The next is the transcript of the interview with Karim Sadjadpour from the Carnegie Endownment for worldwide peace and former CENTCOM commander and CBS Information contributor Ret. Gen. Frank McKenzie that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 1, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re joined now by Iran coverage analyst Karim Sadjadpour, who’s with the Carnegie Endowment for Worldwide Peace, in addition to former CENTCOM commander and CBS Information contributor retired Basic Frank McKenzie, who joins us from Tampa this morning. It is good to have the each of you right here. That is such a dynamic state of affairs proper now. Karim, I wish to begin with you. Apparently, President Trump has informed the Atlantic that he is keen to speak to the brand new management of Iran. Who’s the brand new management of Iran?
KARIM SADJADPOUR: I do not assume that is even clear inside Tehran, who’s the brand new management? You already know, this is without doubt one of the most unpopular regimes on this planet, and I am skeptical that there is going to be anybody who’s palatable for each the senior clergy, the Revolutionary Guards, and 90 million Iranians. There’s in all probability no authorities on this planet with a higher hole between its authorities and its folks than Iran so I am skeptical there’s going to be any single determine who can instantly fill the large void of Ayatollah Khamenei.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Basic McKenzie, what Karim is sketching out right here appears like chaos, sounds just like the potential setting for civil warfare. Is that how you’ll assess what we could be seeing come subsequent?
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE (RET.): I believe we’re nonetheless within the early levels of this marketing campaign. There are a number of days of continued strikes forward of us from Central Command and from Israel to cut back the Iranian skill to volley fireplace rockets at us. We’ll see how that progresses within the subsequent few days. The management targets have clearly had an impact, and I consider the lack of Iranian efficient nationwide degree command and management is- goes to have a pernicious impact on their skill to wage this warfare. As to what may comply with, whether or not it is civil warfare, a fractured state, do not know. Really, for me, it is laborious to see the way it might be worse than what we had earlier than.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Basic, you understand this morning we now have CENTCOM acknowledging at the very least three American deaths, 5 severely wounded. These are simply the opening hours, however it does seem that the state of affairs is simply escalating. What ought to the American folks be ready for?
GEN. MCKENZIE: The American folks must be ready for a number of extra days of exchanges of long-range- long-range rockets. We will proceed to strike them with our plane, with our TLAMs, our Tomahawk Land Assault Missiles, and the important calculus over the subsequent 72 to 96 hours, Margaret, goes to be whether or not or not we will scale back the Iranian skill to generate volleys. And by volleys, I imply teams of missiles which are fired at our bases within the area. It is laborious for them to generate loads of missiles at Israel due to the vary and only for varied causes. However what we wish to do is we do not wish to allow them to fireplace massive numbers of rockets at Al Udeid Air Base, for instance, Al Dhafra Air Base, or the cities of our pals within the area, which they’ve achieved indiscriminately. In order that’s going to be a key factor to observe over the subsequent 72 to 96 hours. CENTCOM has deliberate for this for years. We in all probability going to- we’re in all probability going to take extra casualties. I believe the president’s feedback truly have been spot on when he warned the American those who this wasn’t going to be- it wasn’t going to be a cake stroll. I believe he is aware of that, however I believe you understand, we’re in all probability going to have extra casualties earlier than that is over. I hope we will actually decrease these, and I do know that our commanders within the area are doing the whole lot they’ll to maintain these numbers down.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ve got seen already some civilian casualties in a few of these Gulf states who’re taking the incoming. Karim, the president– you have heard all of our Republican visitors say the President laid this all out very clearly. What I heard in that eight minute video was a recitation of fifty years of Iran’s malicious actions, the whole lot from the bombing of the Marine barracks in 1983 by Hezbollah, the taking up the embassy, all kinds of various issues. Even linked the assault on the naval destroyer in Yemen to Iran, though it is usually attributed to al-Qaida. It was simply form of an argument: Iran is unhealthy. We have not essentially gotten the element on the rapid menace to the US. You have been watching this so intently, when the president mentioned on the finish of his video that the Iranian folks ought to stand up. Is there any probability that the Iranian folks can try this?
KARIM SADJADPOUR: That could be a risk, Margaret. As I mentioned, that is an extremely unpopular regime. I believe they in all probability have at greatest 15 help in the intervening time. The Iranian persons are spectators, not but contributors. President Trump additionally implored them to initially keep dwelling for the subsequent few days, because it’s unsafe, after which to grab their establishments. And so I believe persons are watching very rigorously to see if there are any splits throughout the regime. However you understand, they are saying about dictatorships that they’re- they’re most murderous originally, when- originally of the reign and on the finish of the reign, and we noticed this regime bloodbath probably tens of hundreds of individuals final month, and the query is whether or not they nonetheless have that coercive and cohesive safety forces to proceed to do the identical.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, we’re listening there and seeing some- some audio from celebrations amongst some folks on the information of the Ayatollah’s demise. You will have written, and I believed this was fairly eloquent, Ayatollah Khameini lived by demise to America and demise to Israel. He died by demise from America and Israel. What does this imply for the Islamic Republic to have him gone?
KARIM SADJADPOUR: He was the longest serving dictator on this planet. For 4 a long time, he reigned over Iran. For many Iranians, three quarters of whom have been born after the 1979 revolution, he was the one ruler they ever knew. And I believe this can be a society- I might describe it as maybe probably the most secular society within the Muslim Center East, maybe probably the most pro-American society within the Center East. And folks- Iranians, acknowledge they’re going to by no means fulfill their huge potential as a nation as long as the ethos of their authorities is demise to America and demise to Israel. And so there’s an infinite demand for a authorities which is maybe not democratic, however places nationwide pursuits earlier than revolutionary ideology.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Basic McKenzie, in a short time, have you ever heard an finish recreation? How does America declare victory right here?
GEN. MCKENZIE: Effectively, to start with, Margaret, we have to have an finish recreation in view, however we should not be enthusiastic about an off ramp proper now. We want to consider persevering with to impose our will on the enemy and persevering with this combat at a really excessive degree. Sure, there’s an finish recreation, and for me, at the very least an finish recreation can be both you get a regime which you can negotiate with, a brand new regime. Which may be unlikely, however I am- however our historical past of predicting regime adjustments within the Center East of totalitarian states is uniformly poor. The opposite different is you get some form of successor state that you just may be capable of minimize a take care of, whereas it could be unpalatable in some dimensions, nonetheless, you could get a regime that is going to speak to you in regards to the nuclear program or the ballistic missile program. So I believe there may be an finish state in view.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll look ahead to. Basic McKenzie, Karim, thanks to your time. And thanks all for watching. Till subsequent week, and it has been a busy one, for Face the Nation, I am Margaret Brennan.
