CIA Assesses Hardline IRGC Likely Successor to Khamenei
Recent intelligence assessments, reportedly from the CIA, suggest a stark reality regarding potential leadership changes in Iran, particularly in the event of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s demise. The consensus, as pieced together from these assessments, is that any power vacuum left by Khamenei would likely be filled by hardline elements within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This projection points towards a continuity of hardline ideology, rather than a significant shift towards liberalization or democracy, a notion that seems to surprise many observers.
The idea that a military-backed, ideologically driven group like the IRGC would be best positioned to seize control in such a scenario appears almost self-evident.… Continue reading
Matt Underwood