Ted Cruz Says He Urged Trump To Take Down The Iranian Regime: 'Do Not Let This Opportunity Pass'

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said he urged President Donald Trump to take down the Iranian regime as tensions continue to rise in the Middle East.

Speaking on Fox News, Cruz said he spoke with Trump days ago and discussed Iran. "I said at this moment the regime is teetering, the ayatollah is in his last day. Do not let this opportunity pass.

Cruz also noted that, should that scenario come to pass, it could add to other developments that are taking place in the Western Hemisphere. "It is entirely possible that in the next six months we will see the regimes fall in Iran, in Venezuela, and in Cuba. And we could also see governments replace them that want to be friends with the United States of America," Cruz said.

He went on to clarify that he knows "a thousand things could go wrong," but if the U.S. achieves regime change in the three countries, "it will be the most consequential geopolitical shift since the fall of the Berlin Wall."

However, others are taking the opposite approach. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican counterpart Thomas Massie plan to force a vote on a war powers resolution next week to prevent strikes on the country without Congressional approval.

Massie, who has continuously challenged Trump on different issues throughout the administration, said he will "vote to put America first which means voting against more war in the Middle East."

Khanna, on his end, cited reports quoting Trump officials saying there is a 90% chance of strikes on Iran and said the resolution must be voted on "before putting U.S. troops in harm's way."

It is unclear whether the White House would wait for such a vote before launching strikes if the decision has been made. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told press that "there are many arguments one can make in favor of a strike against Iran." She went on to note that Trump prefers diplomacy but has warned that Tehran "would be wise to make a deal."

Elsewhere Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei threatened the U.S., saying that "the strongest military force in the world may at times be struck so hard that it cannot get up again."

In a series of social media publications he also addressed the armada that is either on its way or in the region, including two aircraft carriers. "The Americans constantly say that they've sent a warship toward Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea," Khamenei said about them.