Retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, a former Navy SEAL and deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, has warned that Europe must assist the United States in reopening the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing Iranian blockades.
“Iran is threatening and blocking it. And that’s important not just to us, but more so to Asia and our European partners,” Harward stated. “Their economies will suffer for that. So inevitably, they will become responsible and accountable.”
Harward emphasized that Europe has a vested interest in supporting U.S. efforts: “It’s going to be in their best interest to solve this problem, and they’re going to be involved sooner or later.” He added, “We have a foothold now that we need to expand and see this through and their capacity, their capability, and their political will needs to be a part of that solution.”
Harward recalled his time in Iran prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution: “It was a wonderful country. It was open, it was secular.” He described the society as having “hardworking people, well-educated, a government that looked after the people’s needs.” Now, he stated, “you have a government exploiting the people under Sharia law for their own political and financial gains.”
He noted that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and most mullahs control key sectors: “The IRGC and most of the mullahs control a vast part of the financial markets and industry.” Harward warned, “If unchecked, for another 10 years, we may not have been able to deal with it. We have an opportunity now that we cannot lose.”
Harward identified Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei as vulnerable: “He is a dead man walking.” He explained ongoing military actions against Iranian leadership: “Our targeting and the Israeli targeting of the leadership, the IRGC, and those others who have suppressed the Iranian people is ongoing and will stay ongoing.”
Harward predicted that once Khamenei is removed, the next leader would face pressure until Iran capitulates: “When we solve [the Strait of Hormuz], you can rest assured our capacity and capabilities will shift to focusing all our energy on this senior leadership. Once Khamenei is killed, the next leader will face this challenge until this conflict is over and they capitulate to our demands.”
Harward stated that the conflict would end when Iran ceased blocking the Strait of Hormuz: “When we finish that kinetic activity associated with that, then they don’t pose a threat.”
