Yair Golan Calls Assassination of Iran's Leader a Strategic Mistake

Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, stated on Friday, October 9, that the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the start of the recent war with Iran was a "mistake." Speaking in an interview with Yossi Yehoshua at a "Shishi Tarbut" event in Rishon LeZion, Golan explained his position was based on Israel's national security interests. He asserted that while Khamenei may have deserved death, his assassination did not serve Israel's interests, arguing that an elderly, long-reigning leader presents a certain advantage, and Khamenei was 86 years old.

Golan believes the "Lion's Roar" operation worsened Israel's situation. He expressed the impression that Khamenei's successor is controlled by the ultra-radical leadership, and that eliminating the first echelon of leaders left behind even more extremist individuals. Golan contended that Israel reached its peak success against Iran by the end of the "People-Lion" operation, and that "Lion's Roar," under Netanyahu's unrealistic goal of overthrowing the Iranian regime, strategically harmed Israel's long-term position.

During the interview, Golan also described Israel's ultra-Orthodox population as "parasitic," stating the goal is to transform them into a productive and educated populace with professional skills. He later elaborated on social media, stating that Netanyahu is solely responsible for this "failure." Golan claimed that the assassination of Khamenei could have been a historic turning point, but Netanyahu, due to arrogance and a desire for political survival, squandered this opportunity. Instead of leading a regional diplomatic process, Netanyahu sold Americans illusions about overthrowing the regime without a post-war stability strategy, which ultimately strengthened more extremist forces in Iran.

Golan's current stance contrasts sharply with his reaction on February 28, 2026, the day of Khamenei's assassination. At that time, he praised the joint Israeli-American intelligence and operational success, calling Khamenei the architect of regional terrorism and a threat to Israel. He also offered a message of hope to the Iranian people, stating they were freed from a tyrant. However, by early April, about six weeks later, Golan's assessment shifted, and he stated that the assassination "might have been a mistake and harmed Israel's security."