Even while most Iranians oppose the current regime, it is "delusional" to think that members of the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or the Basij militia will turn against the government, Amir Fakhravar, Senate chairman of the National Iranian Congress, told Newsmax on Sunday.
"It's not going to happen," Fakhravar said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend." "They are terrorists and the order is kill them all, and the people can take care of that later."
He explained that the IRGC consolidated power following the 1979 revolution, taking command roles throughout the country's military.
"We have two types of army in Iran," Fakhravar said. "We have the regular army, which my father, he was an officer of the Air Force army, and we have IRGC. IRGC is a terrorist organization."
Fakhravar explained that after the revolution, when Iran came under the control of then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the "IRGC just wiped out the entire regular army."
"All IRGC officers went to be the commanders in all units of the regular army," he said.
Meanwhile, Fakhravar said he believes the Iranian population overwhelmingly opposes the current government and would support political change.
"Iranian people, we are talking about 98% of Iranians, 98 to 99%. They are against this regime," he said. "We love America. We are the real ground troops of America inside the country."
He also said Kurdish groups inside Iran have fought the regime for decades and could play a role in a future transition.
"They are closely in touch with the Kurds, the Iranian Kurds. They have been fighting with this regime for the last 47 years," Fakhravar said. "They are the allies of United States, too."
Fakhravar said the long-term goal should be the creation of a constitutional assembly to establish a democratic system in Iran.
"We are at the 1776 moment of Iran," he said. "We need help from President [Donald] Trump for that part, too."
Former Israel Defense Forces special operations commander Doron Kempel, also on Sunday's program, said Israeli strikes on Iranian fuel facilities were likely intended more as a strategic signal than a direct economic blow.
"China is a big purchaser of Iranian oil," Kempel said. "I think that this hit is mainly symbolic because the strategy is not to hurt the civilian infrastructure or the people of Iran."
Instead, Kempel said the broader objective is regime change.
"The idea is to eliminate the regime and to allow for a friendly general from the general military, not the IRGC, to rise and take command of the country, maybe through a civil war," he said.
Kempel said the strikes also send a message to Beijing and factions inside Iran.
"This is mainly symbolic, and it's sending a message to China and to part of the Iranian regime and people that they need to rise up," he said.
He described Iran as a key military partner for Russia and China and said the current moment presents an opportunity for the U.S. and Israel.
"Iran is the pit bull that works for the Russians and the Chinese, and it is the pit bull that can project military and terrorist power," Kempel said.
He compared the situation to removing a disease that threatens global stability.
"That is a cancer that you either delay or eradicate," Kempel said. "This is the opportunity to eradicate it."
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