Washington, March 1 Indian-American Republican donor Asha Jadeja Motwani, who attended a two-hour dinner with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago this weekend alongside about 20 Republican donors, described the unfolding military action against Iran as a defining geopolitical moment that she believes will “change the destiny of the Middle East”.
“Yes, it is a historic time here in Mar-a-Lago. While we were here for something else, actually, war was declared. This is obviously going to change the destiny of the Middle East. This is not a small war,” Motwani told IANS in an interview.
Motwani said the group also interacted with senior administration officials, including CIA Director John Ratcliffe. “The CIA had been following them (Iranian leadership) for a month,” she said, adding that “the CIA and the Mossad were already there in Iran tracking the Ayatollah.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several senior leaders were reportedly killed in air strikes carried out jointly by Israel and the United States.
She argued that the operation reflected a deliberate and expansive strategy. “I don’t think there’s going to be a let-up. I think this is part of a much larger geopolitical strategy that President Trump has in mind,” she said, describing it as “a well-thought-out strategy to change the course of the Middle East”.
Asked about the President’s broader objective, Motwani said it was “to establish America as the hegemon and to remove all conversation that’s happening in the Middle East”. Referring to threats against Israel, she said: “You say one word against Israel, and you’re going to pay a price. This is huge. This is a good thing. I’m glad this is happening.” She added, “Kudos to President Trump for pulling this off.”
On the atmosphere at Mar-a-Lago, she said, “The mood is upbeat, but focused and very serious.” She acknowledged casualties in the early phase of operations. “We already have lost three people, and I think four have been injured,” she said, adding that “the administration understands the seriousness of this operation and the potential costs that we could incur.”
At the same time, she expressed confidence in the outcome. “The mood is serious, but it’s mission accomplished right now,” she said.
On the implications for India, Motwani said it was “not by accident” that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been in Israel shortly before the strike. “My guess is that this was well orchestrated, and India and the US are in partnership to support Israel. This is how it’s going to be for the future,” she said.
She added: “Prime Minister Modi, President Trump and Netanyahu are in very close connection and alignment about where they’re headed. So it’s a good thing for India.” However, she cautioned that “the Chabahar port might be affected, and India has invested in that”.
India has invested in Iran’s Chabahar port as part of its connectivity strategy to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
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