---
title: "Who Could Replace the Ayatollah?"
description: "If Iran’s Supreme Leader falls, who takes power? We examine Reza Pahlavi, the Revolutionary Guards, and the real risk of civil war behind regime change fantasies facing uncertain futures today. Sources https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/jan/16/kurdish-separatist-group-claiming-mounted-armed-operations-iran/ https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/10/demonstrations-held-in-major-european-cities-in-solidarity-with-iran-protests https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/photos-thousands-rally-in-vancouver-for-freedom-in-iran-7583127 https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3339697/exiled-shahs-son-emerges-rallying-figure-iranians-protest https://gamaan.org/2025/08/20/analytical-report-on-iranians-political-preferences-in-2024/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/01/14/iran-reza-pahlavi-opposition-protests/ https://www.cbsnews.com/video/full-interview-exiled-iranian-crown-prince-reza-pahlavi/ https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/23/world/video/iran-united-states-airstrikes-lead-jake-tapper https://www.politico.eu/article/exile-iran-prince-reza-pahlavi-50000-defectors-topple-regime/ https://nolabels.org/the-latest/the-irgc-irans-most-powerful-institution/ https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/indicators-of-iranian-regime-instability/ https://www.iranintl.com/en/202407065978 https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/2024-iranian-presidential-election-tracker https://www.aei.org/op-eds/coming-soon-the-iran-civil-war-of-2026/ https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/dispatches/the-expert-conversation-should-trump-strike-iran-what-happens-next-if-he-does/ https://mei.edu/commentary/irans-coming-reckoning-regime-collapse-is-likely-democracy-is-not/ https://www.hudson.org/politics-government/nightmare-scenario-iran-michael-doran"
url: https://fronts.co/videos/homefronts-dkyr7atoqgc.md
canonical: https://fronts.co/videos/homefronts-dkyr7atoqgc/
datePublished: 2026-01-29T18:31:00.000Z
dateModified: 2026-01-29T18:31:00.000Z
author:
  - name: Fronts Staff
    url: https://fronts.co/authors/fronts-team/
publisher: Fronts
type: NewsArticle
language: en
access: members
isAccessibleForFree: false
tokens: 467
---

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If Iran’s Supreme Leader falls, who takes power? We examine Reza Pahlavi, the Revolutionary Guards, and the real risk of civil war behind regime change fantasies facing uncertain futures today. Sources https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/jan/16/kurdish-separatist-group-claiming-mounted-armed-operations-iran/ https://www.euronews.com/2026/01/10/demonstrations-held-in-major-european-cities-in-solidarity-with-iran-protests https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/photos-thousands-rally-in-vancouver-for-freedom-in-iran-7583127 https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3339697/exiled-shahs-son-emerges-rallying-figure-iranians-protest https://gamaan.org/2025/08/20/analytical-report-on-iranians-political-preferences-in-2024/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/01/14/iran-reza-pahlavi-opposition-protests/ https://www.cbsnews.com/video/full-interview-exiled-iranian-crown-prince-reza-pahlavi/ https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/23/world/video/iran-united-states-airstrikes-lead-jake-tapper https://www.politico.eu/article/exile-iran-prince-reza-pahlavi-50000-defectors-topple-regime/ https://nolabels.org/the-latest/the-irgc-irans-most-powerful-institution/ https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/indicators-of-iranian-regime-instability/ https://www.iranintl.com/en/202407065978 https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/2024-iranian-presidential-election-tracker https://www.aei.org/op-eds/coming-soon-the-iran-civil-war-of-2026/ https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/dispatches/the-expert-conversation-should-trump-strike-iran-what-happens-next-if-he-does/ https://mei.edu/commentary/irans-coming-reckoning-regime-collapse-is-likely-democracy-is-not/ https://www.hudson.org/politics-government/nightmare-scenario-iran-michael-doran

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Full analysis is behind the paywall. Read the gated piece at https://fronts.co/videos/homefronts-dkyr7atoqgc/.
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