Agreeing that the theocratic regime in Iran is weaker than it has been since the revolution that brought it to power, a group of experts concluded Wednesday that there was an organized structure on the ground waiting to take over once the ruling government is toppled.
That was the conclusion of a panel of experts who gathered in Washington, D.C. Wednesday at a forum organized by an Iranian opposition group known as National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
Among the panelists were former Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., former White House national security adviser John Bolton, former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Robert Joseph, retired Air Force Gen. Charles "Chuck" Wald, arms and science expert Olli Heinonen and author Alireza Jafarzadeh.
In response to a question from Newsmax about whether there is an actual structure ready to move in and take over when and if the regime of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is overthrown, Jafarzadeh replied, "Yes."
"This is unlike Libya [after its longtime strongman Muammar Gadhafi was overthrown in 2011 and no functioning government followed]," he said. "It is exactly the opposite, with an organized opposition structure on the grounds ... a parliament in exile."
Jafarzedeh said that when the counterrevolution comes to Iran, "it will not be like Libya, Syria [in which opposition to the autocratic regime of President Bashar Assad is fractured], or Iraq [in which the Iran regime is behind many candidates seeking office].
"We are targeting the epicenter of the regime and [the goals of the opposition] are well-defined."
In suggesting that a revolution by forces who could govern successfully is in the work, most of the panelists stressed that it was important the Joe Biden administration not revive the Iran nuclear agreement scuttled by the Donald Trump administration and thus encourage the ruling regime.
Insisting that the end of the regime was not found in a missile strike by the U.S., arms control expert Joseph said what was preferable was an uprising by the Iranian people in the streets, "regime change such as we had in 1776."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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