Israeli Politician Yair Golan Calls Khamenei Assassination Strategic Mistake

Yair Golan, Chairman of the Democratic Party, has stated that the elimination of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was a strategic error by Israel. Golan argued that the assassination did not yield the expected results and instead empowered more radical elements within Iran's security forces. He made these remarks during a conference in Rishon LeZion, focusing on the upcoming 2026 elections.

Golan explained that his assessment is not an endorsement of Khamenei but rather an evaluation of the consequences for regional security. He suggested that having an elderly and experienced leader like the 86-year-old Ali Khamenei at Iran's helm offered certain strategic advantages. Golan expressed doubt that the current leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has full control, suggesting he is influenced by highly radical elements within the strategic and security leadership.

He contrasted the outcomes of two military operations against Iran, asserting that Israel achieved greater success at the end of the previous campaign. The subsequent operation, involving the U.S., worsened Israel's long-term strategic position, a situation Golan attributed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Golan accused Netanyahu of setting an unattainable political goal for the military regarding regime change in Iran without providing the necessary conditions for its success.

This stance marks a contradiction to Golan's earlier public praise for the operation immediately after it occurred. At the time, he hailed the elimination of the Iranian leader as a significant event, congratulating Israeli and American forces and highlighting their intelligence and operational superiority. He also characterized Ali Khamenei as a key organizer of regional terrorism.

Following criticism of his revised statements, Golan clarified that he considers Netanyahu's actions *after* the assassination, rather than the assassination itself in isolation, to be the primary mistake. He believes the elimination could have been a pivotal moment if the Israeli government had leveraged it for a new regional strategy, but Netanyahu failed to capitalize on the opportunity. Golan also alleged that Netanyahu misled the U.S. administration about the imminent collapse of the Iranian regime without a realistic plan.