Trump revives Iran regime change speculation with cryptic call for people to ‘rise up'

President Donald Trump revived speculation over regime change in Iran Tuesday night, openly asking when Iranians would "rise up and fight" as his administration intensified military and economic pressure on a government US officials say is increasingly vulnerable.

"I'm not trying to force Iran to the bargaining table," Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday. "I like our position now much better, with almost total control of the Hormuz Strait, and their economy totally collapsing."

"They are just playing out the inevitable," Trump added. "When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?"

IRAN REGIME CHANGE TALK RESURFACES AS TRUMP SAYS TEHRAN 'WANTS TO MEET' AMID US STRIKES

Trump did not explicitly call for the overthrow of Iran's government, and the White House has not publicly announced a policy of U.S.-led regime change. But his appeal to the Iranian population comes as the administration increasingly portrays Tehran as approaching an internal breaking point. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for clarification Wednesday. 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described Iran as being in a "death spiral" during remarks Monday, arguing that economic pressure was rapidly narrowing the government's options.

"They are panicked. They are resorting to kinetic because they are getting squeezed economically," Bessent said told Ed Lawrence on Fox Business.

COULD IRAN’S REGIME COLLAPSE? EXPERTS ASSESS BESSENT’S BID TO SEVER FINANCIAL LIFELINES

Bessent said Iran could eventually face one of three outcomes: "Either the IRGC are going to turn on each other, the people are going to turn on them, or they are going to come to the table and want to do a deal that they can stick with."

"They are in the death throes," he added, comparing Iran's deterioration to bankruptcy occurring "slowly, then quickly."

Miad Maleki, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former Treasury sanctions official, told Fox News Digital that Washington does not need to choose between invading Iran to overthrow the government and striking another agreement with Tehran.

"It's very clear U.S. government is not in the business of regime change anymore," Maleki said. "And I think it's very clear that we're not going to have boots on the ground to invade Iran. And I don't think we need that."

INSIDE TEHRAN: IRANIANS DESCRIBE IRGC'S BRUTAL RULE, POVERTY — ASK TRUMP TO 'STAY THE COURSE'

Instead, Maleki argued Washington should "contain this regime, cut off its economic lifelines, empower the Iranian people" and prepare for another wave of demonstrations inside Iran.

"We need to be prepared to support the Iranian people in a way that they can be empowered and take the government back," he said, stressing the importance of ensuring protesters maintain access to the internet so they can communicate, mobilize and make their voices heard.

Maleki described Iran's leadership as the weakest it has been since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and argued that further Iranian military escalation could deepen its vulnerability rather than restore lost leverage.

The debate comes as reports of localized economic protests continue to emerge from inside Iran.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN IS ‘DEAD’ — EXPERTS POINT TO THE REAL SIGN TEHRAN IS NEARING THE BRINK

The National Council of Resistance of Iran, an exiled Iranian opposition coalition, said Tuesday that workers, retirees, drivers and job-seeking young people demonstrated in several cities on Aug. 31. The group alleged security forces opened fire on job seekers in Gachsaran and Ahvaz and reported separate demonstrations over unpaid wages, inflation, fuel shortages and working conditions. Those specific claims have not been independently verified by Fox News Digital.

Iran analyst Benny Sabti also told Fox News Digital that deteriorating living conditions could become a catalyst for broader unrest. "People are hungry," Sabti said, predicting Iranians would "take the streets again."

"Hunger is humiliating," he said, arguing that economic desperation could eventually outweigh fear of the government's security apparatus.

The political stakes are rising alongside a dramatic military escalation. US forces carried out another wave of strikes Tuesday against Iranian air-defense systems, radar installations, maritime assets and mine-laying capabilities, according to US Central Command, while Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US assets across the region.

For Trump, however, Tuesday night's post suggested the question may no longer be only whether economic pressure brings Tehran back to negotiations — but what happens inside Iran if it does not.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/gotvqLr

Raging inferno erupts at Bali beachside restaurant party

A beachside party in Bali, Indonesia, erupted into chaos after a balloon reportedly exploded inside a popular restaurant, sparking a raging inferno.

Videos captured flames ripping through the Chez Gado-Gado restaurant in the Seminyak resort area during the incident Sunday, which left an Australian teenager hospitalized with burns, according to 7News.

"There was a 70th birthday, and they had two balloons on their table and a waitress went to light the candle on the birthday cake, but she lit it a bit too close to the balloon," Tara Borelli, a witness from Sydney, told News.com.au. "It popped, then exploded. We felt the heat from the pop."

"I just grabbed my daughter and little cousin and ran straight onto the beach towards the water," Borelli added, describing how the straw roof of the restaurant immediately caught fire and "within minutes" the entire restaurant was ablaze.

ONE TOURIST DEAD AFTER MASSIVE FIRE NEARLY DESTROYS CARIBBEAN RESORT; 1,690 EVACUATED

"It lit up like a firecracker... people were screaming and crying and running around," Paul Cole, another witness, told 9News.

The Badung Fire and Rescue Service said it took more than two hours to put out the flames and there were no casualties, according to The Bali Sun.

First Inspector I Gede Adi Saputra Jaya of the Denpasar Police, citing statements from witnesses at the scene, told reporters Monday that the fire is "strongly suspected" to have started after a balloon "was hit by a candle flame, causing it to explode and catch fire," the website added.

HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF FIREWORKS EXPLODE, DESTROYING HOMES AND INJURING FIREFIGHTERS

"Initial extinguishing efforts using fire extinguishers by restaurant staff were unsuccessful because the fire had already grown large and spread quickly to the thatched roof," he reportedly said.

One witness told 9News, "There are the balloons, a lot of explosions, explosion and explosion and explosion, it was just, yeah, it was terrible."

"It was just bedlam," added Joe Xuereb, another witness. "As soon as the fire started, people didn’t know what to do."

The restaurant now says on its website that it is "temporarily closed."

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/1H4Csb7

Explosion near German train station injures 2 Ukrainian citizens

An explosion at a train station in Germany injured two people, both Ukrainian citizens, on Wednesday.

Police say they found a suspicious package following the explosion and ordered the Augsburg train station closed. The package was ultimately found to be harmless and trains began running again at 10 a.m. local time. The victims in the explosion were a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man, neither of whom have been identified.

"We can give the all-clear — the object we found in front of the main train station was harmless, and we have reopened the station," police spokesperson Timo Küfner told The Associated Press. "The trains are running again, too."

The explosion occurred just after 3 a.m. local time and caused only minor injuries to the pair.

NATO MEMBER SCRAMBLES FIGHTER JETS AS RUSSIAN ATTACK ON UKRAINE KILLS 8

"It’s still too early to say anything about a possible motive for the overnight explosion, but we are investigating," said Küfner.

The incident comes just a day after Germany accused Russia of carrying out a failed drone sabotage operation at the Leipzig/Halle Airport.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Russia's consulate in Bonn will be closed and the contract for the Russian House cultural center in Berlin will be terminated after German authorities concluded Moscow was behind the Aug. 4 incident.

RUSSIA LINKED TO ARSON ATTACKS ON PROPERTIES CONNECTED TO UK PM KEIR STARMER, POLICE SAY

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said forensic evidence and intelligence findings tied Russia to the attack, in which authorities found a drone carrying an explosive device beside a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Officials said the device failed to explode because of a faulty detonator.

DRONE STRIKES APARTMENT BUILDING IN NATO MEMBER ROMANIA AS RUSSIA ATTACKS NEIGHBORING UKRAINE

Germany also said it believes a second drone collided with a nearby cargo aircraft, while officials have linked the incident to what Dobrindt described as Russia's "well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe."

The Russian Embassy in Berlin called the accusation "absurd," while Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would respond in a "mirror-image" fashion to Germany's actions. The embassy later described Berlin's measures as an "unprecedented escalation in Russian-German relations."

In addition to closing Russian diplomatic facilities, Wadephul announced tighter entry restrictions for Russian nationals and additional measures targeting Russia's shadow fleet. He also said he had summoned Russia's ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechayev.

Fox News' Brittany Miller and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/Wpy3NaI

Germany blames Russia after explosive-laden drone found near Ukrainian cargo planes at major airport

Germany has accused Russia of carrying out a failed drone sabotage operation at Leipzig/Halle Airport and announced Tuesday it would close Russian diplomatic facilities, escalating tensions after investigators linked Moscow to last month's attack.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Russia's consulate in Bonn will be closed and the contract for the Russian House cultural center in Berlin will be terminated after German authorities concluded Moscow was behind the Aug. 4 incident.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said forensic evidence and intelligence findings tied Russia to the attack, in which authorities found a drone carrying an explosive device beside a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Officials said the explosive failed to detonate because of a faulty detonator.

Germany also said it believes a second drone collided with a nearby cargo aircraft, while officials have linked the incident to what Dobrindt described as Russia's "well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe."

US INTEL WARNS RUSSIA COULD LAUNCH LIMITED ATTACK ON NATO ALLY IN EFFORT TO FRAGMENT ORGANIZATION: REPORT

Russia has denied the allegations.

The Russian Embassy in Berlin called the accusation "absurd," while Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would respond in a "mirror-image" fashion to Germany's actions. The embassy later described Berlin's measures as an "unprecedented escalation in Russian-German relations."

In addition to closing Russian diplomatic facilities, Wadephul announced tighter entry restrictions for Russian nationals and additional measures targeting Russia's shadow fleet. He also said he had summoned Russia's ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechayev.

The announcement marks Germany's first public attribution of responsibility for the airport attack. Until now, Berlin had said only that "foreign powers" may have been involved, though U.S. media previously reported American officials believed Russia was responsible.

US ALLY ON PUTIN’S DOORSTEP BRACES FOR WAR AS RUSSIA TENSIONS TAKE OMINOUS TURN

Leipzig/Halle Airport is one of Europe's largest cargo hubs and serves as a logistics center for Germany's military and NATO allies. It is also home to Ukrainian Antonov transport aircraft, making it a strategically important hub supporting Ukraine's cargo operations.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte backed Germany's findings, writing on X that the alliance "stands in full solidarity with Germany."

"The evidence is clear. And I welcome the measures announced by Germany in response," Rutte wrote.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union was preparing additional sanctions against Russia, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Moscow of escalating tensions across the region.

EUROPE BANKROLLS PUTIN'S WAR MACHINE EVEN AS NATO RACES TO BOLSTER DEFENSES

The developments come as Germany has warned it faces an increasing campaign of hybrid threats targeting military, transportation and critical infrastructure. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week those responsible for hostile acts against Germany would "pay a price."

German police separately said Tuesday they were investigating improvised explosive and incendiary devices discovered at a power substation in the eastern state of Brandenburg after a damaged power line caused a temporary outage. Authorities have not identified who planted the devices.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/XCWpGV5

Locals torch migrant shelters as Spain's PM points blame beyond the border

Residents in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta tore down and burned makeshift migrant shelters amid escalating tensions over a massive influx from neighboring Morocco, as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused Russian and Israeli-linked networks of helping spread disinformation that fueled the crisis.

Demonstrators carrying Spanish flags moved toward beachside migrant camps last week, destroying shelters and setting fires as police attempted to keep protesters and migrants apart, according to Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE and news agency EFE. Protesters chanted "Invasores, expulsión" — "Invaders, expulsion" — as they advanced toward the beaches where migrants have been staying, EFE reported Aug. 27.

Hundreds of residents returned to the streets the following day, marching toward the Trampolín and Benítez beach areas where migrants were camped and repeating the same chant, according to EFE.

The unrest follows an unprecedented surge on July 30 and 31, when more than 72,000 migrants irregularly crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, one of the European Union’s two land borders with Africa. At least 100 people died attempting the crossing, according to Ceuta authorities cited by Reuters on Aug. 31. Roughly 5,000 migrants remained in the enclave as of Monday.

STATE DEPARTMENT RAISES TRAVEL WARNING FOR PART OF SPAIN AS MIGRANT SURGE SPARKS MILITARY DEPLOYMENT

Sánchez on Monday directly linked the mass crossing to what he described as a foreign-backed disinformation campaign.

Spanish authorities have said misleading videos and posts circulating on Instagram, TikTok and other social-media platforms falsely suggested that migrants who reached Ceuta by sea would be permitted to remain in Spain.

CEUTA MIGRANT SURGE EXPOSES SPAIN-MOROCCO TENSIONS AS ISLAMIST GROUPS REPORTEDLY SEEK TO EXPLOIT BORDER CRISIS

Sánchez told radio station SER that research by the European Union’s diplomatic service, the European External Action Service, indicated Russian and Israeli networks had participated in spreading the disinformation alongside far-right networks, Reuters reported Aug. 31.

He argued that Russia and Israel had seized on the crisis to attack Madrid because of disagreements with his government over the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

However, Sánchez provided no further details about the evidence supporting the accusation, according to the reports.

Both governments rejected his claims.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Sánchez of "lying shamelessly" and said in a post on X that the Spanish leader was attempting to divert attention from domestic policy failures.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov separately rejected Spain’s accusation that Russia was connected to the Ceuta migration crisis.

Sánchez also rejected allegations that Morocco’s government deliberately facilitated the border surge, telling SER, "When people talk and speculate about the participation of Moroccan authorities, I deny this outright," according to Reuters. Spanish opposition parties and some human-rights organizations have accused Rabat of allowing the crossings, an allegation Morocco denies.

SPANISH JOURNALIST SAYS CEUTA RESIDENTS BELIEVE GOVERNMENT ISN'T DOING ENOUGH TO PREVENT ANOTHER MIGRANT RUSH

The disinformation surrounding the Ceuta crossing had been building well before Sánchez publicly accused Russian and Israeli-linked networks. Fox News Digital reported Aug. 4 that an open-source investigation by Golden Owl Intelligence traced weeks of activity across TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp that circulated misleading interpretations of Spanish immigration law, along with information about routes, meeting points and recommended crossing times.

The campaign intensified after Spain’s Supreme Court issued a July 8 ruling restricting the immediate return of migrants intercepted at sea near Ceuta and Melilla. Simplified accounts of the ruling, combined with confusion over Spain’s separate plan to regularize hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants, were circulated online as evidence that migrants reaching Spanish territory would be allowed to stay.

SPAIN'S MIGRANT SURGE REIGNITES DEBATE OVER EUROPE’S ISLAMIST TERROR THREAT

Zineb Riboua, a research fellow at the Hudson Institute, said at the time that Islamist movements were also seeking to exploit the crisis politically. Riboua argued that Islamist voices in Morocco and Spain were amplifying the unrest and portraying Europe as an attractive destination while using Morocco’s ties with Israel and the U.S. to attack the Moroccan government. In a July 31 analysis, Riboua wrote that Islamist activists had spent years encouraging young Moroccans to believe their country offered them little future and depicting Europe as a place where prosperity and opportunity were easily available.

The crisis has also spread beyond Spain. Italy on Monday extended for another 15 days its suspension of Schengen free-movement arrangements with Spain, a step first imposed July 31 in response to the mass influx into Ceuta.

Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, warned Fox News Digital at the outset of the crisis that Ceuta could become "a key turning point in the unraveling of the European Union." "Once you unravel Schengen — which I think is inevitable — this breaks down the entire European project," Gardiner said.

Reuters contributed to this story.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/gUkJ7R6

Israel captures top Hamas commander in Gaza strike, defense minister says

The Israel Defense Forces captured Hamas' head of general security during a raid in Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said.

An Israeli security official identified the Hamas leader as Mu'in al-Arabid, head of the General Security Apparatus, saying he was arrested during an Israeli incursion deep inside Hamas territory in Gaza. The IDF carried out airstrikes to cover the raid's withdrawal, adding that there were no Israeli casualties.

"A short time ago, a senior Hamas terrorist was arrested, and this is our policy: We do not wait for threats. Instead, we pursue Hamas terrorists, thwart them, and destroy their terrorist infrastructure. We have built a strong and unprecedented security zone in Gaza to protect residents and IDF soldiers," Katz said in a statement.

HAMAS STRUGGLES TO FILL LEADERSHIP RANKS AS ISRAEL HUNTS OCT 7 TERRORISTS

"Nearly 70% of the Gaza Strip has been destroyed, with no residents, no tunnels, and no homes, and the IDF controls the territory. We are not leaving Gaza until the Strip is demilitarized, Hamas is disarmed, and all terrorist tunnels are destroyed. Even after that, the IDF will remain in Gaza along defensive lines and ensure the security of the western Negev communities. Any attempt to bypass the security zone through aerial launches will be met with a harsh response," he added.

The raid comes weeks after President Donald Trump's administration demanded that Hamas disarm and give up control of Gaza in August. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, traveled to Israel last month and said the IDF may receive U.S. backing to "finish the job."

NETANYAHU REJECTS BOARD OF PEACE'S GAZA PLAN: NO 'WITHDRAWAL UNTIL HAMAS IS GENUINELY DISARMED'

"If they don't follow through now on their commitment, everyone will see that they're not genuine about peace, and then Israel will have a lot more support from the U.S. and others to go and finish the job in the appropriate way," Kushner also told Fox News' Trey Yingst of the terrorist group.

The warning from Trump’s son-in-law followed a rare face-to-face meeting with Hamas in Egypt — only Kushner's second known meeting with the group.

KUSHNER TOUTS UNPRECEDENTED IRAN CONTACTS AS TEHRAN DENIES TRUMP BACKCHANNEL

"They said all the right things, but obviously, it's very, very hard to trust, you know, a terrorist organization that committed these terrible atrocities," Kushner continued. "But we had a very cordial meeting, and they said all the right things, and so we're going to give them a chance to perform."

"It's going to have to be based on actions and steps, and I hope it will be true."

The U.S.-led "Board of Peace" proposal centers on a phased ceasefire, demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli troop withdrawal, Palestinian technocratic governance and international reconstruction efforts.

Reuters contributed to this report.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/xBFJKlG

Trump says Iran is ‘DEAD’ — experts point to the real sign Tehran is nearing the brink

President Donald Trump declared Iran a "Failed Nation" Monday, claiming the country is economically and militarily broken as renewed fighting with the U.S. raises questions about how much leverage Tehran still has left.

"Iran is officially a Failed Nation. IT IS DEAD!" Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday morning. "They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, they have no currency, they are not paying their soldiers or police."

Trump also claimed Iranian inflation had reached 300% and said the country's leadership was "in total disarray and incapable of properly representing the country."

Iran is facing pressure from nearly every direction — renewed U.S. military strikes, tighter sanctions and a steep drop in oil exports — raising fresh questions about how long Tehran can keep absorbing the economic pain and still maintain leverage against Washington.

COULD IRAN’S REGIME COLLAPSE? EXPERTS ASSESS BESSENT’S BID TO SEVER FINANCIAL LIFELINES

Official Iranian data cited by Reuters put annual inflation at 66% in July, while the IMF projects average consumer-price inflation of 68.9% in 2026.

Trump's post came amid the sharpest U.S.-Iran military escalation in weeks. U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island Sunday after Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, according to a U.S. official. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles toward U.S. bases in Jordan, while Jordan said it intercepted eight missiles that entered its airspace.

The renewed confrontation comes as Washington ratchets up economic pressure.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters Sunday that the administration expects to roll out additional secondary sanctions as frequently as every week, initially focusing on banks and potentially cutting financial institutions that continue facilitating Iranian transactions out of the U.S. dollar-based financial system.

IRAN’S DEEPEST WEAKNESS IS GETTING EXPOSED THROUGH AMERICA’S MAXIMUM PRESSURE CAMPAIGN

Iran's own leaders are acknowledging growing economic strain.

President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran's exports and imports have fallen nearly 35% because of U.S. sanctions and the naval blockade, while annual inflation reached 66% in July, Reuters reported Aug. 29. The IMF projects Iran's economy will contract 5.4% this year.

Miad Maleki, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who previously served as associate director of Treasury's Office of Global Targeting at the Office of Foreign Assets Control, told Fox News Digital that the Islamic Republic may be nearing an economic breaking point. FDD says Maleki previously helped oversee U.S. sanctions programs and served as chief and senior sanctions coordinator for Iran and the Middle East.

"I think where we stand today, it's very clear — we see very clear signs, indications of what I would call an economy that is on the verge of collapse, if it hasn't already collapsed yet," Maleki said.

Maleki argued that the critical pressure point is Iran's ability to turn oil exports into usable revenue.

US TARGETS CHINESE REFINERY IN SWEEPING IRAN OIL CRACKDOWN, SANCTIONS ‘SHADOW FLEET’ TANKERS

He estimates Tehran needs roughly 1 million barrels of oil exports per day to sustain itself, about 1.5 million to avoid hyperinflation and approximately 2 million to support development. Maleki said Iranian exports have fallen dramatically and Tehran is increasingly struggling to repatriate revenue from the oil it can sell.

Kpler data cited by Reuters showed Chinese imports of Iranian crude falling from an average 1.4 million barrels per day in 2025 to a provisional 534,000 barrels per day so far in August.

Maleki said Tehran is increasingly relying on money creation rather than cutting politically sensitive salaries and pensions. But there are limits.

"They can keep printing money, but they can't really print the type of commodities that they need, such as gasoline, such as wheat," he said.

The pressure, however, may create a dangerous paradox.

IRAN COULD UNLEASH ‘KINETIC’ RESPONSE AS US TIGHTENS ECONOMIC CONTAINMENT, ANALYST WARNS

Iran analyst Danny Citrinowicz, a fellow at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, told Fox News Digital that the maritime blockade, wartime losses and wider economic pressure are hurting Tehran, but argued Washington should not assume economic pain will lead to capitulation.

Citrinowicz said continued pressure could instead increase Tehran's incentive to escalate if Iranian leaders conclude the status quo is worse than renewed confrontation. He said Iran could attempt to target "U.S. economic assets in the Gulf," ports or U.S. vessels involved in enforcing the blockade, even as its missile-production capabilities have been degraded.

Maleki agreed Iran would likely attempt to escalate, but questioned how much leverage Tehran still possesses.

"They're going to try to escalate," Maleki said, pointing to the attacks of the last 24 hours. But he argued that further escalation would increasingly affect Gulf states Iran has relied upon for trade, sanctions evasion and diplomacy — potentially bringing even greater economic and diplomatic pressure.

MILLIONS OF BARRELS OF IRANIAN OIL SIT BEYOND TRUMP BLOCKADE AS HE VOWS ‘ZERO LEAKAGE’

Asked whether Iran was losing its leverage, Maleki responded: "Absolutely."

He argued Tehran has emerged weakened from internal unrest and the external war and is increasingly isolated domestically and internationally.

What Maleki is watching next is not necessarily missed government payrolls, but shortages that could trigger another wave of domestic unrest.

"What I'm looking for is shortages of items such as gasoline," Maleki said. "Right now they're fighting a war inside Iran that is way more challenging to the regime than it is from external forces that they're facing."

Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained severely disrupted Monday, while Brent crude climbed more than 2% to above $90 as markets reacted to the renewed U.S.-Iran exchanges. Reuters reported Aug. 31 that Gulf oil flows have recovered from their wartime lows but remain below pre-war levels.

Maleki said he expects Iranians to return to the streets and argued Western governments should prepare now to help them communicate and organize if Tehran again shuts down internet access.

"What we need to do is to contain this regime, cut off this economic lifeline, empower the Iranian people, be prepared next time Iranians are back on the street [and] take actions to stop this regime from slaughtering Iranians," Maleki said.

"Those are the right policies — put the pressure on, be prepared to push back on the Iranian regime every time it escalates," he added. "At this point, they are the weakest they've been since 1979. Every time they try to escalate, they become weaker."

Reuters contributed to this story.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/cUaWEmv