Single source reports often can be less than fully accurate.
That said, it is plausible that the US/Israel were aware of his "secure location"

You just put a legitimate target on your large, orange ass, as well as Bibi’s.

presidential election protests with her music teacher, and was walking back to her car when she was fatally shot in the upper chest.

Eyewitnesses are reported by Western sources as saying Agha-Soltan was shot by a militiaman belonging to Basij paramilitary organization. Her death was captured on video by bystanders and broadcast over the Internet, and the video became a rallying point for the opposition. Agha-Soltan's death sparked renewed protests against the disputed election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Neda_Agha-Soltan

Banner of Basij

سازمان بسیج مستضعفین 'Organization for Mobilization of the Oppressed'

They are surely going to honor him with one.

Like Venezuela, take out the lead bad guy, declare victory and then just accept the same tyrannical regime

He'll make sure that Iran is crippled enough not to be an immediate threat to Israel and then he'll cut the chase.

n/t

And as one who has had some ties to Iran since 1977 (no, I am not Iranian but I have spent time there in the last years of the Shah), I sadly don't have a lot faith in things getting better there very soon. The people are not armed, after all. WTF did Trump et al think would allow them to depose the current power structures with a mere bombing campaign and an unarmed population? Obviously he did not undertake this out of any concern for the people or even a modicum of democracy.

We shall see...It is tragic. Most Americans are unbelievably ignorant about Iran--Tehran specifically. They are an incredibly well-educated people even despite the horrific theocracy that followed a US-placed autocrat, the Shah, whose own corruption and deadly secret police (SAVAK) inevitably led to his own downfall. Trump is ignorant enough to have thought Iran to be a hapless, uneducated third-world country--ya know those "shit-hole" countries he loves to talk about.

Or are you simply being sarcastic? I certainly hope this could happen but there is nothing currently that suggests the "ingredients" are there to make it so. Yes there is a populace that seeks a departure from an Islamic theocracy,, but they are not empowered and the simple demise of this one man and the hope of a democracy-seeking younger populace does not empower them alone.

There is a wide opening for a Democratic leader to emerge... it's up to the Iranians

I'd love for it to be so and for Iran to be the vibrant country it once was less the horrific corruption and behind-the-scenes horrific secret police of the Shah. But a vacuum is filled quickly and I have few doubts (as does our current CIA) that the Islamic theocrats have someone waiting in the wings or at least those prepared to preserve the theocracy via violence toward the people.

then it can change.

Shrub, among his many mistakes didn't offer immunity to police and military and Ba'ath party to rejoin society...

if the current offer of immunity is legit... we could see a reversal in the military.

We'll see

That in itself suggests an end to the theocracy

On edit: not confirmed. But I think Hassan Khomenei is agreed on by most to be the msot likely.

"Unempowered" is a propaganda term that hopes those forces dont know their true strength.

Maybe that is something you might consider before making such absoluteist and accusatory statements.

We are all hopeful that the people in any conflict, any authoritarian or dictatorial regime, will prevail. But, against the armed, they often do not. That is what is so damned frightening in this country, as an authoritarian and a private heavily armed force answerable to no one but the authoritarian has arisen. No one here or elsewhere is suggesting that people should not rise up in protest nonetheless, as I'd bet a very large proportion of DUers (myself included--have YOU?) have been doing. But to do so in the US or most countries is not the same as having had the brutality and ruthless murder of the Ayatollahs since 1979, and in the face of their current murder of thousands on the street today.

becoming the new leader t. I think the backing for that idea comes from the US.

If the Shah, Jr (can't remember his name) takes over Iran, I would not hold my breath waiting for a democracy. His father was a brutal dictator, which is why the revolution occurred that overhrew his govt. If the son is like the father, no democracy will develop.

But no we don't need another authoritarian.

A pro western petty dictator would still probably a huge improvement for the Iranian people, especially for women.

overthrew it in the 1950s and installed a dictatorship in order to preserve US/UK oil profits.

Trump recently overthrew Venezuela's leader in order to commandeer Venezuelan oil and left the dictatorial regime in place in Venezuela.

Do you see a pattern here? It is about the US taking over the world's oil supplies in order to control the world. Nobody could fight back against a US world dictatorship if the US controls the oil necessary to fuel weapons. Look what the oil embargo is doing to Cuba.

His name is Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.

He's popular with the exiles. And that's where this "draft Reza Pahlavi" is coming.

One of his daughters is married to a Jewish guy. And Reza himself is fairly cozy with Netanyahu

He will never survive being a leader in Iran and I don't think aspires to become another "shah". I think he would like to return to his home country as many exiles would like to. Many would just love to visit. He can't even visit and hasn't been there for almost 50 years.

There was more serious talk of him being an transition advisor. However, a government would need to be formed that is amiable to even having him as an advisor. I think the Revolutionary Guard would kill him if he tried to return.

The US overthrow their leader when they elected their version of Bernie Sanders who nationalized oil production and kicked BP out of the country.

If Iran sold out a long time ago to US commercial interests this would have never happened to them and they would have been able to keep whatever form of government they wish.

If we were so interested in Democracy in Southwest Asia we would install it in Saudi Arabia but they are friendly to US business interests.

Chances are slim and slimmer.

Well, his son anyway. And I'm ok with that.

In any case, expect the price to heat a home or fill a gas-tank to double.

All because "muh Trump hate" I guess.

Situations like that tend to lead to World Wars. Obama could have taken out Putin years ago but there are rules and norms against that sort of thing.

What about another country from taking out Trump to please Americans that fled America because of Trump?

As for a foreign government "taking out" one of our leaders, even a president, that's always been on the table for anyone brave or reckless or desperate or stupid enough to try it.

and do not agree that it should be up to Trump's own morality as to whether international law is followed by him. I don't really think the rules are being enforced especially when it comes to Gaza but that it is because the US doesn't have a President willing to enforce international law when it his own sick morals that limits what will or won't do.

But law and rules only exist between people, societies, nations that agree to follow them. The Islamic regime had made it perfectly clear that it didn't care, sanctions, payoffs, strongly worded letters, and International tut-tutting notwithstanding.

My idealism was stolen when my home got burgled several years ago.

for 3 decades.

for this theocratic regime? Who? Where? You made the accusation, which I find to be so demonstrably false on a global level as to be inexplicable that you would make it. SUPPORT IT.

that infiltrate the Dem/Progressive Party valid members of our party and causes any more than I consider internet bot trolls to be valid voices for anything.

I think my disdain for them has spilled over into DU also.

They are very loud and aggressive.

San Antonio is a hotspot for them?

I think they're kinda all over the place though...If you go to a protest, you will often see their signs. The signs have bold letters and always have the PSL logo and the name of their party at the bottom of their signs.

worse than the Ayatollahs. That would be the worst strawman argument you could make, but likewise shows a desire to ignore that there was horrific brutality under the Shah, while likewise a demonstrable improvement and progression for Iran as a whole--both economically, for education, and as a more secular country. But for those whose bodies were left by SAVAK on the Iranian desert for even incredibly minor "offenses," including teens (something I know about firsthand as the child of one of the many American corporate employees assigned to Iran), all was not the rosy time you and most Americans PREFER to believe.

Do not continue with the insinuation that pointing this out is somehow suggesting support for Islamic theocracy and all the horror it has brought. Polybius, you are better than that. Such a strawman argument is really unforgivable. Perhaps you will state that yours was a global comment, but you did direct it to me.

I apologize for wording my reply poorly. I was directing my comment to those who I thought said he was worse. Your quote was this:

I greatly appreciate your reply. All good.

are incredibly ignorant about most things, I’m sorry to say

Assuming this report is true, the dude was 86 years old. He would have popped off on his own within a few years if he hadn't been blown up today. Surely there is going to be a successor lined up, and surely there will have been one lined up for quite some time.

I'm not sure that removing this particular asshole is going to have any measurable effect on Iran whatsoever, other than providing Iranian nationalists with a holy martyr to rally around.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on Iran, I'm merely pretending to be one on the Internet.

This isn't a situation where the next bad guy can assume the office... the question at this point is simply... will the people rise up and demand a Democracy?

Also, Iran isn't iraq... we won't see a repeat of the sectarian civil war we did there...

We'll find out soon.

in recent decades--if ever. They can analyze what info they receive but when we lost actual people on the ground, CIA lost the pretense of being the super intelligence agency once projected. After all, they totally MISSED the rising anger that led to the deposing of the Shah.

So that’s where the divergence is. Nation building had gone poorly for us in the past, even when attempts at it were executed by people who, despite their own idiocy, were far more competent than the current regime.

I think this has been interesting in that it shows you’re actually very pro war, despite frequent comments to the contrary. Unless of course we are talking about Ukraine defending itself from a brutal invasion. Then not so much.

Look what happened in Egypt with Mubarak... nation building gone bad. And Iraq!!

I don't believe war is necessary in the 21st century and can't support it. But when it HAPPENS... it's fair to examine the possibilities.

It all comes down to the Iranians.

Just sayin'.

We'll see, I guess.

I'd be overjoyed if the Iranians could elect their own leaders and build their own future

I think we can be advocates for a peaceful, democratic Iran while also recognizing that what's going on here is an illegal war by a autocratic president, which he has undertaken for his own personal benefit, without clear explanation or strategy. The most likely outcome is going to be chaos. Don't be surprised if it involves crackdowns inside the U.S. as well as inside Iran.

They are more likely to rise up and demand retribution.

Nothing brings internal enemies together like an external enemy.

Largely the moderate Hassan Khomenei has been considered the most likely.

The assembly of experts will probably make the final decision within a few days.

I expect it will be like Venezuela, by proxy.

I'm hoping the Iranian people finally get the freedom we all deserve

who becomes the leader after Khamenei gets killed. It's not as simple as killing him or his family that you can instantly install a puppet leader. Iran has set it up in a way that there is large tree of leaders that follow if one is assassinated. For example lets say Leader A is suppose to replace Khameni and gets killed then there is Leader B ready to take the spot and if B gets killed then they have C, D, E, F, G, etc.

There’s a vast network of upper echelon Iranian fanatics to get through before Reza Pahlavi could even think of being installed into a leadership position

I just don’t trust the US/Israel, and certainly not Iranian propaganda.

As for the Ayatollha, fuck that guy. I wish the Iranian people had the satisfaction of being responsible for his death. Let’s hope that a few other 80 something year old leaders meet their fate soon.

That make me think democracy won't spring up.

I don't...but...

There's this other person who says "I can't say this" and then says it. I'm trying to call the name to mind.

Next man up.

The people of Iran have truly suffered enough over the past 47 years.

There will be celebrations in Iran and abroad for Iranians whoever wanted to return to Iran someday.

That is all.

1) The Trump administration wasn’t so incompetent and corrupt

2) Iran had any history of democracy

3) If these Middle East wars ever turned out well

I am worried about the UN in the wake of this.

You and I agree on a lot: I don't know where this leads.

Regime change brought on by 'Merica never works out good for the involved country.

If he's dead then the world is slightly better than it was.

one less evil person off this earth is a good thing