Warships. Fighter jets. Rising tensions. The standoff over Iran’s nuclear program is entering a new and dangerous phase.

Negotiators may still be talking, but on the ground the situation is escalating fast.

The United States and Iran are engaged in open saber-rattling. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is showcasing its power in the Strait of Hormuz—calling it merely a “naval drill.” At the same time, one U.S. aircraft carrier is already in the region, and a second carrier group has now been deployed to the Middle East.

Inside Iran, the regime is intensifying anti-American rhetoric. And when Iranians take to the streets, the authorities respond with harsh crackdowns—something the world witnessed again in early January. Iranian diaspora communities across the globe are speaking out against the regime’s brutality. Meanwhile, the U.S. president is openly calling for political change in Tehran.

All this unfolds while both sides insist they still want to negotiate a nuclear deal.

On To the Point we ask: U.S. military pressure on Iran – is regime change the real objective?

Our guests: Hans-Jakob Schindler (ICCT); Mahtab Gholizadeh (Iranian Journalist); Daniel Gerlach (Middle-East analyst)

00:00 Introduction
02:15 What is the current situation in Iran?
03:00 Are Iranians hoping for a U.S. military strike?
04:40 The brutal crackdown on protesters in January
07:10 How weak is Iran’s economy?
08:05 Video: Could there be a U.S. military action against Iran?
10:00 Is there a real strategy behind Trump’s Iran policy?
12:10 How dangerous is Iran’s nuclear program?
14:50 Will Iran reject or ignore a possible outcome of negotiations?
16:00 The risks the U.S. faces by intervening in Iran
17:00 Video: Who might replace Iran’s clerical leadership?
20:30 Why Iran’s opposition continues to struggle
21:30 What role does the Pahlavi family play today?
24:00 What support does the West offer the Iranian opposition?