Foreign Affairs

Prewar US Intel Warned Military Action in Iran Wouldn’t Topple Regime — Yet Washington Proceeded

By Economics Desk | March 10, 2026

Just weeks before launching airstrikes in Iran, a US intelligence assessment concluded military action would not change Iranian leadership—yet the administration pressed ahead, raising serious questions about strategic judgment and national interest.

In an alarming display of disconnect between intelligence and policy, a U.S. National Intelligence Council (NIC) assessment completed shortly before the outbreak of war with Iran warned that American military intervention was unlikely to topple the Islamic Republic’s leadership. Despite this sober analysis, the Biden administration authorized strikes that escalated conflict without a clear endgame aligned with America's national interests.Was Washington Prepared to Face Iran’s Resilience?The February intelligence report explicitly concluded that neither limited airstrikes nor an extended military campaign would produce regime change in Tehran—even if key leaders were eliminated. The absence of any credible opposition ready to assume...

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