Why, Even With Iran Down, Ayatollahs Won’t Be Out

Regime change in Tehran? Ruling clerics have created a formidable system to insulate themselves against uprisings. Overwhelming external pressure can do the job. But that means huge regional chaos

As the current round of conflict between Israel and Iran continues, talk of regime change in Tehran has begun to swirl. Although neither Israel nor US has officially made regime change a goal, they haven’t squelched speculation either.
From naming the Israeli military operation ‘Rising Lion’ – Iran’s pre-Islamic Revolution flag featured a lion, something that has enthused Iranian opposition activists abroad – to Netanyahu publicly holding out the possibility that the conflict could see the end of the ayatollahs, regime change has become part of the communication war. But is regime change in Iran actually possible under current circumstances? Could the hold of the ayatollahs finally be broken? Here’s the lowdown.