Posted on 02/22/2026 11:23:41 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has activated wartime succession planning, empowering a hardline loyalist to oversee national security operations and ordering layered contingency measures to safeguard the regime amid fears of U.S. military strikes and assassination attempts.
A Sunday report in the New York Times citing senior Iranian officials and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, detailed that Ali Larijani — a former Guards commander and current head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council — has effectively taken control of national security operations as tensions with Washington intensify.
Khamenei has reportedly directed aides to create multiple layers of succession for key military and government posts and to prepare for scenarios in which senior leaders, including the supreme leader himself, are killed.
The planning includes delegating emergency powers and establishing backup chains of command to ensure the Islamic Republic’s survival during war.
The report states that Iran is operating under the assumption that U.S. strikes are both unavoidable and “imminent,” even as nuclear negotiations continue. Tehran has positioned ballistic missile launchers near Iraq and along the Persian Gulf, conducted missile tests, and staged naval drills affecting the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Times, the regime is also preparing to deploy internal security forces and militias to major cities to prevent unrest in the event of conflict — underscoring that Iran’s leadership is bracing not only for confrontation abroad but instability at home.
The matter comes as U.S. military plans for potential strikes on Iran have entered what officials describe as an “advanced” phase, with options reportedly expanding beyond nuclear and missile infrastructure to include targeted decapitation strikes against senior regime figures — and with President Donald Trump said to be able to make a strike decision “at any moment.”
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
They don’t have enough military personnel for both war and security. There will probably be thousands of surrenders when the war starts.
It’s been nice knowing ya Ali.
Yeah they said the same thing about Iraq in 2003.....
80,000 to 175,000 surrendered in the first Gulf war.
About the same during the second Gulf war.
Iran has 610,000 military personnel. Of which, about 175,000 are IRGC.
I believe, if Tousi is to be believed, most will abandon their post when the war starts.
Iran is geographically well protected against invasion. The key to ending the regime is: (1) comprehensively bomb Iran’s air defenses and the nuclear and rocket forces of greatest concern; (2) destroy the police, militia, and military units and facilities that are used to control the populace; and (3) attack the Iranian leadership, including the leadership’s residential complex in Tehran.
The ballistic missiles are a priority. They will be Israel’s priority. I don’t see drones or speed boats to be too much a factor, because their drones are of poor quality an the US I’m sure has developed strategies in regards to the speed boats.
I personally think that regime may primarily focus on the killing the people, because they know there is no way out for them.
DO IT ALREADY!!! The Iranians are experts and lying and dragging things out. If Iran goes down, as it must, China and Russia will be in a very difficult position.
Some 20 years ago, I read that economists calculated the total cost of the Iraq War at $6 trillion. That includes all the additional disability and health care costs for wounded veterans for the rest of their lives.
I believe, if Tousi is to be believed, most will abandon their post when the war starts.
********
Iranians are Persians. They are not Islamic. Islam has been forced on them.
Yes, I am aware of the differentiation. If you ask them their nationality or ethnicity, if they say Persian they are telling you that they are not Muslim and they Islam.
They'll probably just take them all out in the first few hours. It's NOT targeted assassinations, it's merely taking out "military" leadership.
Unfortunately, many of our Muslim allies in the region play both sides and have been trying to delay or avert a US attack on Iran. If nothing else, because many of those allies are reliant on oil income, they do not want to see oil prices driven down by large spurt of production that comes online from a liberated Iran.
his own a$$. He’s nowhere to be found. He’ll likely show up a couple of years later in some obscure Muslim country with millions of $.
Ali, remember Saddam? I suggest you dig a deeper hole to hide in...
The war is already in process.
“Iranians are Persians. They are not Islamic. Islam has been forced on them.”
Correct. Although there are plenty of crazed, islamic true believers there.
I hope once the USA eliminates the current government they turn the IRAN name back to PERSIA if the Persians are the ones that take back the country. I don’t know what the reason was that it was changed back in 1935 it appears to be something related to what language is used by the people.
They will fall apart in 24 hours.
Yeah, that worked well for Hamas and Hezbollah.
This is not Venezuela, USA won’t be swooping in to extract Khameini for trial. Maybe we will drop some body bags.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.