Preventing a Nuclear Iran Requires Toppling the Regime by Decapitating the IRGC, Which Requires Modifying the Assassination Ban
Source: https://www.facebook.com/americanspectator/. "Iran Can’t Bomb American Cities. Yet. | The American Spectator | USA News and Politics." October 12, 2026. spectator.org
The Gist
The author says Iran will never give up its nuclear program voluntarily, so the only way to stop it is to bring down the government. Since the Revolutionary Guard is what keeps the regime together, he argues Trump should kill its leaders, which means quietly changing the rule that bans U.S. assassinations, and do it soon.
Conclusion
To prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, the U.S. (with Israel) must topple the Tehran regime, and Trump should secretly modify Executive Order 12333 to permit assassination of IRGC leaders before it is too late.
Premises
- Iran has publicly refused to stop uranium enrichment, with the head of its Atomic Energy Organization calling enrichment an inseparable and integral part of its nuclear process.
- Therefore, diplomatic demands cannot stop Iran's march to nuclear weapons, and the U.S. cannot stop it unless the Tehran regime is toppled.
- The regime is under severe strain: with most of its leadership dead, the rial at about 2.7 million to the dollar, inflation over 100 percent, the U.S. blockade working, and civilian uprisings in several regions.
- The IRGC is the only thing holding Iran together and remains a formidable force with drones and missiles.
- If the U.S. and Israel kill most of the IRGC's leaders, they may be able to force a peace and topple the regime.
- Executive Order 12333 bans U.S. personnel from assassination, but the president can secretly sign an exception for Iran, notifying the congressional 'Big Eight'.
Assumptions
- A nuclear-armed Iran would be able and willing to strike American cities, so preventing it is a vital U.S. interest.
- Iran's nuclear ambitions are inseparable from the current regime, and a successor government would abandon them.
- Killing IRGC leadership would cause collapse or capitulation rather than radicalization, succession by hardliners, or intensified retaliation.
- Sanctions, the blockade, and negotiation cannot achieve non-proliferation without regime change.
- Targeted killing of IRGC leaders is feasible and effective, and it is legally and politically acceptable to treat the IRGC as a military target outside the assassination ban.
- The regime is on the verge of collapse, so urgency is warranted and the window for action is closing.