Expert: Israel could carry out a nuclear strike on Tehran

What geopolitical objectives are being pursued through the military operations launched against Iran? Is the risk of nuclear war increasing? What threats could Armenia face if the Israel-Iran conflict continues and escalates to involve additional countries? Military expert Hayk Nahapetyan shared his insights on the pressing issues in an interview with Panorama.am on Thursday.

Below are key takeaways from the interview.

• In military terms, there are only two truly powerful states in the world. A third one doesn’t exist. The benchmark is possession of 6,000 or more nuclear warheads. The United States has a primary strategic concern: the economic rise of China, which now rivals the American economy. To cripple China’s economy, events in the Middle East are deliberately orchestrated to deliver a direct blow to Chinese interests. It’s no coincidence that during the military escalation, China was sending Iran truckloads of, I believe, primarily air defense systems.

• According to Jewish eschatological beliefs, the arrival of the Jewish Messiah (Mashiach) requires the rebuilding of Solomon’s Temple. For that to happen, the Al-Aqsa Mosque must be destroyed. However, destroying Al-Aqsa would trigger massive backlash not only from five million Palestinians within Israeli territory, but from the entire Islamic world.

• The U.S. is attempting to maintain global dominance. Its main obstacle is China. If the U.S. succeeds in bringing China to its knees, the world will effectively be left with two superpowers: the U.S. and Russia. But given America's vastly stronger economy, it would retain the upper hand.

• Iran faces a risk of internal destabilization that could foster separatist sentiments, especially among two ethnic groups – the Baloch and the Azeris.

• Let’s refer back to President Donald Trump’s warning when he urged Tehran’s 13 million residents to evacuate. I do not rule out the possibility that Israel could carry out a nuclear strike on Tehran. According to Anglo-Saxon strategic thinking, it would force Iran into submission. However, I believe that even if a nuclear weapon is used against it, Iran will not surrender.

• For two days now, social media has circulated a video suggesting that Iran also possesses nuclear warheads, signaling its own deterrent capabilities.

• Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was brought to power to solve specific geopolitical problems. He was backed by several foreign intelligence services. Armenia is currently under strategic supervision by the UK, with Azerbaijan and Turkey exerting tactical influence. The overarching objective remains to be clarified.