TEHRAN: The United States made a serious strategic miscalculation by expecting Iran’s political system to collapse following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Brigadier General Yadollah Javani has said.
According to Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera, Javani, deputy head of the IRGC’s political affairs department, said Washington had underestimated Iran’s stability and its ability to withstand crises.
He stated that US policymakers had failed to account for the realities of Iranian society, wrongly assuming that Khamenei’s death would weaken the country’s political system and lead to its disintegration.
Javani added that Washington had maintained pressure on Tehran even before Donald Trump became president.
However, he said Iran’s leadership had remained steadfast and responded firmly to US pressure, preventing Washington from achieving its objectives.
On February 28, 2026, US and Israeli strikes reportedly killed Khamenei, senior military officials and several other prominent figures. Following his death, his son Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed as Iran’s new supreme leader.