Hours after US officials announced weekly sanctions on Iran until the end of President Trump's term in the White House, online sources started speculating other more drastic measures being taken against the rival of Trump's allies in the region, including "extensive talks between officials in the Saudi and US militaries", which could allegedly be "preparing for an attack against Iran."
@WatchWolf13 Sudden American contacts with Saudi and Gulf military agencies indicate the possibility of preparing for a military action in the region that might be a blow to Iran. https://t.co/IrFkSJZyDL
— eric weichert (@lonewolf32) November 10, 2020
According to a Saudi Twitter account known to post leaks from the Saudi government, Saudi and American officials "are considering a military operation against Iran in the coming days or weeks", in an attempt to "curb the Iranian strength and influence in the region".
These speculations are linking the most recent political change in the US evident in the Democratic candidate's win of the presidency "to the urgent need for the attack to be executed as soon as possible" according to Saudis, especially that the Trump administration has only a few weeks left in office before Joe Biden's inauguration next January.
According to reports #USA call on #Arab allies to prepare for Military action against #Iran . https://t.co/ZQL6eobrMO
— Hemat (@Himat75) November 10, 2020
شكله ترامب بدوا يسوي حفلة وداع ?
— David Henry (@DavidUnknownUsr) November 10, 2020
Translation: "Seems that Trump is throwing a going-away party"
Additionally, such reports come only a few hours after the Trump administration announced severe sanctions on Iran which will be implemented over the next weeks, a move that has been perceived by experts as "an attempt to undermine any future efforts to sign an agreement between Iran and the Biden administration".
Sparking even more speculations comes the news of President Trump's decision to terminate his fourth Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, without providing an explanation for the sudden move.
...Chris will do a GREAT job! Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2020
Per the Washington Post, US defense department officials have privately expressed their concern that the removal of Esper shows that the President could initiate operations, overt or secret, against Iran or other adversaries during his last days as POTUS. (ht @AmichaiStein1)
— Doge (@IntelDoge) November 10, 2020
Esper's termination during the very final days of the Trump administration has been linked to the possibility of him "refusing to carry out certain orders by Donald Trump", which might have been related to a possible strike against Iran, especially that the decision was announced abruptly on Twitter, suggesting "extreme disagreement" between the two men.
MBS and Kushner discuss MBS providing the funds for ALL legal fees covering Trump's battles to reverse the results of the election. If true, this should be investigated. @JoeBiden @RepAdamSmith @RepRoKhanna https://t.co/fMXFFdbAjh
— Aisha (@AishaJumaan) November 10, 2020
MBS most likely lead donor to Trump legal team to contest election.
— Juli Carson (@JuliCarson) November 8, 2020
Meanwhile, Saudi unconfirmed reports have also suggested that calls between the Saudi Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammad bin Salman and Trump's Senior Adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner involve "agreements of Saudi financial support for Trump's efforts to file several lawsuits to eliminate mail-in votes in swing states", ones that came in favor of his opponent Joe Biden.
Such reports refer to the strong relationship between the Saudi prince and the Trump administration that has supported him on several occasions, including the time his top aides were found guilty of murdering and dismembering the Saudi Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
