Khamenei’s Removal Could Reshape Iran: General Petraeus Explains the Risks
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In an interview with RFE/RL on March 2, Patraeus endorsed the Trump administration’s frank account of operations, noting substantial achievements alongside losses of personnel and aircraft.
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Iran Khamenei’s Removal Could Reshape Iran: General Petraeus Explains the Risks By Alex Raufoglu March 02, 2026 18:48 CET Khamenei’s Removal Could Reshape Iran: General Petraeus Explains the Risks Share Share Print WASHINGTON -- Retired four-star General David Petraeus is a veteran of nearly four decades in the US Army, commanding US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan before serving as director of the CIA in 2011-12. In an interview with RFE/RL on March 2, Petraeus endorsed the Trump administration’s frank account of operations, noting substantial achievements alongside losses of personnel and aircraft. He said the consequences of killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and many senior officials are uncertain until a successor emerges, and while the stated US aim of the military action is to create conditions that might allow Iranians—or disaffected regime elements—to topple the Islamic republic's leadership, he stresses it remains to be seen if that is realistic. RFE/RL: What is your snapshot reaction to the remarks we just heard from the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of , I thought that the Secretary and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs laid out a very sober, forthright, comprehensive description of what it is that we have sought to do: in general terms describing what we have done and achieved, which is extraordinarily impressive, while also acknowledging the risks and challenges and the loss of four of our soldiers and three of our F-15s. RFE/RL: US officials have described the strategy as creating an opening for Iran and allowing the Iranian people to decide their future. Let me turn to succession: what does the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei mean? How does his removal in a decapitation strike alter the internal balance of power within the Islamic , the truth is, we do not yet know, and we will not have the answer until we know who the replacement will be. Supposedly there was a succession plan, but it will actually b...
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