S10 Ep34: Iran After Khamenei with Phillip Smyth

About this episode

Phillip Smyth discusses the implications of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death and the future of Iran's leadership and proxy networks.

Israel has killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The IRGC's senior leadership is decimated. The CIA is reportedly arming Kurdish opposition forces along the Iran-Iraq border. Phillip Smyth — one of the foremost experts on Iran's Shia proxy networks — joins Matt to make sense of what comes next: why Khamenei's succession is far more fraught than most analysis acknowledges; why the proliferation of "new" armed groups on the battlefield is largely a disinformation campaign run by established militias; the limits of a Kurdish covert action strategy; why a regime that survives under Khamenei’s son would look essentially identical to the one the Israelis just tried to destroy; and Smyth's warning about the apocalyptic messianic splinter groups that could emerge from the rubble of a collapsing theocracy. Subscribe and share to stay ahead in the world of intelligence, global issues, and current affairs. Follow Phillip on X/Twitter: https://x.com/PhillipSmyth Connect with Phillip on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/phillipsmyth Phllip’s work for The Washington Institute: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth Phillip’s work for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point…

People in this episode

Host: Matt

Guest: Phillip Smyth

Topics covered

• Iran
• Khamenei's succession
• Shia proxy networks
• Kurdish opposition
• covert action strategy
• theocracy collapse

Keywords

• Iran
• Khamenei
• CIA
• IRGC
• Kurdish forces
• Shia militias
• theocracy
• proxy networks
• messianic groups

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: CIA, IRGC, The Washington Institute, Combating Terrorism Center at West Point

Places: Iran, Iraq, Israel

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