Iran will fortify relationship with foreign adversaries in wake of president’s death: Dan Hoffman
Fox News contributor reacts to the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and what it could mean for the future of the region
Iran will fortify its relationship with the "axis of tyranny" and continue to carry out its support of Hamas following President Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash Sunday, according to foreign policy expert Dan Hoffman.
"I think we're going to see the continuation of the general contours of Iranian foreign policy, meaning domestic repression, carrying on support to Hamas, and their so-called axis of resistance against Israel and the United States and then fortifying their relationship, their alliance with this new axis of tyranny – Russia, China and North Korea," he said during an appearance on "Fox & Friends" Monday.
The former CIA station chief and Fox News contributor elaborated on the expectation of continued internal oppression despite Raisi's death, since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sets policy for Iran. Though Raisi was considered a likely successor for the supreme leader, he did not have the same influence, Hoffman noted.
IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER CONFIRMS VP AS INTERIM PRESIDENT AFTER DEATH OF PRESIDENT RAISI
Late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attends a meeting with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev during the inauguration ceremony of dam of Qiz Qalasi, or Castel of Girl in Azeri, at the border of Iran and Azerbaijan, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
"I fully expect that domestic repression, including of women, especially of women, will continue," he said. "Also, I think that a new president, when one is chosen, will fall in line with the supreme leader's wishes."
The supreme leader tapped Vice President Mohammad Mokhber to serve as interim president following Raisi's death Monday. During his tenure in office, Raisi supported the country's enrichment of uranium up to near-weapons-grade levels, attacks against Israel, particularly one last month made in response to an alleged Israeli attack that killed Iranian generals at the country's embassy compound in Damascus, Syria.
IRAN'S PRESIDENT, FOREIGN MINISTER, OTHER OFFICIALS CONFIRMED DEAD IN HELICOPTER CRASH
In this photo provided by Moj News Agency, rescue team members work at the scene of a crash of a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in northwestern Iran on Monday. (Azin Haghighi, Moj News Agency via AP)
Domestically, he also supported crackdowns on dissenters following the controversially suspicious death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly not wearing a hijab.
Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and other officials were confirmed dead on Monday following a lengthy search attempt to locate the helicopter crash site in the fog-shrouded mountainous region in the northwest part of the country.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EVENT OF RAISI'S DEATH? AN IRAN EXPERT WEIGHS IN
Hoffman additionally remarked that the Iranian people are discontented with the current state of their country and seek more freedom.
"They know that their economy under Raisi suffered a freefall of their currency, in spite of the oil exports, and they don't want this life and they don't want their money being spent on overseas terrorist operations, and that I expect to continue."
Iran has been consistently in media coverage for its role in the current Middle East conflict, funding terror proxies against the Jewish state.
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Fox News' Bradford Betz contributed to this report.