Officials within the Trump administration are pushing back on claims of stability within the Iranian government. On Monday, The Washington Post published a report suggesting U.S. intelligence indicated Iranian leadership had consolidated power, which would enable the regime to remain in control. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly countered the claims made in the report, stating the leadership of Iran had been severely impacted by U.S. strikes.
Kelly told reporters the Trump administration was unsure who was in charge in Iran because so many leaders had been killed. She added that the military actions of the U.S. had dramatically reduced the number of strikes Iran is able to carry out.
“Our military continues to meet or surpass all of its benchmarks as Iranian drone attacks are down 95%, ballistic missile attacks are down 90%, and proxies are hardly putting up a fight,” Kelly said.
The Washington Post cited two anonymous sources who claimed intelligence showed the Iranian regime would retain control and could potentially become emboldened if it remains intact following U.S. and Israeli attacks. The report cited predictions “since the war began” and did not specify whether the two sources’ opinions were based on preliminary assessments or current conditions on the ground.
Recent intelligence indicates the U.S. has inflicted significant damage on the personnel and infrastructure of the Iranian leadership. On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reported the killing of Ali Larijani and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, two senior Iranian leaders.
The Washington Post report also cited a European official who predicted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would remain in power but in a weakened state, placing opponents of Iran in a better position than they were prior to the war. Another source stated that the remaining leadership of Iran existed in a scattered state and faced difficulties with communication and decision-making.