Conflict · MI6 chief · ArchiveFinal MI6 Chief Interview: Iran Now a Junta, Regime in 'Death Throes'Aired July 21, 2026 at 1:58 AM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00The Economist has published the final0:01filmed interview with the late Sir Alex0:03Younger, the former head of MI6 who died0:06last month. His assessment of Iran's0:08leadership is among the starkest we have0:09heard since the war began. Younger0:11described the regime as being in its0:12death throes with the IRGC having seized0:15full control after the death of Ali0:16Khamenei. Younger stated Iran is no0:19longer a dictatorship so much as a0:21military junta. He said Mojtaba Khamenei0:24is just a figurehead while the IRGC0:26leadership now calls the shots,0:28described as no less ruthless but more0:30corrupt than the old regime. Younger0:32said he shed no tears for Ali Khamenei0:34who was killed at the start of the0:35conflict. The January 2026 uprising is0:38still fresh with an estimated up to0:4010,000 citizens killed by IRGC sponsored0:43militias. Younger cited polling showing0:4580% of Iranians oppose the theocratic0:47regime but he warned that roughly 10%0:50with the guns are proving decisive. The0:52opposition simply cannot organize under0:54a sustained air campaign. Younger0:56acknowledged that Iran currently holds0:58the upper hand in the war, a conclusion1:00he said he regretted reaching. He warned1:02that the war is giving the regime an1:04extra lease on life because the1:05opposition cannot organize but the1:07biggest threat to the regime is peace.1:10He assessed the most likely end state as1:11down but not out similar to Iraq between1:14the Gulf Wars. Iran's ballistic missiles1:16can now reach as far as Diego Garcia, a1:19range of up to 4,000 km. Younger1:21delivered a blunt warning, peace would1:23give the Iranian opposition the1:25breathing room to organize and that is1:27what the IRGC junta fears most.1:30Younger said US and Israeli objectives1:32may begin to diverge and warned that1:34President Trump may escalate to1:35de-escalate, potentially targeting Kharg1:37Island which handles 90% of Iranian oil1:40exports. His final assessment, the1:42regime is in its death throes but the1:44war has bought it time.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗