A U.S. intelligence assessment completed shortly before the United States and Israel launched a war in Iran had determined that American military intervention was not likely to lead to regime change in the Islamic Republic, according to two people familiar with the finding.
The National Intelligence Council’s assessment in February concluded that neither limited airstrikes nor a larger, prolonged military campaign would be likely to result in a new government taking over in Iran, even if the current leadership was killed, according to the two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the classified report.
The determination undercuts the administration’s assertion that it can complete its objectives in Iran relatively quickly, perhaps in a matter of weeks. The administration has asserted that it was not seeking regime change in Iran, even as the strikes have taken out many figures in the Iranian leadership and President Donald Trump considers whom he would like to see lead the country.
The whole goal is to destroy their military capabilities so Israel can do whatever they want unopposed.
It is kind of funny that Iran already replaced Khomeini with another Khomeini. Except this one is extra shitty, and now also extra pissed off too.
Only funny if their first and only target is Mar A Lago.
Also, I believe Ayatollah Zwehevidi and his cadre of fanatics are consolidating their power…
Khamenei. Khomeini was another dude, replaced by Khamenei. Then Khamenei was killed and was replaced by Khamenei Jr.
Are all those actually different names, and not just varying latin alphabet transliterations of the same farsi word?
Yes, the first one was a different family, unrelated to the second and third, who are father and son.
Ruhollah Khomeini روحالله خمینی
Ali Khamenei علي خامنهاى
So it’s not just a difference in transliteration. I don’t know any Arabic language or script at all, so I don’t know how different those are. (Also, remember that these should be read right-to-left.)
I don’t know the language at all but I can “read” the script, and they are quite different. The first one is like “Khomenee”, the second is like “Khaamenae’i”
Do you think they’re variations on the same name?
No idea :) I’m not familiar enough with the Iranian/Persian culture to even make a guess.
Tell me you are american without telling me you’re american. Plot twist: I am american too.
You think I’m American because – checks notes – I care about getting names and relationships right and understand that there isn’t necessarily a 1:1 relationship between what a name actually is in its native language and what it looks like written in English?
I am American, but I don’t understand why you apparently think that’s a common characteristic of us or why you want to give me an angry backhanded compliment about it.
The fuck?
You never heard about last names? Or are you just Jimbob?
Trump’s code name should be Blunt Knife because he’s about as useful as one.
The one you could use where I am from is “one hand clap”
Just as effective as clapping with one hand.
We call people like that “bull tits”.
“That boy’s about as useful as tits on a bull.”
They changed leadership. It’s basically the same guy, just his son. The exact same flavor of religious crazy, just younger.
This analysis is useless
That’s not what “change in leadership” means; it means different governments with different agendas coming into power. That will not happen as a result of this war.
Just because you have your own special definition of the phrase doesn’t mean that “a change in leadership“ means the same for everyone else.
A different person is now in leadership of Iran. That is a change of leadership,
Stop being weird about this
Says the person who misses the bigger picture. The US and Israel don’t want to national build, they just want Iran’s military to be weaker. They know that installing a long lasting puppet would be next to impossible, so they instead want to disarm their enemy.
I think you’re taking the phrase more literally than most people would.
How dare I take these people at their word! God forbid they lie!
How stupid are you? Every turd I’ve ever flushed has 1 billion times more IQ than you.
Don’t like these facts? Then tell your invisible wizard to come fix it for you. You fucking moron.
It’s 2026. There’s no such thing as invisible sky wizards. You are mentally ill.
Words mean whatever society agrees they mean. Sometimes the subtext is more important than the literal definition.
Ad hominem attacks don’t help your case.
Self-serving bullshit does not triumph over fact
That is however exactly what Donald Trump said leadership change in Venezuela meant.
Very different situations. Maduro was dictator of a relatively smaller nation that would not be the same without him there, while Iran is larger, more powerful, and has a leadership structure less dependent on one person. Even then, kidnapping Maduro does not mean his more pro US replacement is a reliable ally. She could be overthrown and is limited in how much she can help them.
You think Donald Trump is capable of any of this sort of nuance? Really?
He understands: Maduro weak, Iran not quite as weak. He just goes along with Israel’s plans because he appreciates how they kill brown people. Maduro was deposed because Venezuela was an easy target to show strength against. It accomplished nothing for the US just like the current war, but Trump never gave a shit about US interests.
All the more reason for him to declare regime change accomplished and victory then no? To say regime change is the guy at the top only, as he did before.
I see that Trump & Co. are vibe warring again.
Man, that would really bum out Trump if he could read his briefings.
Why do the press think they wanted regime change? It’s iran. It’s their dream just to blow the place up.
Krasnov trusts the GRU and the FSB over his own CIA and ODNI. Of course this doesn’t matter.
But of course Trump and his Merry Men knew better than the unmatched intelligence and military apparatus they have around to call upon.
