Karoline Leavitt says regime change in Iran has been ‘achieved’ — by replacing Khamenei with Khamenei?
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that President Donald Trump achieved ‘regime change’ in Iran. She deems the assault on Iranian leadership as the benchmark of regime change.
“The president yesterday said that he had achieved regime change in Iran,” a reporter clarified at the White House press conference with Leavitt on March 26.
“I mean, has it not? Their entire leadership has been killed, and nobody has really seen or legitimately heard from this alleged new leader,” Leavitt responded. The new leader in question is Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the deceased supreme leader.
She continued, “There has been a change in leadership, which the president said. So, thank you for confirming he is right.”
The reporter followed up, asking if Leavitt and the cabinet are satisfied with Iran’s leadership at the moment. She responded that “it’s too soon to say.” To say that regime change is accomplished just by eliminating members of the old regime is a gross oversimplification of the matter. Although the United States expressed dismay at the younger Khamenei’s appointment, he has been elected by Iran’s Assembly of Experts as the new supreme leader. He has yet to make a statement to the public or appear as supreme leader in any official capacity—on this, Leavitt has a point.
Several reports point to Mojtaba Khamenei as severely injured by airstrikes led by Israel and the United States. There is even speculation that the supreme leader is currently in a coma. So far, Iran has not effectively dispelled the allegations. Perhaps the best way to do so is to show footage that he’s alive.
Business as usual in the midst of crisis
Regardless, Iran’s citizen-elected president—Masoud Pezeshkian—is still alive. Notably, the Iranian president’s powers are greatly constrained by the constitution. Regardless, the president is still considered Iran’s second in command next to the supreme leader. Iran’s government has not yet collapsed.
But even after the strikes made against the supreme leader of Iran, the IRGC still maintains its influence. In fact, Bagher Zolghadr of the IRGC was appointed by Pezeshkian as the chief of the Supreme National Security Council. According to Iran International, Zolghadr is “one of the last remnants of the radical revolutionaries that armed themselves against the Pahlavi monarchy.”
Essentially, the Trump administration cut the head of the snake off. But the snake is now growing uglier heads—in this case, more militarized heads.
A similarity with Venezuela
Nicholas Maduro’s capture was met with several concerns over the United States’ infringement of Venezuela’s sovereignty. Trump claimed that he would “run” Venezuela, but Delcy Rodríguez—Maduro’s vice president—was chosen to lead the country. She has even pushed back against the pressure she felt from Washington, although Trump stated that they share a “very good” relationship.
What exactly was achieved in Maduro’s capture, if his vice president was the only one to succeed him? It’s the same administration, which still panders to the same supporters. It practically wouldn’t be any different if Trump were replaced by JD Vance at this very moment. There will be some shifts in priority, but the platforms and the government’s direction will be arguably the same.
Essentially, it would be too simple to say regime change has been accomplished when the United States hasn’t been directly involved in handpicking Iran’s current leadership.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
