NYC Mayor Mamdani Says War In Iran ‘Should Be Opposed On Every Single Ground, Not Just Procedural, But Also Moral’
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the war in Iran “should be opposed on every single ground, not just procedural, but also moral, but also political” as he continues to criticize the Trump administration’s actions in the country.
Speaking to political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen, Mamdani went on to say that the money being used to finance the war “could make it easier to keep calling this city, this country, home, and yet, there is a blindness to that fact.”
Mamdani criticized the U.S.’s actions in the country when the first operation was launched on February 28. Back then he called it a “war of aggression” and said Americans “do not want another war in pursuit of regime change.”
The war continues in the meantime, and it’s unclear what course it will take in the near future. He said on Tuesday that operations could end in “two or three weeks, maybe a couple of days longer,” and is expected to deliver a prime-time address on Wednesday night to give an update on the war.
The Atlantic reported on Wednesday that U.S. officials are planning for two potential ground operations in the country: one would be aimed at seizing Kharg Island, where most of the country’s oil exports go through, and another one to either seize its enriched uranium or continue impacting its nuclear program.
Before the U.S. and Israel bombed the country in June 2025, Iran was believed to have more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% and 200 kilograms of 20% fissile material, which can easily be turned into 90% weapons-grade uranium.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not deny the possibility, saying “it’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the commander-in-chief maximum optionality.”
The Wall Street Journal interviewed former military officers and experts who said such an operation would be extremely challenging and could extend the war beyond the timeline outlined by Trump.
Concretely, troops would need to fly to the sites, likely under Iranian fire, secure perimeters to allow engineers to access the materials and defend them from Iranian attacks. Sites could also be filled with mines and booby traps. Such an operation would likely need to be carried out by an elite special operations team.
Moreover, if an airfield is not readily available, troops would need to build a makeshift one to bring equipment and then remove the material. All of that could take up to a week to complete.
