Veteran Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has pushed for war with Iran for decades, has issued a stern warning to the Iranian government, saying it’s worth spending money to “bring down this regime.”
“If this regime falls, there will be a new Middle East and there will be a lot of money to be made,” Graham, a longtime supporter of U.S. military intervention abroad, told Fox News on Sunday.
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Graham, who has been the Trump administration’s most vocal supporter of war against Israel and Iran, appeared to suggest that the US abduction of Venezuelan leftist leader Nicolas Maduro and attack on Iran were launched to seize control of the countries’ oil supplies.
“Venezuela and Iran have 31% of the world’s oil reserves. We will be partnering with 31% of the known reserves. This is a nightmare for China. This is a good investment,” Graham said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghai on Monday accused the United States of trying to seize control of Iran’s oil resources.
“Their plan is clear, their agenda is very clear. They aim to divide our country and illegally take possession of our oil resources,” he said. “Their goal is to violate our sovereignty, defeat our people, and undermine our humanity.”
Graham said US and Israeli attacks on Tehran will further intensify over the next two weeks. Graham said the U.S. intends to “blow these people up once and for all,” adding: “No one will threaten[the U.S.]again in the Strait of Hormuz.”
“This regime is on the verge of death right now, and it will bow down and collapse. And when it does, there will be peace like never before, and prosperity like no one could ever imagine,” Graham told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo.
After the joint U.S.-Israel attack on February 28, Mr. Graham was one of many Republicans to voice support for Iran.
“The Iranian regime, armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons, would pose a terrifying threat to all Americans,” US President Donald Trump said on March 2.
The Trump administration justified the attack by claiming that Iran posed an imminent threat, but experts said the claim had no legal basis and was an abuse of international law.
The war also caused oil prices to exceed $100, impacting the global economy and sparking Iranian retaliatory attacks on Gulf states that host U.S. military facilities. Oil and gas production has been hit, fuel tankers have been stranded and airspace in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has been closed due to Iranian attacks.
In the weeks before the recent Middle East wars began, Mr. Graham made a number of trips to Israel to meet with members of the country’s Mossad intelligence agency.
“They’re going to tell us things that our government won’t tell us,” Graham said.
During those trips, Graham also met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and provided “guidance on how to urge the president to take action,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
The U.S. senator said that Netanyahu then presented information that “persuaded” President Trump to launch a joint war against Iran. For decades, Israel has been pressuring the United States to go to war against Iran, claiming that Iran was planning to build a nuclear bomb. Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is for civilian purposes and has no ambition to produce weapons.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said there is currently no evidence or indication of a systematic and ongoing program by Iran to produce nuclear weapons.
Previous US administrations have distanced themselves from military action. President Barack Obama signed a nuclear deal in 2015 that curbed Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu opposed the deal. Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018 during his first term.
Graham supported nearly every Middle East war
Graham is considered one of the most hawkish senators and has supported nearly every military intervention in the Middle East over the past two decades, including the disastrous 2003 Iraq war that devastated the region. More than 270,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed as a direct result of the war.
The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 plunged the country into political turmoil, giving rise to armed groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS). U.S. troops partially withdrew in 2009, but some remained to train Iraqi security forces.
Mr. Graham also supported military intervention in Syria and Libya, which devastated both countries. While Libya remains divided and ruled by two rival factions, the Syrian Interim Government has been able to expand its control over large parts of the country under President Ahmed al-Sharah, who became the de facto leader after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. More than 300,000 people were killed, nearly half of the country’s population fled, and a refugee crisis reached Europe.
During the interview, Graham called on the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to launch attacks on Iran. “Yes. I want them to join the fight. We sell them weapons. Iran is attacking their country. They have superior capabilities.”
In retaliation for the U.S. and Israeli attacks, Iran launched a massive missile and drone attack on Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, targeting U.S. military bases and critical infrastructure.
Graham’s interview also suggested that the White House may turn its attention to Cuba next.
“See this hat? ‘Liberate Cuba.’ Stay tuned. The liberation of Cuba is coming. We’re marching around the world. We’re rooting out the bad guys. Cuba is next.”
President Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, have made no secret of their desire to bring about regime change in Havana, which has been under a U.S. embargo for decades since Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew a pro-American dictator in 1959.
Washington rebuilt relations with Havana in 2015 under President Obama, but President Trump reversed course during his first term.
