President Trump said that joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian leadership and military targets created a rare opportunity for Iranians to overthrow their government, even announcing the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He argued that the attack could ultimately improve long term security for the United States and Israel, but intelligence assessments warned that the aftermath could be unpredictable and destabilizing.

Officials briefed on pre strike intelligence said a complete collapse of the Iranian government was unlikely. Instead, members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps could consolidate power, potentially adopting a more pragmatic stance to preserve their control and economic interests, and possibly curbing the nuclear program. Analysts cautioned that any formal successor to Khamenei would probably be a hard liner, and that the organized opposition inside and outside Iran remains weak.

Some lawmakers and former defense officials questioned the timing and risks of openly calling for regime change, warning that such pressure could prompt harsher repression. Early signs suggested a rally around the flag effect within Iran, with social media posts showing defiance and threats of retaliation. Experts said that while public anger could shift over time, there was little evidence so far of an imminent uprising, and many cautioned against underestimating the resilience of Iran's ruling system.