Former U.S. State Department Deputy Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs John Teichert called on President Trump to resume kinetic military activities against Iran.

JESSE WATTERS, FOX NEWS: John Teichert is the former deputy undersecretary of foreign affairs and former senior defense attache in the Middle East. Okay, so tonight a lot of action. Missiles, drones being intercepted by US missile defense. But the Iranians, you know, still kind of squirrely. What do you think? JOHN TEICHERT, FORMER DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Jesse, every time we’ve seen one of these cycles, this is the fourth one of these in the last week and a half, I firmly believe that it’s Iran testing us in how we will respond. And in each case we’ve been minimalist in our response. We’ve claimed over and above that the response is defensive in nature. And I think the only way we break that cycle is by using language that they understand, which is strength, capability, will, and resolve. And it’s about time to re-engage in kinetic activities against Iran. WATTERS: So you think drop the ceasefire, finish off the target list? TEICHERT: Jesse, I actually think that the first six weeks of operations against Iran were at the operational level. That we never really focused our strikes on the heart of the regime. And I think once President Trump realizes that Iran is going to continue to act and negotiate in bad faith, then now we take the strikes to the heart of the regime. The things that keep them in power, the things they value most. And I think that changes the strategic calculus and returns the initiative to us. WATTERS: So you would focus on regime collapse through a full-blown aerial assault. You don’t think the naval blockade, if you give it patience, would do the trick? TEICHERT: Jesse, I do think that the blockade has been massively effective. I wish we would have started six weeks prior when we started combat operations. But it’s a bit of a race against the clock in whether the regime reaches its tipping point first because of the pressure of the blockade, or the President of the United States reaches his tipping point because of domestic and international pressure. But the way that you accelerate that clock in our favor is to return to kinetic activity again at the strategic level. WATTERS: When you hear that the gay ayatollah is alive and kicking, well kicking with one leg, he only has one leg. And Rubio says he’s reengaging. How do you interpret that? TEICHERT: Jesse, I’m pretty clear that you’re not winning a war when eight weeks into the ceasefire and the leader won’t even show his face in public. But I do believe that the IRGC and the hardliners are trying to consolidate their power in Iran. They’re the ones that have the guns and know how to use them. They’re the ones that are the vanguard of the revolution, and they’re the only ones I think that are talking to the supreme leader. And I think that the way you get their attention is through those strategic strikes that I recommended.

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