Former CIA Director David Petraeus warned Sunday that even a major US strike on Iran would be unlikely to topple its rulers, casting doubt on the idea that military action ordered by President Donald Trump could force regime change in Tehran.
Petraeus Doubts Strikes Can Truly Shift Khamenei
In an interview on the “Cats Roundtable” radio show, the retired four-star general said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is “such an ideologue” and “so hard-lined” that he appears unwilling to budge on core issues, a stance Petraeus said could tempt Trump to use force.
“Look, candidly, I’m all for taking the missile program down further or [bringing] damage to the security forces, but we should be very clear-eyed,” Petraeus said, before adding, “This will not bring about a regime change, sadly.”
Petraeus accused Iran’s leadership of being unable to “negotiate seriously” over its nuclear program, even after US and Iranian envoys met in Geneva last week without reaching an agreement.
Nuclear Standoff Fuels Warnings Of Massive US Force
He argued that Iran’s nuclear advances are “so threatening to our partners and allies in the region, including Israel,” and pointed to Tehran’s support for “murderous proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and Shia militia in Iraq.” Unless Khamenei shows “some flexibility,” he said, Iran could be “at the receiving end of a very, very substantial demonstration of American military power.”
Petraeus’s comments come as Trump tightens the screws on Tehran with a 10- to 15-day deadline to accept what he calls a “meaningful” nuclear deal or face “really bad things.” At last week’s inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington, Trump said talks were “going well” but warned that if diplomacy fails it would be “a bad day for Iran, very bad.”
The standoff follows US and Israeli strikes last June on Iranian nuclear facilities and military sites, which Washington says significantly damaged Iran’s program and which Tehran has played down. The United States has since surged aircraft carriers, warships and fighter jets into the region as Russia urges restraint and European governments tell their citizens to leave Iran.
Former Generals Split Over Force And Regime Collapse
Petraeus’s caution contrasts with retired Gen. Jack Keane, who recently argued that a broad US campaign against Iran could set the conditions for “regime collapse” in Tehran, highlighting divisions among hawkish former commanders over how far force can go in reshaping the Islamic Republic.
Photo courtesy: bella1105 on Shutterstock.com
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