, I just can't speculate where their actions will lead us to.
03:21So multiple different strands that you talk about there.
03:26I'm going to ask you specifically about, again, the trajectory of Iran.
03:30The U.S. president has made it clear that he's looking for some form of regime change.
03:38Do you see that happening in the coming months?
03:41The experience of regime change in our part of the world has not been good.
03:47We've seen the experiences more recently in Iraq and in Afghanistan and in Syria and in other places, in Libya,
04:00where the states, as they were recognized within defined borders and so on,
04:05either collapsed or are in a process of collapsing.
04:12So if that is the aim of the American intent from this activity in Iran,
04:21there are unintended consequences that will come about.
04:25And as I said, whether it is in Iraq or Afghanistan or Libya or in other places,
04:34it is always the unexpected that comes about that cannot be foreseen when the plan is put in action by
04:43whoever is perpetrating that plan.
04:46So if Mr. Trump has a clear view of what he exactly wants,
04:52I think he should put it on the table so that not leave it to circumstance or haphazard
04:58and simply allow for disintegration, civil war and more bloodshed taking place,
05:09not just in Iran, but in the whole area.
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