Former CIA Officer Claims US Finalized Decision to Strike Iran Next Week
In a startling revelation, former CIA officer John Kiriakou has asserted that the United States has made a definitive decision to launch a military strike against Iran early next week. Kiriakou cited information from a fellow former intelligence official who recently visited the White House, adding a layer of urgency to the already tense geopolitical landscape.
Deadline Diplomacy and Strategic Timing
Speaking on the Julian Dorey Podcast, Kiriakou detailed the claims, stating, "I have a friend, former CIA officer, who was at the White House this morning talking to his friends, and he says that a decision has been made to attack Iran on Monday or Tuesday." He cautioned against taking the President's public 10-day deadline for Tehran to accept US demands at face value, describing such timeframes as part of a recurring pattern.
"The president yesterday gave the Iranians 10 days to accept our proposals for an end to their ballistic missile programme, an end to their uranium enrichment programme, an end to supporting groups in the Middle East like Hamas and Hezbollah and the Houthis. But he's done this before," Kiriakou explained. He added that deadlines are often shortened unexpectedly: "Well, he'll give you 10 days, he'll give you two weeks, and then he'll just attack two days into it. He thinks that that keeps people off balance."
Internal Divisions and Leadership Changes
Kiriakou also outlined significant divisions within Washington regarding potential military action. "He said that there are battle lines, that the anti-war forces are JD Vance and Tulsi Gabbard," Kiriakou stated, as quoted by ANI, noting that the pro-intervention side is "led by Marco Rubio and includes Pete Hegseth and now the Joint Chiefs of Staff." He expressed surprise at the Joint Chiefs' reported stance, linking it to leadership changes under Donald Trump.
"Trump has replaced all of the Joint Chiefs this year, this past, in the past 12 months, which I had forgotten," he said. "He promoted people that he knew would be politically loyal." This reshuffling, according to Kiriakou, has potentially influenced the military's alignment on interventionist policies.
Military Repositioning and Regional Tensions
The claims emerge amidst reports of US forces being repositioned across the Middle East. The Jerusalem Post, citing a disclosure from The New York Times, reported that hundreds of personnel have been moved from Al Udeid Air Base, with additional shifts at US sites in Bahrain, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Officials are said to fear that the 30,000–40,000 US troops stationed in the region could become immediate targets in any conflict. Analysts noted this would contrast sharply with the June 2025 strike on Al Udeid, when Iran provided advance warning, suggesting a more volatile scenario this time.
The Jerusalem Post also cited the Iranian mission to the United Nations warning that if the US attacks, "all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets." In response, Washington is reportedly strengthening regional defences by moving additional air-defence systems into the Middle East and keeping two aircraft carriers farther from Iranian territory to reduce exposure to retaliation.
Distraction Tactics and Broader Implications
Kiriakou further suggested that the timing of potential government disclosures, including expected UFO-related files, could serve as a distraction from military actions. "Probably in part, yeah. About them saying they're going to release the UFO files last night, which I've wanted released forever, but the timing," he remarked, hinting at strategic timing in public announcements.
This development underscores the escalating tensions between the US and Iran, with potential ramifications for global stability. As military preparations intensify and diplomatic deadlines loom, the international community watches closely, aware that any misstep could trigger a broader conflict in an already volatile region.
