Iran International
US Senator Ted Cruz told Iran International this week that the US-Israel military campaign aims to remove the Islamic Republic from power and diminish Tehran’s ability to “terrorize” or harm its neighbors.
“It is not simply enough to degrade part of their arsenal,” Cruz told Eye for Iran podcast, adding that strikes have weakened Iran’s military capabilities and limited its ability to project force abroad.
Asked whether victory would mean regime change, he said: “Yeah, I believe this regime needs to be removed from power,” and argued that doing so would serve US national security interests and support Iranians seeking freedom.
Cruz said the United States and Israel had acted in coordination in recent days.
"We've seen the United States working hand in hand with Israel taking out, number one, the Ayatollah, number two, the senior military leaders of the regime, number three, a great percentage of the missile reserves of the drones,” he said.
“We have seen steadily the regime's ability to project force, to terrorize the Iranian people, to murder their neighbors, to murder Americans, all of those have been reduced dramatically.”
His comments come as the Trump administration signals the campaign could intensify. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said this week the United States has “only just begun to fight,” while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned attacks across the region would escalate.
Freedom “on the doorstep”
Cruz argued that removing Iran’s ruling regime would serve both US national security interests and the aspirations of Iranians living under the tyrinical government.
“Removing from power a government that is seeking to kill Americans is overwhelmingly in America's interest,” he said, adding that it was also “overwhelmingly in the interest of the people of Iran of 92 million people who have suffered under tyranny and oppression for 47 years… and I believe freedom is on the doorstep and it is in sight before us.”
More than 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces during the January 8-9 crackdown on nationwide protests, making it the deadliest two-day protest massacre in history.
The Republican Senator also suggested Iran’s military response across the region is backfiring and strengthening opposition to the regime.
“Well, Iran is doing a great job of building a coalition against this regime,” Cruz said. “You look at their military strategy, their military strategy appears to be try to murder as many people as possible and in as many countries as possible.”
Iran’s missile and drone attacks have spread across the region in recent days, with projectiles reported over or targeting Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Cyprus.
Some strikes and falling debris have also hit residential areas, highlighting how the conflict is spilling beyond military targets and affecting civilians across the region.
Limited ground engagement possible
Cruz also addressed speculation about whether the United States could deploy ground troops, saying he does not foresee an Iraq-style invasion but did not rule out limited ground action.
“Look, what we're not going to see is an extended presence of American troops on the ground. We're not going see a replay of what happened in the war in Iraq. That is not on the table,” he said.
“The president has been clear he has not ruled out some limited ground engagement… I could envision it is possible the president will order some sort of limited ground engagements, but I would expect the overwhelming majority of the American engagement on this to be in the air through bombs and missiles and other means.”
Iran’s leadership question
The question of Iran’s leadership has taken on new urgency following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, has elected Mojtaba Khamenei — the son of the late supreme leader Ali Khamenei — as the Islamic Republic’s new Supreme Leader, according to informed sources who spoke to Iran International.
The decision would keep power firmly within the ruling system of the Islamic Republic and extend the authority of the clerical establishment that has governed Iran since 1979.
President Donald Trump signaled strong opposition to Mojtaba Khamenei assuming power.
“Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy Rodriguez in Venezuela,” Trump said.
“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”
Asked during his interview about who should lead Iran next, Cruz said he would not speculate about specific figures but noted there were multiple possible contenders.
“Look, I don't know, and I think that's a decision for the people of Iran to make. And so there are various contenders,” Cruz said.
Cruz said he believes Iran’s current ruling system should ultimately be replaced by leadership chosen by the Iranian people.
“Yeah, I believe this regime needs to be removed from power,” he said.
“What I would like to see is a free and fair election, let the people of Iran choose their leaders.”
Message to the Iranian people
Cruz also spoke about his personal connection to people who have lived under authoritarian rule.
“My father was born and grew up in Cuba. My father fought in the Cuban revolution. My father was imprisoned and tortured in Cuba,” he said. “My family knows suffering the people of Iran have experienced.”
He ended with a message to Iranians protesting the government.
“My message to the Iranian people is your courage is inspiring… You have a moment to reclaim your country, to reclaim your future and to move into an era of prosperity.”
The situation triggered a wave of posts across social media platforms, particularly on X, many of them sarcastic, angry or openly celebratory.
One widely shared comment drew a comparison with the authorities’ treatment of families whose relatives were killed during protests.
More than 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces during the January 8-9 crackdown on nationwide protests, making it the deadliest two-day protest massacre in history, according to documents reviewed by Iran International.
“In the past two months a man named Ali Khamenei did not allow families of people killed on his orders to hold funerals,” one user wrote. “Now for five days the body of that same man has been kept in a refrigerator and they cannot even issue permission for his burial. What goes around comes around.”
Another post mocked the uncertainty surrounding funeral arrangements. “The funeral procession for Khamenei will be held online through the Shad platform,” a user wrote, referring sarcastically to the government-linked education app used by Iranian schools when classes move online during crises.
Some comments echoed remarks previously made by a state television host who had mocked the deaths of protesters.
Public anger erupted last month after a presenter on Ofogh TV, a channel run by the state broadcaster IRIB and affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, referred to reports that thousands killed during the January crackdown were transported in refrigerated trailers. The program made a multiple choice question about where to keep the bodies of protesters. The show aired a segment posing a multiple-choice question about where the bodies of protesters should be kept.
“Which refrigerator do you think they are keeping Khamenei’s body in?” one user wrote, listing options such as “Netanyahu’s refrigerator,” “an ice-cream factory freezer,” and “the freezers of Antarctica.”
Others used darker language. “The stench of Khamenei’s corpse has spread across the Middle East and they still do not dare bury it,” one user wrote.
Another post said: “Six days have passed and the rotten body of Ali Khamenei is still lying on the ground.”
Some users circulated images of a dead rat with captions claiming sarcastically that the first photo of Khamenei’s body had finally been released.
Revenge in digital form
Many posts framed the mockery as a form of symbolic revenge.
“Khamenei left a deep wound in people’s hearts and denied grieving families the right to mourn,” one user wrote. “His agents buried bodies secretly. Now after days his own body is still on the ground.”
Others referenced reports that some families had been asked to pay for the bullets used to kill their relatives in order to receive their bodies.
“I heard Khamenei’s body has started to rot with worms,” one user wrote. “If you don’t have money for bunker-buster bombs, at least bury him.”
Another post revived a Persian saying about burial rites. “They used to say a corpse never stays on the ground,” the user wrote. “Even if someone has no one, eventually the municipality will bury them. But six days have passed and the body of Ali Khamenei is still lying there.”
“Israel said to return the body of Ali Khamenei, the Islamic Republic must pay for the missiles it fired, or his family must admit he was part of a Mossad spy team,” one post read, referring sarcastically to reports that families were sometimes asked to sign papers declaring their children Basij members in order to receive their bodies and permission for burial ceremonies.
Others suggested that authorities might abandon plans for a burial altogether.
“It seems they have given up burying Khamenei,” one user wrote. “Maybe they are waiting for the US Navy to throw the carcass into the sea.”
“Khamenei’s body should be bombed again,” another post said. “I’m still not satisfied.”
The Charity Commission said charities could be affected in different ways by the “volatile situation” in Iran and the wider Middle East and urged trustees to carefully assess the risks of political activity, public statements and overseas operations.
The watchdog said organizations working in or commenting on Iran should be mindful that individuals and groups in the country are subject to sanctions and other restrictions under UK law.
“As a civil regulator we will respond robustly to evidence of links between charities and extremism or terrorism,” a Charity Commission statement said. “We will make referrals to other agencies where appropriate including where there is evidence of criminality.”
Trustees were reminded that any political activity must directly support a charity’s stated purpose and comply with regulations governing campaigning and social media use.
“In the current context, the Commission urges charities to be careful to ensure that any political activity they are involved in furthers their charity’s objects and complies with our guidance,” the regulator said.
The statement comes amid longstanding concerns in Britain that networks connected to Iran have used charities and religious organizations to promote political influence.
Several UK-based charities have faced investigations in recent years over alleged links to groups aligned with Tehran.
In 2024, the Charity Commission opened a compliance case involving the London-based Dar Alhekma Trust and the Abrar Islamic Foundation following a dossier alleging connections to organizations backed by Iran. Both groups deny wrongdoing.
Other organizations have drawn political criticism over activities seen by some lawmakers as promoting narratives aligned with the Islamic Republic. Conservative MP Bob Blackman last year accused Iran-linked groups of exploiting Britain’s charity sector to expand influence and “sow discord” in local communities.
Security officials and lawmakers have also warned that Tehran has used networks in Europe to extend ideological influence, even as regulators emphasize the need to balance scrutiny with protections for lawful religious and charitable activity.
