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In the weeks before the assault, the Iranian leadership had been preparing for its political survival, as well as #military & #security mobilizations.
Those deliberations, described by six officials familiar with the planning, touched on a range of matters, including who would manage the country if #Khamenei & top officials were killed.
#US #Iran #Israel #war #Trump #Netanyahu #RegimeChange #RulesOfWar #law #geopolitics #MiddleEast
The move suggested that the Islamic Republic was keen to project a sense of continuity after the death of its longtime ruler, who was at the center of the country’s theocratic system.
Before he was killed, #Khamenei had delegated much of the running of the country to #Larijani, a veteran politician & former commander in the #IRGC. The rise of Larijani had sidelined Iran’s president, Masoud #Pezeshkian.
#US #Iran #Israel #war #RegimeChange #RulesOfWar #law #geopolitics #MiddleEast
During Iran’s 12-day war with Israel last year, #Khamenei named 3 candidates who could succeed him, but they were never publicly identified. Though #Larijani appears to be largely running the country, he is not regarded as a candidate because he is not a senior Shiite cleric — a fundamental qualification for any successor.
#US #Iran #Israel #war #Trump #Netanyahu #RegimeChange #RulesOfWar #law #geopolitics #MiddleEast
#Larijani was, however, ensconced in #Khamenei’s trusted circle. He was in charge of using lethal force to crush the recent protests demanding the end of Islamic rule, liaising with Iran’s powerful allies, like Russia. He also oversaw nuclear negotiations with Washington, & was tasked with devising plans on what to do if #war with the #UnitedStates were to break out.
#US #Iran #Israel #Trump #Netanyahu #RegimeChange #RulesOfWar #law #geopolitics #MiddleEast
In the weeks before the assault, the Iranian leadership had been preparing for its political survival, as well as #military & #security mobilizations.
Those deliberations, described by six officials familiar with the planning, touched on a range of matters, including who would manage the country if #Khamenei & top officials were killed.
#US #Iran #Israel #war #Trump #Netanyahu #RegimeChange #RulesOfWar #law #geopolitics #MiddleEast
The leaders also considered who could be “the Delcy of Iran,” a reference to #DelcyRodríguez, the Venezuelan vice president who made a deal with the #Trump admin to run #Venezuela after #US forces captured its president, Nicolás #Maduro.
#Larijani sits at the top of the list, 3 officials familiar with the planning said in the weeks before the attack.
#US #Iran #Israel #war #RegimeChange #RulesOfWar #law #geopolitics #MiddleEast
