Mar 14, 2026
3 min read
The war with Iran is happening.But is there hope for the fall of the mullahs' regime?In Maybrit Illner, an expert dares to make a prediction about the current situation.
Iranian revolution on Tuesday?Explosive Predictions at Mybrit Illner - 'A Very Unique Constellation'
The Iran war is intensifying.But is there any hope that the mullah regime will collapse?An expert at Maybrit Illner dares to make a prediction - and gives a specific date.
At Maybrit Illner's panel on "The Iran War - A Threat Without Borders?", it became clear how much concern there is about the deal and geopolitical escalation.The desire for a quick end to the war may be even greater.A German-Iranian journalist even dared to predict when the regime would fall.But the question that haunts everyone is: What is US President Donald Trump doing?And what exactly does he want to achieve with the war?
“It takes a psychiatrist to find out why.”It is not news that US President Donald Trump's former security adviser, John Bolton, has not spoken highly of his former boss.In the interview with Maybrit Illner, conducted by the presenter 15 minutes before the broadcast about the situation in Iran, Bolton also did not say anything positive about the US attack on Iran.
The situation in Iran: Bolton criticizes US President Trump in May Britney
"Part of the problem is that it's not clear what Trump is doing," he criticized.Furthermore, the Republican did not allow the American people, Congress, his international allies or the Iranian opposition to participate in his plans or even prepare them for the situation.But he is also worried about something else: if Putin, in one of his many phone calls, offered Trump to stop providing military information to Iran if Iran in turn stopped supporting Ukraine."Then Trump's ears will perk up," Bolton warned Maybrit Illner that he could accept the deal and cause lasting damage.
Katrin Eigendorf, ZDF's special international correspondent, said: "The possibility of pressure from Russia on the Americans is not great, but it is still there."Especially if oil and gas prices continue to rise, domestic political pressure for Trump to enter into such deals will increase in the current US election year, said economist Stormy-Annika Mildner from the Aspen Institute in Germany.The war has now had as strong an economic impact on America as it has had on Europe - and thus on Germany's already struggling economy.
Protests in Iran: expert predicts fall of ZDF mullahs' regime
"I don't feel that the German population took to the streets because of this," said Michel Abdolahi, a German-Iranian journalist and presenter, referring to the support of the Iranians: "They accept it."In general, he is of the opinion that the military actions of the USA and Israel are not arbitrary.Instead, he sees the "building of a story (...) that they want to prepare the Iranian population for the day X".
The fall of the mullahs' regime may be closer than expected.Finally, the traditional fire festival (note: Chaharshan Suri or Chaharshan Suri) will be held next Tuesday."This is a day that always leads to chaos in Iran, it's fire and young people are on the streets, what can happen there if people come to the streets on this day to vent their anger. Especially since the end of the holy month of Ramadan this year coincides with the new year according to the Iranian calendar," he said.It equates to "a very different constellation".
Michel Abdollahi ruled out the possibility that things will continue as before in the region: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not allow this, but the economic pressure as well as the hatred and anger against the Islamic regime in Iran are too great: "As Iranians, we are just waiting for someone to say: 'Into the streets, so we can break free from this system,'" he emphasized. "We want to breathe, we want to live."
Middle East expert Hans-Jakob Schindler: "The Strait of Hormuz is the Achilles heel of the Iranians."
For Armin Laschet (CDU), chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Bundestag, it would be a "dream": if the Iranian regime is overthrown, the entire Middle East will be reorganized, he hopes: "Everyone wants the war to end."
Middle East and terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler doubts whether the current strategy will succeed the previous one.The current objective is to bring about regime change through airstrikes so that enough people from the protective equipment go to the opposition.In return, the Iranian regime will plan to expand economic ties to the United States and the world so that they can end the war for economic reasons.According to him, it should not come to him because: "If the regime survives, we will see chaos."
All eyes are already on the Strait of Hormuz and thus the oil shipments are blocked."As long as the Iranians still get oil, but not the rest, this is a means of pressure on the 100 percent Iranian side," Schindler summarized.At the same time, the Strait of Hormuz is also the "Achilles heel of the Iranians", emphasized the Middle East expert.If the Iranians are also stopped, "it will be a matter of days until the regime is completely bankrupt".
Abdullahi is already identifying "cracks" in the system: "The new revolutionary leader, Moshtab Khamenei, has not been found for twelve days. There is a hit on state radio. Basij militias are now being killed by drones at their checkpoints on the streets. And if a lot of money doesn't flow in there at some point, the ordinary Basij forces won't eat anything anymore.
(This article was created in collaboration with teleschau.)
