Considers assassinating Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei
Sofia Yan And Memphis Barker
Updated ,first published
Donald Trump is considering assassinating Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son among military options to attack Iran.
The US president was reportedly presented with a decapitation campaign against the leadership of the Islamic Republic. Mojtaba Khamenei is also on the list along with his father.
The supreme leader’s 55-year-old son was thought to be his most likely successor because he benefits from close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful arm of the armed forces designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.
Mojtaba also served in the Iran-Iraq war and met the constitutional requirement for clerical training by studying theology in the holy city of Qom.
Trump has not yet decided whether he will strike Iran. axios the news site reported. It could allow a deal that allows the regime to continue “token” nuclear enrichment as long as there is no path to an atomic bomb.
However, if negotiations on Iran’s nuclear enrichment program fail, the options being considered include a dramatic assassination campaign aimed at wholesale regime change.
“They have something for every scenario. In one scenario, the Ayatollah, his son and the mullahs are eliminated,” a senior US official said. axios.
The United States has sent more than a third of its navy to Iran, amassing the largest air force in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Analysts have pointed to the deployment of more than two-thirds of the existing E-3 Sentry fleet as a sign that Trump is ready to launch military action; The reconnaissance aircraft’s radars were necessary to track and direct incoming missiles.
On Friday (US time) Trump confirmed he was considering a “limited” strike on Iran to pressure the regime into signing a nuclear deal.
Theoretically, this attack would demonstrate US strength, but would fall below the threshold that would prompt a serious response from Tehran. But the risks of a spiraling conflict are obvious.
The White House’s openness to Iran pursuing a limited enrichment program could create room for a deal and prevent war in the Middle East, a senior US official confirmed to Axios.
But the publication noted that any nuclear proposal from Iran would have to meet a very high bar to convince skeptics within the Trump administration that military action was not necessary.
It remains unclear how “token” enrichment will be defined and what type of control will be implemented to ensure Iran’s compliance. Iran does not have a strong track record of allowing UN nuclear inspectors to monitor activities.
The senior US official said: “[Trump] He will be ready to accept a deal that will be important and that he can sell politically at home.
“If the Iranians want to prevent an attack, they should give us an offer we can’t refuse. The Iranians are missing the window. If they play games, we won’t have much patience.”
On Thursday, Trump said he would give Iran “10 to 15 days” to reach a deal.
The world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald Ford, entered the Mediterranean on Friday and will arrive within range of Iran in 10 to 15 days.
Two Israeli officials said they believe the gap between Washington and Tehran is unbridgeable and military tensions are likely to escalate.
The Israeli government is preparing for a possible joint military operation with the USA. But a source familiar with the planning told Reuters that no decision had been made on whether such an operation would be carried out.
This will be the second US and Israeli strikes on Iran in less than a year, following airstrikes on military and nuclear facilities in June. Regional officials said oil-producing Gulf states were preparing for a possible military conflict that they fear could spiral out of control and further destabilize the Middle East.
Some said Tehran had dangerously miscalculated by resisting concessions, while Trump was stuck by his military asset buildup.
They feared that Iran would not be able to reduce it without losing credibility unless there was a firm commitment to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions.
Earlier this week, the United States began removing some personnel from the Middle East to prepare for possible Iranian counterattacks if Washington attacks Tehran in the coming days.
At least 20 anti-regime protests took place in Iran on Friday, marking the end of the traditional 40-day mourning period for protesters killed by security forces.
Thousands of demonstrators who took to the streets in Tehran due to economic difficulties and water shortage were killed. The violence was what first prompted Trump to make his latest threats of retaliation against the Iranian regime.
Reuters
Get notes directly from our foreign correspondents on events making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What’s on in the World Newsletter.
