Any regime change in Iran should come “from within” and be led by “more moderate forces” than hardline Islamic fundamentalists, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Euronews.

Olmert, who served as Israel’s premier between 2006 and 2009, spoke to Euronews just weeks after protests swept across Iran in early January.

According to the UN’s special rapporteur on Iran, Mai Soto, the unrest has resulted in at least 5,000 deaths, while insiders in Iran Euronews spoke to and human rights activists fear that the number might surpass 30,000.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have also been rising since President Donald Trump renewed pressure on Tehran, even threatening a “massive armada” if Iran refused to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme.

“In the end, the regime will be changed from within by the people of Iran — and I certainly hope so,” Olmert said. “But I hope it can happen without a massive number of Iranian citizens being killed by the country’s leadership.”

Olmert added that despite Trump’s warnings, he does not believe that even a major American military strike would bring about regime change. “With all due respect to President Trump and his threats, I don’t think that even a massive American attack will change the regime,” Olmert said.

‘Same interests’ in high-stakes negotiations

High-stakes talks between Iran and the US began on Friday morning in Oman, with Iran’s nuclear programme and the regime’s brutal repression of protesters high on the agenda.

Ahead of the discussions, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had been “quite clear” in his demands, including insisting on “zero nuclear capability.” Trump also warned that Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “should be very worried.”

Regional powers are hoping the talks could lead to a broader easing of tensions, fearing any escalation would further destabilise the Middle East.

Olmert said he hoped for an agreement that would end Iran’s nuclear ambitions and also halt its ballistic missile programme, though he admitted he was not optimistic.

He argued that both Washington and Tehran have a shared interest in presenting Iran’s nuclear threat — long described by Israel as an attempt to develop nuclear weapons — as no longer urgent.

“I think both sides have the same interests, strangely enough,” Olmert said. “The Americans want to claim they have completely destroyed the nuclear programme because the president needs to show he is a great winner. The Iranians, meanwhile, want to convince the Americans they have already done enough.”

Others, including Anour Gargash, adviser to the UAE president, have urged Tehran to seize the opportunity for diplomacy, rebuild its economy, and avoid another regional confrontation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted that meaningful progress would require broader discussions beyond nuclear issues, including Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, its support for armed groups across the region, and its treatment of its own citizens.

While there are no clear signs the Iranian regime is on the verge of collapse, mounting pressures — including economic mismanagement, corruption, heavy sanctions, currency instability, and soaring inflation — have placed the leadership under unprecedented strain.

Trump has not clarified whether regime change is an objective of any potential strikes, and Olmert warned that further US interference could backfire by strengthening the regime while it remains vulnerable.

He also noted that Iran is still recovering from last summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer, which severely damaged nuclear facilities and exposed weaknesses in air defences and intelligence.

“I don’t think negotiations will change it,” Olmert concluded. “In fact, perhaps the opposite — negotiations may strengthen the Revolutionary Guards and the ayatollahs, allowing them to carry on.”

Iran seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf Thursday, accusing them of smuggling fuel and detaining 15 foreign crew members ahead of high-stakes U.S.–Iran talks Friday in Oman.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said it intercepted the two ships near Farsi Island, claiming they were carrying about 1 million liters of smuggled fuel, Reuters reported.

The crews, made up of 15 foreign nationals, were taken into custody and referred to Iran’s judicial authorities, according to Iranian state media.

US POSITIONS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, STRIKE PLATFORMS ACROSS MIDDLE EAST AS IRAN TALKS SHIFT TO OMAN

The IRGC alleged the vessels were part of an organized fuel-smuggling network that had been operating in the region for several months.

Iranian officials said the ships were identified through intelligence monitoring and seized during coordinated naval operations in the Persian Gulf, a vital artery for global energy markets.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Iranian authorities framed the operation as a significant blow to illegal fuel trafficking, though they did not immediately disclose the vessels’ nationalities or destinations.

US MILITARY WARNS IRAN IT WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY ‘UNSAFE’ ACTIONS AHEAD OF LIVE-FIRE DRILLS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

The seizures come as Iranian rhetoric toward the U.S. has grown hostile.

Ezzatollah Zarghami, a former Iranian minister and ex–state broadcaster chief, issued a warning, threatening violence in the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of the world’s oil and petroleum product consumption passes.

“I am sure that the Strait of Hormuz will be the place of massacre and hell for the U.S.,” Zarghami said Thursday.

“Iran will show that the Strait of Hormuz has historically belonged to Iran. The only thing the Americans can think of is playing with their vessels and moving them from one place to another.”

IRANIAN MEDIA CLAIMS DRONE SHOT DOWN BY US WAS CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE IN A ‘ROUTINE AND LAWFUL MISSION’

Zarghami later repeated the threat, calling the Strait a potential “killing field” for American forces and signaling Iran’s willingness to escalate amid mounting regional pressure.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet Iranian officials in Oman Friday.

The pair are traveling from Abu Dhabi after two days of talks related to Russia and Ukraine.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that Friday’s talks were still on, stating “diplomacy is always [Trump’s] first option.”