Iran's "Surprise" Nuke Strike?

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Global Recap
June 17, 2025 • Read in: 8 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

While reading today’s news about Iran and Israel, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Are we repeating 2003?” Are we falling for another shaky narrative about weapons of mass destruction that could pave the way for yet another terrorist group to rise out of the chaos?

But then Iran snapped me out of it with its threat of a “surprise tonight,” clearly hinting at a nuclear strike. False narrative or not, Iran sure isn’t doing itself any favors.

They even dropped a sus video to go with it. 👇️

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇺🇸 Trump Threatens Supreme Leader. Donald Trump is weighing a US military strike on Iran, demanding Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” in its fight with Israel. He warned Khamenei that he knows “exactly” where he is and called him an “easy target,” though he insisted he won’t “take him out” just yet. The Pentagon is sending more warships to the Middle East, and there are reports that Trump might back an Israeli strike on Iran’s underground uranium site in Fordo—a facility believed to be so fortified that US bunker busters are required to take it out.

🇮🇷 Iran’s Warning. After President Trump demanded the unconditional surrender of Iran’s Islamic regime, Iranian state TV reportedly announced, “There’s a surprise tonight that the world will remember for centuries.” Some believe this hints at the Epstein files, while others see it as a clear warning of a nuclear strike or a massive attack on US bases.

🇮🇷 Sus Video: Stroking a Nuke. The official X account of Iran’s regime just dropped a video showing a soldier gently stroking a tiny model of a nuclear bomb. Some say it’s just a bluff to scare off the US, but others worry this could actually be the “surprise” Iranian state TV hinted at. On a side note, am I the only one who finds the stroking rather sus?

This situation reminds me of a passage from The Art of War:

In it, Sun Tzu says, “When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.”

You might ask, “Why not just finish them off?”

This is because an enemy with no way out fights like there’s no tomorrow, risking everything and causing heavy damage even to the winner.

🇮🇷 Iran’s Crown Prince Calls for Revolt. Reza Pahlavi, exiled son of Iran’s last shah, posted a video saying that the Islamic regime is collapsing. He urged security forces to join the people, not fight them. He also called Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a “frightened rat” and claimed the Islamic Republic’s 46-year grip on Iran is ending. He’s got a 100-day transition plan ready, promising a new democratic future “by the Iranian people and for the Iranian people.”

🇮🇷 Iranians Chanting? For days now, reports have been pouring in of Iranians flooding the streets, celebrating what many are calling the beginning of the end for the Islamic regime. One of the latest viral videos (seen above) supposedly shows crowds chanting for the return of Reza Pahlavi. There are even whispers that some Iranian officials have reached out to Pahlavi behind the scenes, signaling they’re ready to jump ship if the regime collapses.

🇮🇱 Israel-Linked Hack Hits Iran. Predatory Sparrow, a hacking group with suspected Israeli ties, claims it launched a cyberattack against Iran’s Bank Sepah, a US-sanctioned financial institution. The group says it “destroyed the data,” alleging the bank helps Iran skirt international sanctions. Iran’s state media also reported large-scale cyberattacks on its infrastructure, though it’s unclear if they’re connected. Predatory Sparrow, active since 2021, has pulled off major hacks before—disrupting Iran’s railway system, gas stations, and even spilling molten steel onto a factory floor.

💭 Thoughts
Points to Consider

That said, I want to draw your attention to two points:

Reza Pahlavi has called on people to rise up before, but those efforts haven’t sparked much movement inside Iran.

  • Now, some of his supporters are saying this time is different, that their "King" is making a real comeback.

  • Still, it’s worth holding off on that kind of optimism. Even if this moment feels unique, history shows that regime changes, especially those backed or pushed by outside powers, rarely bring quick, positive results. However, long-term outcomes might eventually improve as people work through the challenges, but the short term usually gets messy.

Past regime changes:

• Iraq, 2003: The US ousted Saddam Hussein. A power vacuum triggered years of sectarian violence and gave rise to ISIS.

• Libya, 2011: NATO helped topple Gaddafi. The country plunged into civil war and never fully recovered.

• Afghanistan, 2021: After twenty years of a US-backed government, it collapsed in weeks. The Taliban strolled back in.

President George W. Bush famously claimed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMD), using that as a key reason for launching the 2003 invasion.

  • His administration insisted Saddam Hussein was running active WMD programs, although this was later debunked.

  • Now, many critics of potential US military action against Iran argue that Netanyahu and Trump are following the same playbook.