In the lead-up to the U. S. and Israeli attacks, the CIA assessed that if Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were killed, hardline leaders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would likely take his place. This intelligence considered the possible outcomes in Iran after a U. S. military action, aiming for regime change, a goal of Washington. The IRGC is known for protecting Shi’ite clerical authority in Iran. The CIA did not make any definitive conclusions about what might happen, and the agency declined to comment.
President Trump expressed support for regime change in Iran and, in a video address, referred to Tehran as a “terrorist regime,” urging the Iranian people to take over their government. Recent U. S. and Israeli military actions followed discussions about potential strikes against Iran due to protests there. U. S. officials had been trying to negotiate a nuclear deal with Tehran to avoid intervention, but talks did not succeed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed Congress members that an attack was likely imminent, but Trump could still reconsider based on negotiations.
With information from Reuters
