Iranian Regime Strength: US Intelligence Assessment

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Wednesday that the Iranian regime remained intact and cohesive, “but it is largely exhausted” as a result of the US and Israeli strikes that targeted Iran’s leaders and military capabilities, warning that Tehran would rebuild its armed forces if it survived the war.

“If a hostile regime survives, it will likely begin a years-long effort to restore its army, missile forces, and drones,” Gabbard added during a Senate hearing, and said that Iran and its proxies are still capable of attacking “our interests and allies in the region.”

In previous statements, US President Donald Trump indicated that he expected a scenario similar to what happened in Venezuela in Iran, after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and indicated that he was not satisfied with the new leader Mojtaba Khamenei assuming the highest position in the country, saying that he wanted “rulers in Iran who cooperate with the United States.”

Yesterday, Tuesday, Trump said that his country had eliminated Iranian leaders, adding, “Our problem is that we do not know who we are dealing with in Iran.”

Garbard’s statements are consistent with what two informed sources reported to the American channel “NBC News” a few days ago, as they confirmed that intelligence information indicates that the Iranian regime remains unified, with no indications of an imminent collapse despite the ongoing American-Israeli strikes.

The Trump administration provided different justifications for the war. When announcing the start of the military operation, the US President urged the Iranians to “take charge of your government,” but his senior aides later denied that the goal was to overthrow the Iranian leadership.

Iran has not sought to restore its nuclear capabilities

In a related context, the US Intelligence Director confirmed that Iran did not seek to restore its uranium enrichment capabilities after the June 2025 war.

She stressed that the operation to target nuclear sites in the middle of last year destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, adding, “The entrances to the underground facilities that were bombed were closed with dirt and blocked with cement.”

This position contradicts previous statements by Trump in which he justified the current war on Iran, and considered that one of its reasons was to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon and exploit the “last and best opportunity” to do so.

The American President repeated after the June 2025 war that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been completely destroyed, but after the start of the American-Israeli attack on Iran 19 days ago, Trump said that Tehran was weeks away from developing an atomic weapon, which many observers ruled out.

In a remarkable development within the United States, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent – who is considered one of Gabbard’s assistants – announced his resignation from his position in protest against the ongoing war against Iran, in a step described as unprecedented within the current American administration, and revealed deep differences regarding the justifications for military engagement and the role of the allies in guiding the American decision.

Kent said, in the text of his resignation, “I cannot support the Iran war that did not pose an imminent threat,” adding, “It is clear that we started the war under Israeli pressure and its influential lobby,” in statements that sparked widespread interaction within political and media circles.

Since February 28, Israel and the United States have launched massive attacks on Iran, resulting in the death and injury of hundreds of people, including political and military leaders. Tehran responds by launching missiles and drones towards Israel, in addition to targeting what it describes as military bases and American interests in the region.