US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has acknowledged that Washington’s two-decade-long attempts at regime change in Iran have been unsuccessful.
In a conversation at the Council on Foreign Relations, Blinken admitted to past US efforts to topple the Iranian government, efforts he characterized as unsuccessful. He made this admission in response to a question about whether the US should pursue regime change in Iran.
“Our experiments in regime change over the last 20 years haven’t exactly been successful,” Blinken stated, a remark that drew laughter from the audience.
Blinken attributed the failures to the lack of diplomatic relations between the US and Iran since 1980, a break stemming from the Iran hostage crisis. He described the internal dynamics within Iran as complex, suggesting the US perspective is limited due to the absence of engagement. While noting significant opposition to the Iranian regime, he cautioned that the extent of this opposition isn’t fully clear.
He acknowledged a substantial conservative element within Iran loyal to the current government.
Blinken further conceded that US attempts to influence Iranian society from abroad have proven extremely difficult. He explained that US efforts have focused on empowering Iranian citizens who desire a different future, aiming to facilitate their communication, activism, and access to resources.
Blinken also expressed concern that Iran might be pursuing nuclear weapons development, a situation he predicted will require negotiation with the incoming Trump administration to prevent.
He noted that the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and its “maximum pressure campaign” did not prevent potential nuclear armament.
Recent reports in the Wall Street Journal indicated that Trump’s transition team is considering options for targeting Iran, including potential strikes on its nuclear facilities.