Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier proposed a war with Iran to multiple U.S. presidents, but each of them refused. Speaking on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Kerry stated that Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Joe Biden all rejected the idea, emphasizing that diplomatic options had not been fully exhausted.

Kerry, reflecting on his experience as a Vietnam War veteran, stressed the importance of honesty with the American public. He warned against misleading citizens into supporting wars, drawing parallels with the Vietnam War and the Iraq War, where, he argued, the public was not given the full truth. Iran’s state media outlet Press TV shared Kerry’s remarks, noting that earlier expectations of regime change in Iran—based on predictions that people would rise up—never materialized.

A report by The New York Times described how Netanyahu later persuaded Donald Trump to support military action against Iran. During a meeting, Netanyahu reportedly argued that Iran was vulnerable to regime change and that a joint U.S.-Israeli operation could end its current government. Trump responded positively, signaling approval for the plan. However, Kerry dismissed these claims as speculative, noting that such predictions did not come true.

Axios reported that U.S. Vice President JD Vance had a tense phone call with Netanyahu, questioning his optimistic assumptions about the war and the likelihood of regime change. Vance reportedly challenged the idea that the situation would be as straightforward as previously suggested.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.