June 23rd, 2025: Iran Responds To Weekend Attack & Khamenei Names His Replacements
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Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start things off, of course, with the big news from the weekend. Kevin Durant has been traded to the Houston Rockets.

Alright, fine. That's news, but obviously not the big news of which I speak. The U.S. launched a strike on Iran's nuclear program, targeting three key sites in a massive overnight operation on Sunday. Now, the Pentagon says the damage was severe, although accurate damage assessments are still pending. But now, well, the world is waiting to see how Iran responds.

Later in the show, with Iran under fire and its leadership on edge Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei hiding in a bunker has reportedly taken an extraordinary step Naming three clerics as potential successors in cases killed

Plus, Putin says all of Ukraine belongs to Russia and threatens a nuclear strike if the West pushes back. Well, that sounds just like what a guy interested in peace would say. We'll examine his latest warnings.

And in today's back of the brief, Pakistan says it plans to nominate President Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, crediting him with helping ease tensions with India. That sound you hear off in the distance is Democrats exploding with outrage. But first, today's BDB Spotlight.

President Trump shocked the world this weekend with a high-stakes military move that may have permanently crippled Iran's nuclear ambitions. Or not, depending on the results of detailed damage assessments yet to come.

In a nationally televised address, Trump confirmed that the U.S. had conducted coordinated strikes on three key nuclear sites deep inside Iran. That would be the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites. The operation, codenamed Midnight Hammer, was the result of months of planning. According to Pentagon officials, the assault featured a devastating combination of air and naval power. Fourteen 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, or MOPS, were

were dropped by B-2 stealth bombers. Meanwhile, over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from U.S. submarines positioned in the Persian Gulf. The logistics were complicated and required intricate planning. The B-2s reportedly took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, flying a grueling 32-hour mission with multiple mid-air refueling requirements and, of course, strict radio silence.

Their targets, including fortified nuclear facilities buried deep underground, were among the most well-defended in Iran's arsenal Initial assessments from the Pentagon suggest that all three sites sustained "extremely severe damage and destruction" That's according to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Kaine A full battle damage assessment will take time, but early signs suggest the operation was tactically successful

And yet, even as the White House hails the mission as a success, one enormous question looms. Of course, what will Iran do next? On Sunday, Iran's foreign minister condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of sovereignty and accusing Trump of betrayal. The regime vowed it would respond in, quote, self-defense. But what that means in practice is still unknown.

Iran is wounded, that much is certain But even a wounded animal, of course, can still lash out The question now is not just if Iran will retaliate, but in what way According to reports, Iran's parliament has already voted to close the vital Strait of Hormuz We'll have more on that a little later But what I want to do now is break down the range of options currently available to the Islamic Republic The first, of course, would be a conventional military response

Iran could retaliate directly using its ballistic missile arsenal to strike U.S. assets in the region Now, while Israel's campaign has severely degraded Iran's missile infrastructure We know that Tehran still possesses the ability to engage American troops and civilians remain within reach whether at temporary outposts in Iraq and Syria Or permanent installations based in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE

A conventional response might mirror what we saw back in 2020, following the U.S. assassination of Goods Force Commander Qasem Soleimani. At the time, Iran launched missiles at the Al-Assad and the Erbil air bases in Iraq, where U.S. troops were stationed. No Americans were killed, but more than 100 service members suffered traumatic brain injuries. Analysts believe the strikes were deliberately calibrated to avoid fatalities and prevent full-scale war.

That calculus, well, may not apply now.

Second, proxy attacks through the axis of resistance, as degraded as it may be Iran could retaliate indirectly by activating its proxy network across the region This, of course, would include the Shiite militias in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Palestinian factions like Hamas and Islamic Jihad Again, we've seen this playbook before After Soleimani's death, Iran-backed groups in Iraq launched a barrage of rocket attacks on U.S. bases

allowing Tehran to strike at American interests while, theoretically, maintaining plausible deniability. But here too, Iran's options may be narrowing. Just this weekend, Israel confirmed that it had assassinated three top Iranian commanders, including Mohammad Saeed Azadi. He's a key architect of Iran's proxy coordination efforts. His death could deliver

delay or even paralyze Tehran's ability to mobilize its militias. And of course, as we discussed over the past year and a half, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas have been significantly degraded.

Third, we could see the regime engage in asymmetrical economic warfare. Now, if Iran doesn't go for a conventional military response or a proxy war, it could turn to economic disruption. Chief among its tools, well, the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly 20% of the world's oil supply passes. Iran has previously threatened to close the strait, or at least disrupt shipping, through naval harassment, sea mines, or drone attacks.

As mentioned earlier, the Iranian parliament has already voted to do this That's, of course, subject to approval by its Supreme Council

Aside from the Strait of Hormuz, the regime could also target regional oil facilities of American allies In 2019, Iran demonstrated this capability when it launched drone and cruise missile strikes, allegedly from Yemeni territory, temporarily knocking out half of Saudi Arabia's oil production That attack sent global energy markets into turmoil

If Tehran takes this path, it could inflict economic pain not only on the U.S., but on its allies and possibly fracture international support for continued military action. Now, the fourth option that I want to highlight is arguably the most alarming, and that would, of course, be terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. This is Iran's most dangerous card.

Through its Quds Force and proxies like Hezbollah, Iran has previously attempted to carry out attacks in the U.S., and it's

Not like they haven't attempted this in the past One stark example came back in 2011 U.S. authorities uncovered a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington, D.C. The plan involved an Iranian-American used car salesman Working with Quds Force operatives They attempted to hire what they thought was a Mexican drug cartel hitman To bomb a restaurant in Georgetown where the ambassador frequently dined

The conspirators offered $1.5 million for the job. The hitman was actually a DEA informant, and the plot was foiled. But the message was clear. Iran was willing and could be willing to go global. And if Tehran feels cornered, it may once again activate sleeper cells or radicalized individuals in the West. Of course, another option involves cyber attacks, and this is where Russia could play a role.

While Putin is likely loath to step into any aggressive military assistance to Iran in their retaliatory efforts, they could provide significant cyber support in an effort to attack U.S. and Israeli and allied infrastructure.

And there's one final possibility. Iran, well, may choose to do nothing, at least for now. The regime is in a historically weak position. Its nuclear program is in ruins, its commanders are being hunted down, its economy is reeling under sanctions, and domestic unrest is simmering.

Escalation may only invite further ruin For his part, President Trump made it crystal clear that any further provocation will be met with overwhelming force In a post shortly after the strikes, he wrote, quote, "Any retaliation by Iran against U.S. interests will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight," end quote Really, the only thing that is clear at this stage is that the next move belongs to the Iranian regime

All right, coming up next, Ayatollah Khamenei prepares for his own death, and Putin, well, Putin threatens nuclear war over Ukraine. I'll be right back.

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Welcome back to the BDB. Fears of assassination have shaken Iran's power structure, prompting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to sever all electronic communication and retreat from public view, now speaking exclusively, reportedly, through a single trusted aide. According to three Iranian officials cited by the New York Times, the desperate lockdown reflects what one official called a regime-wide panic over

over Israeli penetration into the Islamic Republic's military and intelligence networks. One source admitted, quote, even Ayatollah Khamenei has been rattled. The paranoia isn't confined to the inner circle. State-affiliated media have issued warnings to the public to limit mobile phone use, citing fears that

that Israel has been tracking and eliminating top Iranian nuclear scientists and military officers via cell phone data In a further sign of the regime's anxiety Khamenei has taken an unprecedented step

handing Iran's assembly of experts a short list of three clerics to succeed him. The body, which traditionally deliberates in secret over months, is now being urged to act swiftly, an ominous signal of just how serious Tehran believes a decapitation strike threat of the Ayatollah to be. And it doesn't stop there. The 86-year-old leader has reshuffled the military chain of command.

After all, there has been some recent headroom. Installing backup figures and key posts in case further senior personnel are picked off. Khamenei himself hasn't been seen since the first missile exchanges with Israel last week, fueling speculation that he's either holed up or confirming reports that he may be battling cancer, further compounding concerns about the regime's stability.

But back in Washington, the Trump administration isn't buying the secrecy concept. President Trump bluntly stated that the U.S. knows, quote, exactly where the Ayatollah is. In Washington and European capitals, contingency talks are already underway, with Western diplomats discussing how to secure Iranian nuclear sites if the regime collapses. Officials fear that a sudden collapse could leave remaining nuclear materials vulnerable to theft or misuse.

raising the specter of another post-regime vacuum such as like Libya but with far higher stakes.

And the communication breakdown is getting worse. CBS News reports that Iran's international phone lines and internet access have sharply degraded since the war with Israel began. Even figures like Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Aradji have reportedly gone dark, unreachable by foreign envoys trying to make contact. As we've been tracking here on the PDB, prior to the U.S. airstrikes, the diplomatic track had envisioned a nuclear agreement, a

allowing Iran to maintain a civilian nuclear program under strict international oversight while barring uranium enrichment Of course, the international community has never had strict oversight of the Iranian nuclear program which of course has been the problem all along It's hard to understand why, after decades of obfuscation and deception somehow the Iranian regime would have agreed to transparency and 100% oversight

But the strikes marked a turning point, signaling that Washington's patience with the mullahs after months of stalled talks had run dry. Now with Khamenei in hiding and succession mechanisms quietly activating, the future of the Islamic Republic suddenly appears more uncertain than ever. Okay, it

Turning to the war in Ukraine. Remember the war in Ukraine? Russian leader Putin declared that, quote, all of Ukraine is ours. Once again, making clear that Moscow has no intention of ceding seized territory. He also warned that a nuclear response is on the table if Kiev uses a so-called dirty bomb. In an exclusive interview with Sky News Arabia, Putin reaffirmed that Russia will not surrender a single inch of land it currently holds. Oh, wow.

Future peace talks, he said, must respect the, quote, will of the people in occupied regions. That's a reference to the Kremlin's 2022 referendums in Kherson, Zaporizhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk, as well as Crimea. Those elections, staged under the specter of Russian guns, were widely condemned in the West as illegitimate. But Putin insisted they reflect democratic choice, stating, quote, the will of the people is what we call democracy. An

And honestly, for all my insight into democracy, I turned to Vladimir Putin. He added, quote, I've said many times that I consider the Russian and Ukrainian people to be one nation. In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours.

Speaking separately at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin issued his latest nuclear warning threatening dire consequences if Ukraine resorts to using a dirty bomb, which they haven't referenced. For those unfamiliar, a dirty bomb combines conventional explosives and radioactive material. The ordinance differs from a nuclear weapon in that it spreads radioactive contamination rather than destroying a city.

Putin warned that any Ukrainian use of a dirty bomb could trigger catastrophic action from the Kremlin, stating, quote, it could be their last mistake. We always respond and respond in kind. Therefore, our response will be very tough, end quote.

And in a swipe at the West, Putin accused Ukraine's military backers of obstructing diplomacy to serve their own ends. The Russian strongman stated, quote, Said the guy who invaded Ukraine.

He called on Ukrainian leaders to prioritize national interests, stating, quote, Ukraine deserves a better fate than being an instrument in the geopolitical struggle of those who strive for confrontation with the Russian Federation, as said the guy who invaded Ukraine.

On the ground, the war drags on. Moscow claimed over the weekend to have taken control of a village in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, though it offered no independent evidence to support that claim. More than 200 Russian drones, meanwhile, struck targets across the Zaporozhye area. That's according to the head of Ukraine's regional military administration. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky announced that Kyiv is now in talks with Denmark, Norway, Germany, Canada, and the UK to co-produce weapons systems integrated

inside Ukraine to reduce dependence on Western stockpiles. He called on each partner to commit at least a quarter of a percent of their GDP to support Ukrainian defense production. The latest developments underscore the widening gulf between Russian and Ukrainian positions, as Moscow digs in on maximalist territorial claims and revives nuclear threats, even as drone warfare and slow territorial gains

grind on in the South and the East. All right, coming up next in the back of the brief, Pakistan, in no way looking to curry favor with the White House, wants to nominate President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. More on that when we come back.

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In today's back of the brief, Pakistan's government says it intends to nominate President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, crediting him with helping to avert a potentially catastrophic war with India. In a post on X, Islamabad said Trump deserves the honor, quote, "...in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis." The post concluded by calling Trump's actions, quote, "...a testament to his role as a genuine peacemaker."

As we reported in May on the PDB, Trump personally announced the ceasefire after four days of cross-border shelling and gunfire, warning both nuclear-armed sides that continued economic partnership with the U.S. would be contingent on de-escalation. The commander-in-chief told reporters at the time, quote, End quote.

Pakistan claims the truce was the result of intensive American-led negotiations. But India, well, India sees it very differently. Officials in New Delhi rejected that version of events, denying outside involvement in brokering the ceasefire and reiterating India's longstanding position of no third-party mediation, particularly when it comes to dispute over Kashmir. Still, Islamabad has not backed down. Pakistan's former Senate Defense Committee chairman,

endorsed the Nobel nomination, telling Reuters, quote, Trump is good for Pakistan and arguing that his intervention likely saved lives on both sides of the border.

Trump addressed the news on Truth Social, saying that while he's successfully, quote, brokered negotiations between multiple nations, he doubts that the Norwegian Nobel Committee will ever recognize his efforts. He posted, quote, Now that swipe...

echoes a long-running grievance. Trump has often criticized former President Barack Obama for receiving the prize back in 2009, just months into his presidency, calling that a prize unearned. Trump's name has appeared before, as he was nominated during his first term by lawmakers in Norway, Japan, and South Korea for his role in the Abraham Accords and for de-escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Whether this latest nomination will gain traction ahead of the Nobel Committee's October decision, it remains to be seen.

And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Monday, the 23rd of June. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdbatthefirsttv.com. And to listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief simply by visiting pdbpremium.com. It's really that simple. And I hope you had a chance to check out this past weekend's edition of our extended weekend show, the PDB Situation Report.

You can always catch it and past episodes on our YouTube channel, that's at President's Daily Brief, and of course, podcast platforms everywhere. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.