This article draws on a recent report by Fox News, published on December 12, 2024, which highlights the potential ripple effects of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s fall and its implications for Iran.

The recent ousting of Bashar al-Assad, coupled with a shift in U.S. leadership, has sparked renewed discussions among Iranian resistance leaders and U.S. lawmakers about the possibility of regime change in Iran. With Iran’s nuclear ambitions under scrutiny, proponents argue that decisive action is needed now more than ever.

Former U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, emphasized the urgency of the moment during a Senate panel on Iran. “There’s a real chance for regime change right now; that’s the only way you’re going to stop a nuclear weapon,” he stated, echoing his sentiment with the stark warning: “It’s not just now or never, it’s now or nuclear.”

A bipartisan coalition of U.S. senators has voiced support for toppling Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Advocates point to a return to former President Trump’s “maximum pressure” sanctions strategy and increased backing for Iranian opposition movements as pivotal measures. Notably, Khamenei, who has ruled Iran for over three decades, faces growing internal dissent amidst economic and social crises.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) underscored the U.S.’s moral obligation to stand with Iranian allies against repression. Similarly, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) highlighted the importance of investing in shared values such as democracy and human rights. Republican Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) took a bolder stance, predicting the regime’s collapse and vowing a return to stringent U.S. policies designed to cut off Tehran’s resources. “The ayatollah will fall, the mullahs will fall, and we will see free and democratic elections in Iran. Change is coming, and it’s coming very soon,” Cruz declared.

Despite bipartisan calls for action, the Biden administration has taken a more cautious approach, renewing sanctions waivers to facilitate nuclear negotiations with Tehran. Critics, including former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Marc Ginsberg, have decried this strategy as appeasement, arguing that bipartisan resistance to Iran’s regime is essential to achieving meaningful change.

The fall of Assad—a key ally of Iran backed by Hezbollah—is seen as a potential catalyst for change. General James Jones, a former White House national security adviser, described the event as a “tectonic shift” with significant implications for the Iranian populace. “The change in Syria should signal to the people of Iran that change is possible in the Middle East,” Jones remarked, emphasizing that appeasement has historically failed to curtail Iran’s ambitions.

Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), highlighted the readiness of Iran’s resistance movement. Speaking at the panel, she outlined the group’s 10-point plan for regime change, which prioritizes secular governance, gender equality, the abolition of the death penalty, and denuclearization. “Our goal is not to seize power but to restore it to its rightful owners, the people of Iran and their vote,” Rajavi asserted.

As policymakers weigh their options, one thing remains clear: the fall of Assad has reignited hope for a freer and more democratic Middle East, and many view Iran as the next potential domino in this transformative process.

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