US Senator Lindsey Graham has stressed that the Iran war must end in a manner “that prevents Iran from going back to their old ways”.

In a post on X, Graham says that Washington prefers a diplomatic end to the war that achieves its key objectives, calling Iran “an evil regime that is severely wounded and has cheated at every turn”.

“Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a scenario that cannot be allowed to occur is that the Iranian regime clung to survival because it acquired control of the strait and blackmailed the world,” he adds. “It must be clear that when this war is over — either via diplomacy or military action — that control of the Strait of Hormuz does not lie with Iran.”

The senator adds that “not one ounce” of enriched uranium must remain in Iran, warning that it could be “turned into a dirty bomb or could be enriched to weapons-grade material in the future”.

“President Trump is right to insist that any negotiated deal meets our military and strategic objectives. If Iran baulks, he’s right to blow up their crucial infrastructure so they can’t go back to their old ways,” Graham adds.

“This war must end in a fashion — either through diplomacy or military action — that prevents Iran from going back to their old ways. If we achieve this result, there will be a gateway to peace in the Middle East previously unimaginable in its scope.”