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 Common 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 advised 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 suppose that is even clear inside Tehran, who’s the brand new management? You recognize, this is without doubt one of the most unpopular regimes on the 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 most likely no authorities on the planet with a higher hole between its authorities and its individuals than Iran so I am skeptical there’s going to be any single determine who can instantly fill the big void of Ayatollah Khamenei.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Common 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 is perhaps seeing come subsequent?
GENERAL FRANK MCKENZIE (RET.): I believe we’re nonetheless within the early phases 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 capacity 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 imagine the lack of Iranian efficient nationwide stage command and management is- goes to have a pernicious impact on their capacity 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 could possibly be worse than what we had earlier than.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Common, you already know this morning we now have CENTCOM acknowledging at the least three American deaths, 5 severely wounded. These are simply the opening hours, nevertheless it does seem that the state of affairs is simply escalating. What ought to the American individuals be ready for?
GEN. MCKENZIE: The American individuals ought to be ready for a number of extra days of exchanges of long-range- long-range rockets. We’ll 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 are able to cut back the Iranian capacity to generate volleys. And by volleys, I imply teams of missiles which can be 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 mates within the area, which they’ve finished 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 most likely going to- we’re most likely going to take extra casualties. I believe the president’s feedback truly have been spot on when he warned the American people 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 already know, we’re most likely going to have extra casualties earlier than that is over. I hope we are able to actually decrease these, and I do know that our commanders within the area are doing all the pieces they will to maintain these numbers down.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We now have seen already some civilian casualties in a few of these Gulf states who’re taking the incoming. Karim, the president– you’ve got 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, all the pieces from the bombing of the Marine barracks in 1983 by Hezbollah, the taking up the embassy, all types 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 kind of an argument: Iran is unhealthy. We have not essentially gotten the element on the quick risk to the USA. You have been watching this so intently, when the president mentioned on the finish of his video that the Iranian individuals ought to stand up. Is there any probability that the Iranian individuals can do this?
KARIM SADJADPOUR: That could be a risk, Margaret. As I mentioned, that is an extremely unpopular regime. I believe they most likely have at finest 15 help in the meanwhile. 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 already know, they are saying about dictatorships that they’re- they’re most murderous firstly, when- firstly 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 individuals on the information of the Ayatollah’s demise. You have got 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 the planet. For 4 many years, 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 essentially the most secular society within the Muslim Center East, maybe essentially 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 probably not democratic, however places nationwide pursuits earlier than revolutionary ideology.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Common McKenzie, in a short time, have you ever heard an finish sport? How does America declare victory right here?
GEN. MCKENZIE: Properly, initially, Margaret, we have to have an finish sport in view, however we should not be fascinated about an off ramp proper now. We want to consider persevering with to impose our will on the enemy and persevering with this battle at a really excessive stage. Sure, there’s an finish sport, and for me, at the least an finish sport can be both you get a regime that you would be able to 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 various is you get some type of successor state that you just may have the ability to reduce a cope with, whereas it might be unpalatable in some dimensions, nonetheless, you might 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. Common McKenzie, Karim, thanks on 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.
