"Destruction of ballistic missile capability": Bonnie Glick on US objectives in Iran

New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI): Highlighting the shift in American strategy toward West Asia, Bonnie Glick, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, has stated that the United States is currently prioritising the "destruction of ballistic missile capability" in Iran and seeking a definitive end to the country's nuclear ambitions.

"The United States is looking at its ultimate goal, which is ensuring that Iran is never able to have a nuclear weapon, and it is the destruction of ballistic missile capability coming out of Iran. Additionally, our allies, the Israelis, have the very real concern about Iran's funding of proxy armies, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis. The whole world has these same concerns," Glick told ANI.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue 2026, Glick noted that the current hostilities represent a "final response" to years of regional instability.
"The Khamenei regime has been crushed. Subsequent leaders have been assassinated," she stated, adding that the global community remains concerned over Iran's funding of "proxy armies" such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
Addressing the timeline of the military engagement, Glick shared an optimistic outlook.
"President Trump anticipates that this will go four to five weeks. I'm hopeful that he is correct," she told ANI.
She emphasised that the American and Israeli air forces are working "in very close contact to destroy Iran's capabilities to attack and serve as a threat to the world."
The conversation also turned to the 30-day waiver granted to Indian refineries to purchase Russian oil amidst stretched global supply lines. Glick explained that the US administration is mindful of the "durability of global economics" despite the ongoing wars in Iran and Europe.
"The United States certainly does not have, as part of its interest, a shutdown of the global economy," she said.
"We want to make sure that our most important trading partners, who are really impacted directly, can continue to flourish."
Regarding recent remarks by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who suggested India would not receive the same economic benefits previously afforded to China, Glick said that the two situations are "apples and oranges."
She described the decision to allow China into the WTO as a "miscalculation" due to "unfair trade practises," whereas "India is a vibrant democracy and a free market economy."
She noted that "friends should trade fairly with each other," which formed the basis of Landau's comments.
Echoing these geopolitical concerns, Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) America, told ANI that India's primary focus remains the "safety and security" of its vast diaspora in the Gulf.

"We have almost 1 crore Indians, almost the population of entire Israel in the Gulf," Jaishankar noted, highlighting the Prime Minister's recent communications with counterparts in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Beyond human safety, Jaishankar identified "energy and commodities" as the second major concern for the Indian domestic economy.
He stated that while India wants the conflict to end "sooner rather than later," New Delhi is prepared to use its "good offices" to maintain communication with all involved actors.
On the subject of the US-India economic relationship and Deputy Secretary Landau's remarks, Jaishankar told ANI that such candidness is part of a mature partnership.
"The US is acting in the way they see their interests. India is acting in the way it sees its interests," he said.
He further explained that the two nations often have "very candid disagreements" in private on a wide variety of issues.
"Sometimes those disagreements make their way into public too and that happens. But I think we understand where we are coming from," Jaishankar said. (ANI)