גיא עזריאל Guy Azriel@GuyAz
NYT report vs. reality: Mossad chief and Iran regime change
The New York Times claims the Mossad chief promised early in the war that Iran’s regime could be toppled via a popular uprising framed as a key flaw when that didn’t happen.
But that’s not accurate.
According to information we have, the Mossad chief did present a serious, comprehensive plan for regime change, but never claimed it could happen at the start or during the war. The plan, shown to senior White House officials, places any potential mass protests at the end of the war, possibly months later—consistent with messages we’ve heard from Israel’s leadership in recent days.
Moreover, significant parts of that plan haven’t even been implemented yet and still require approvals. Barnea spoke about feasibility not immediacy and stressed it would take time and only come after the fighting ends.
It’s also worth noting: Trump himself urged the Iranian public to stay home during the operation, warning it was too dangerous to take to the streets.
So reports of U.S. “disappointment” over supposed promises by Barnea are, at the very least, puzzling.