U.S. military pressure on Iran – is regime change the real objective?
In this episode of “To the Point” (DW) on February 19th 2026, the discussion examines escalating U.S.–Iran tensions over Iran’s nuclear program, including military posturing in the Strait of Hormuz, increased U.S. naval presence, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard drills, domestic repression and protests, and the broader question of whether Washington’s pressure strategy is aimed at containment or regime change in Tehran. The conversation also explores Iran’s economic fragility, the risks of military escalation, and the future of the opposition and potential post-clerical leadership scenarios, while negotiations over a nuclear deal continue in the background. The guests are security expert Hans-Jakob Schindler (ICCT), Iranian journalist Mahtab Qolizadeh, and Middle East analyst Daniel Gerlach.
About Mahtab Qolizadeh: She is a journalist writing for German newspapers like taz and Der Tagesspiegel on Iran, covering protests, political repression, and civilian life under the Islamic Republic. Her recent reporting spans the ongoing Iran war, suicides as a form of protest, and mass demonstrations calling for the fall of the regime. Mahtab Qolizadeh was fellow in 2024 in the program Rest and Resilience, being organised every year by the taz Panter Foundation.
Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDv1HxU-SvU