Republican Senator “Ted Cruz” expressed his support for U.S. President “Donald Trump’s” assertion that the military “mission has been accomplished” in Iran, but at the same time called for expanding the objectives of the U.S. campaign and moving toward a more ambitious phase based on arming Iranian protesters and Kurds with the aim of overthrowing the regime.
“Cruz” said in an interview with NBC on Sunday that the United States had succeeded in achieving the core military objectives set by the “Trump” administration, noting that the destruction of Iran’s military capabilities had, in his assessment, been achieved “decisively.”
The Republican senator’s remarks came in response to a question from anchor “Kristen Welker” regarding “Trump’s” declaration that the mission had been accomplished, despite the war entering its sixth month, at a time when initial estimates had suggested that operations might end within weeks.
“Cruz” explained that the war involved several missions and objectives, emphasizing that the first military objective was to eliminate Iran’s military capabilities, which he considered Washington to have successfully achieved.
Cruz: Iran’s Military Capabilities Have Been Destroyed
“Cruz” said Iran’s stockpile of ballistic missiles and drones had been almost completely destroyed, while its missile and drone manufacturing capabilities had also been eliminated. He added that the Iranian Air Force had become “debris on the runway,” while the Iranian Navy had suffered heavy losses, along with the removal of a number of senior regime leaders.
He added that these results made declaring the military mission accomplished logical from his perspective. However, he pointed out that achieving the military objectives did not necessarily mean the end of the U.S. campaign or the cessation of pressure on Tehran.
On the economic front, the Republican senator said the naval blockade imposed on Iran was costing the country, according to his estimates, losses of around $500 million per day, arguing that the Iranian economy was facing what he described as a “free fall.”
From Destroying Capabilities to Regime Change
Despite his assertion that the military operations had been successful, Cruz believes the next phase should go beyond weakening Iran’s military capabilities and extend to overthrowing the regime itself.
He said Iran’s supreme leader and religious leadership were “radical extremists” who were hostile to the United States, adding that, in his description, the Iranian regime had been the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism for 47 years.
Cruz called on the “Trump” administration to arm protesters inside Iran, as well as support the Kurds, so that they could confront and overthrow the regime. He stressed that his proposal did not mean sending U.S. ground forces into Iranian territory, but rather providing support and weapons to Iranians themselves to enable them to wage the internal confrontation.
The senator justified his position by pointing out that the Iranian regime had killed, according to his estimates, between 10,000 and 40,000 protesters since the beginning of the conflict, arguing that it was unrealistic to expect an unarmed protester facing armed forces to confront soldiers carrying machine guns.
Why Are Around 50,000 U.S. Troops Still There?
In response to a question about the continued presence of around 50,000 U.S. troops in the region—despite the declaration that the military objectives had been achieved—”Cruz” said active combat operations had largely stopped, with sporadic clashes continuing. He explained that the U.S. focus had shifted more toward the blockade and economic pressure.
The remarks come amid growing debate within the Republican Party over the course the war with Iran should take, between a faction that believes Washington has achieved its military objectives and should focus on economic pressure, and another calling for an end to the war or for obtaining clear authorization from Congress.
“Cruz” had been one of the most prominent Republican critics of the previous understanding with Iran in June, warning against returning funds or lifting sanctions before obtaining genuine nuclear concessions.
Thus, Cruz’s remarks present a vision for a new phase of the conflict that would not be limited to destroying Iran’s military capabilities or pressuring its economy, but would instead seek to support armed internal forces with the aim of changing the regime, potentially taking the confrontation between Washington and Tehran to a more sensitive and complex level.
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Author: Counselor Faisal Al-Mutairi.
Publication Date: August 31, 2026.
Updated: August 2026.
