Iran’s hardline regime is standing in the way of peace — and President Trump is preparing to hit them harder than ever before.
The fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran collapsed earlier this month after Iran resumed attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, breaking the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding. The ceasefire failure has pushed Trump to consider a major escalation against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — the paramilitary force of hardliners blocking any real deal.
For nearly two weeks, the United States military has launched strikes against Iranian targets. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones targeting U.S. regional allies and American bases. Four U.S. service members were killed in the latest strike at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
Trump made clear Thursday he’s done waiting for Iran to negotiate honestly.
“We’re doing very well against the Islamic Republic of Iran, we’re doing extremely well. They would like to do something, but I say they’re not ready yet. They need more of the same.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Iranian negotiators keep begging for a deal — then breaking it or changing the terms the moment leadership gets involved.
“The problem with Iran is every time they make a deal, the people in charge either break it or they want to change it,” Rubio told reporters at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in the Philippines Thursday. “So it looks like they’re not ready to make a deal, so they’re going to continue to pay a price, and every night the price gets higher and higher.”
Iranian leaders reportedly rejected the latest ceasefire offer from the Trump administration, according to The New York Times.
Both Trump and Rubio have pointed to the “sick people” and “radical clerics” running Iran as the primary obstacle. The IRGC — the paramilitary hardliners dedicated to preserving the Iranian revolution — are widely considered the most influential force in the country, especially under new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
Steve Yates, Senior Research Fellow for China and National Security Policy at the Heritage Foundation, told Just the News that degrading the IRGC is the key to opening the door for real negotiations.
“[We] are going to have to go heavy on the Revolutionary Guard,” Yates said. “[We] might have a prospect of negotiating something that could stick if the Revolutionary Guard is really degraded profoundly.”
Yates added that maximum pressure on the IRGC could empower the Iranian people to step forward and impose their will on the regime.
Trump is reportedly close to making a decision on a massive attack — bigger than anything launched so far.
“I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump told Axios Thursday. He argued that Iranian leadership has not “received enough pain yet” to spur honest negotiations.
In recent days, the United States military has surged forces, equipment, and medical supplies to the Middle East — a clear signal the president may be preparing for major combat operations.
Congressional Republicans are standing behind Trump. Though the House recently approved a resolution to restrict Trump’s war powers in Iran, only four Republicans voted with Democrats. A similar measure failed to pass the Senate Thursday.
Many Republican lawmakers argue Trump should finish what he started — ensuring Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and reining in its terrorist proxy groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
“I think it’s critically important that you finish the job that you set out to accomplish,” Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., told Just the News. “We need to make sure that not only are we protecting our American servicemen and women who have died at the hands of the Iranian terrorist regime, but that we are dismantling the terror network that they have built around the globe.”
Senator Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., delivered a speech to the Senate Thursday arguing Iran started the war by supporting regional terror networks for decades.
“President Trump is the only president in my lifetime who refuses to kick the problem to another generation of American soldiers. There can be no equivocation with these murderous lunatics. It’s time to finish the job.”
The Iranian regime now faces a choice: negotiate in good faith or face the full weight of American military power. Trump has made it clear which option he expects them to choose — and he’s ready to deliver.
For 47 years, American families and brave warfighters – including friends of mine – have been asked to absorb brutal attack after brutal attack by an evil Iranian regime who wants all of us dead.
President Trump is the only president in my lifetime who refuses to kick this… pic.twitter.com/OJmPHjFM7h
— Tim Sheehy (@TimSheehyMT) July 23, 2026
