LOADING ERROR LOADINGMarch 1 (Reuters) - Following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, many senior U.S. officials remain skeptical that the U.S. and Israeli military operation against the Islamic Republic will lead to a regime change in the near term. Shiite Muslims hold an image of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest against the U.S. and Israel in Jammu, India, Sunday, March 1, 2026. Those sources requested that the specific intelligence agency not be named. The U.S. intelligence discussions about the implications of a possible Khamenei killing have not been limited to whether it might lead to a change in government leadership. But in recent weeks, senior U.S. officials have become increasingly pessimistic that any opposition figure backed by Washington would realistically be able to control the country, those officials added.

Source: Huffington Post March 02, 2026 17:50 UTC