Foreign policy expert Dan Hoffman said Iran will strengthen ties with the “axis of tyranny” and continue to support Hamas after President Ibrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday.
“I think we’re going to see a continuation of the overall contours of Iran’s foreign policy, which means domestic repression, continued support for Hamas and their so-called axis of resistance to Israel and the United States, and then strengthening their relationship with Russia, China and North Korea is aligned with this new axis of tyranny,” he said during an appearance on “Fox & Friends” on Monday.
The former CIA station chief and Fox News contributor elaborated that despite Lacey’s death, internal oppression is expected to continue as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sets Iran policy. Hoffman noted that while Lacey was considered a possible successor to the top job, he didn’t have the same clout.
Iran’s supreme leader confirms vice president as interim president following death of President Raisi
The late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Azerbaijani President Ilham Ali during the inauguration ceremony of the Qiz Qalasi (Castle of Azerbaijani Girls) dam on the border between Iran and Azerbaijan on Sunday, May 19, 2024 Meeting with Ilham Aliyev. (Office of the President of Iran, Associated Press)
“I fully expect that domestic repression, including repression of women, especially women, will continue,” he said. “In addition, I think that when the new president is elected, he will be in line with the wishes of the supreme leader.”
Following Raisi’s death on Monday, the supreme leader appointed Vice President Mohamed Mokhbel as interim president. During his tenure, Lacey supported the country’s efforts to enrich uranium to near weapons-grade levels and supported attacks on Israel, particularly last month’s attack over Israel’s alleged killing of an Iranian general at the embassy compound in Damascus, Syria.
Iran’s president, foreign minister and other officials confirmed killed in helicopter crash
In this photo provided by the Moj news agency, members of a rescue team work at the site of a helicopter crash carrying Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi in northwest Iran on Monday. (Azin Haghighi, Ministry of Justice News Service, Associated Press)
At home, the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of not wearing a headscarf sparked controversy and his support for a crackdown on dissent.
Raisi, Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdullahian and other officials were confirmed dead on Monday after a lengthy search to find the site of the helicopter crash in the fog-shrouded mountains of the country’s northwest.
What would happen if Lacey died?Iranian expert’s statement
Hoffman also said that the Iranian people are dissatisfied with the current situation of the country and seek more freedom.
“They know that the economy under Lacey has suffered a plummeting currency despite oil exports, and they don’t want that, they don’t want their money being spent on terror overseas, and I hope that continues.”
Iran has been in the media for its role in the current Middle East conflict, funding terrorist proxies targeting the Jewish state.
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Fox News’ Bradford Bates contributed to this report.
