John Bickley

Now, it is always possible this is a negotiating tactic from Trump to try and get concessions from the regime as these diplomatic talks continue.

But numerous advisors to the president, including his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said they do not think it's a bluff.

Now, zooming out here, President Trump does reportedly feel emboldened by the immense success of his bombing raid on their nuclear facilities back in June.

And, of course, the operation to grab Nicolas Maduro back in January.

As one former U.S.

diplomat put it to The Wall Street Journal, Trump is now offering to Iran, quote, a similar offer to Venezuela, surrender and we won't attack you.

For her part, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt had this to say on Wednesday.

Yeah, as we've come to expect, they have continued to strike a very defiant tone.

One top general said the U.S.

is, quote, incapable of doing a damn thing, while the ayatollah himself gave a speech vowing to sink our aircraft carriers.

They keep saying we have sent warships toward Iran.

Okay, of course a warship is a dangerous device, but more dangerous than that is a weapon that can send that warship deep under the sea.

The Ayatollah went on to taunt President Trump on social media, saying, quote, The American president said that for 47 years, America has failed to destroy the Islamic Republic.

That is an omission that speaks volumes.

As for me, I say you won't be able to do it either.

For more context on the Iranian strategy, we spoke with Benham Ben-Taliblu, the Iran program's senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

But despite their posturing, the Iranians, as you can imagine, are reportedly still fearful of their ability to actually withstand a prolonged assault.

Satellite images show that they've constructed new concrete barriers over sensitive military and nuclear facilities in preparation for an attack.

And in addition, the nation's top generals have reportedly been placed on high alert and given orders to take precautions that would prevent a strike from simultaneously taking out all of their leadership teams.

Absolutely.