US EditionCIA Assessment: Revolutionary Guard Would Replace Ayatollah if He's Killed, Reuters Reports
The CIA reports consider IRGC leadership as a possible outcome of regime change, but no scenario is certain amid ongoing US-Iran nuclear negotiations and unrest.
- The CIA assessed that if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, IRGC hardliners would likely replace him.
- After deadly December protests, U.S. deliberations included seeking a nuclear agreement with Tehran in recent weeks, but Geneva talks failed to produce a deal.
- Produced over the past two weeks, the assessments examined scenarios in Iran and Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Gang of Eight last week that an operation was likely but could be reversed.
- In an early morning video address on Saturday, Trump signaled U.S. interest in regime change and described Tehran as a 'terrorist regime' while urging the Iranian people to take over the government.
- The CIA declined to comment while anonymous sources said the intelligence reports did not reach firm conclusions and the IRGC remains an elite force protecting clerical rule, shown in an Oct. 17, 2022 IRGC drill.
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President Donald Trump confirmed that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed during the US-Israel military operation.
Washington is seeking a regime change in Iran. Analyses by the U.S. foreign intelligence agency CIA deal with the possible consequences of a U.S. attack and the question of who could fill the gap in Tehran.
Prior to Iran attacks, CIA assessed Khamenei could be replaced by hardline IRGC elements if killed, sources say
In the run-up to the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Saturday, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency assessed that even if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the operation, he would likely be replaced by hardline figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), two sources briefed on the intelligence said.
Ahead Of Iran Attack, CIA Assessed Khamenei Would Be Replaced If Killed
In the run-up to the US and Israeli attacks on Saturday, the US Central Intelligence Agency assessed that even if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the operation, he would likely be replaced by hardline figures from the IRGC.
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