As airstrikes rain down on the Iranian regime, can a fractured opposition unite to lead if it falls?

As U.S. strikes target Iranian facilities, experts examine fractured opposition groups and debate structured transition plans for post-regime Iran. War With Iran As airstrikes rain down on the Iranian regime, can a fractured opposition unite to lead if it falls? Iran’s opposition is fractured — unite or risk another authoritarian ruling as critics fear a Venezuela redo By Benjamin Weinthal Fox News Published March 4, 2026 5:20pm EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Iran's 'murderous terrorist leaders are paying for their crimes against America,' White House says White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that, "Iran's murderous terrorist leaders are paying for their crimes against America, and they are paying in blood," while speaking about the results of Operation Epic Fury. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! As U.S. and Israeli air forces continue to attack Iran’s leadership and facilities with devastating military strikes, there are intense discussions unfolding on who will rule the country if the regime falls. One of the biggest questions being asked by Iran experts is whether the fragmented opposition groups can come together and unite in defeating the regime.Lawdan Bazargan, an Iranian political and human rights activist who was imprisoned by the regime for her dissident activities in the 1980s, told Fox News Digital that there is a dangerous precedent for a total unified opposition. "Unity cannot mean everyone stands under my flag." A general view of Tehran with smoke visible in the distance after explosions were reported in the city, on March 2, 2026 in Tehran, Iran. (Contributor/Getty Images) She said, "That model failed Iran once before. In 1979, one figure [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini] absorbed moral authority while claiming he wasn’t seeking office and ended up consolidating absolute power. It’s also not fair to automatically position someone who has not lived in Iran for decades as the interim authority of over 90 million people. That fuels more mistrust, not less." She also warned about the need to avoid a Venezuela situation where Nicolás Maduro was replaced by his devotee Delcy Rodríguez.Mariam Memarsadeghi, a senior fellow at Macdonald-Laurier Institute and founder and director of the Cyrus Forum for Iran's Future, told Fox News Digital that "When it comes to helping unite opposition forces, the crown prince [Reza Pahlavi] has the most responsibility because he is leading. It is to everyone’s advantage for him to build true alliances and real cooperation." She added,"He can start through reconciliation with prominent figures who once were in collaboration with him, before spoilers in his own ranks were propelled by regime manipulation and infiltration to turn on others. It will be tempting to think that, because he is popular, he does not need others. But there is much hard work ahead."IRAN'S SENIOR CLERICS ‘EXPOSED’ AFTER BUILDING STRIKE IN QOM, SUCCESSION CHOICE LOOMS Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi speaks during a news conference on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Reza Farnood, a researcher, writer and activist, told Fox News Digital "In 48 years of activism and struggle, I have never experienced such broad unity and alignment. Even those who for years held firmly leftist views and were staunch opponents of the Shah and the Pahlavi family are now openly supporting the prince. Inside Iran, people are openly and courageously chanting his name," he claimed. Yet others remain skeptical of Pahlavi. Alireza Nader, an Iran expert, said: "Unfortunately, the Iranian opposition is more divided than ever. And I blame much of it on Reza Pahlavi and his team. Take the announcement of the formation of the new Kurdish Iranian coalition. Pahlavi attacked the coalition as soon as it was formed, labeling them as ‘separatists'… But then Pahlavi had to walk back his statement after he found out that President Trump had called Kurdish leaders, an important development." Cars burn in a street during a protest over the collapse of the currency’s value in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stringer/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)Nader said, "The Kurds are very organized and capable. And they are armed. Anyone who wants to free Iran has to work with them. The regime is a deeply entrenched system in Iran. It’s an ideology and belief system that will not be uprooted with air strikes. And the regime has been preparing for this moment for decades. The individual leaders may not matter as much as the system."FIREBRAND ANTI-AMERICAN CLERIC ALIREZA ARAFI SEEN AS CONTENDER TO REPLACE IRAN’S KHAMENEI Yet while many voices claim Pahlavi should be the rightful successor to bring democracy to Iran, others point to the influential Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), the Iranian exile organization that has attracted supporters like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets Maryam Rajavi at Ashraf-3 – May 16, 2022, in Albania. (NCRI)The group was reportedly the first to