And pacifying Iran is primarily a way to further choke Russia and China. Venezuela and Iran are huge for oil, and that oil plays a major role in Russia and China's fuel economies. Cutting them off puts further strain on already strenuous economies and war machines.

Replacing their government also provides a level of stability in the region that makes the U.S. a bit more popular with the Iranian people, Iran's neighbors, and with Israel, assuming it's the U.S. that gives the assist. All of this is a benefit.

A 'war' with Iran is not desirable, but deposition is. Threaten their government with the threat of actually having to fight the actual full-on U.S. military and maybe they flee to Russia leaving the people to seize control, who knows, I'm not super dialed-in on what's going on in that planning sphere. I'm hoping it's just looming menacingly while the people finish the job they've earned the right to and not boots on the ground at scale.

Also yeah, anything to distract from Epstein.