Ex-British Army officer declares Iranian regime a 'legitimate military target' as mass protests escalate

Speaking to GB News, the former British Army officer said the situation remains extremely difficult to assess due to a widespread internet blackout imposed by authorities.

"The regime is clearly fighting for its life. They're not going to give up. They're not going to go down without a massive struggle," Colonel Kemp stated.

He noted that Elon Musk has reportedly been working to provide Starlink coverage to restore some connectivity within the country.

Reports suggest the government may have brought in foreign mercenaries, possibly from Turkey, to assist in suppressing the uprising, though this remains unconfirmed.

Significant civilian bloodshed continues across the nation as demonstrations enter their second week.

Colonel Kemp argued that the root cause of the current unrest was not primarily economic hardship, despite media narratives focusing on living standards and the country's financial difficulties.

While acknowledging that the Ayatollahs have mismanaged the economy, invited sanctions, and diverted resources to fund terrorist proxies abroad, he maintained these factors were secondary.

"I think the cause is that the very ruthless repression and subjugation of everyone in Iran by the regime and by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," he explained.

The former commander identified the June 2025 conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran as the direct catalyst for the current uprising.

During that 12-day war, Iranian nuclear facilities were largely destroyed, substantial ballistic missile stockpiles were eliminated and numerous IRGC commanders and officials were killed.

"The effect of that was to expose the regime as a paper tiger in regional threat terms," Colonel Kemp said, adding that this humiliation eventually emboldened ordinary Iranians to rise up against their rulers.

Colonel Kemp advocated for American military action against the Iranian government, suggesting that precisely targeted strikes could help halt the violence against civilians.

"Taking out the Ayatollah himself, if that's achievable. Taking out senior commanders, hitting important IRGC and other regime infrastructure, all of which could contribute to stopping what's going on now," he told GB News.

The former officer argued that such operations could potentially deter the Revolutionary Guard and even prompt elements of the military establishment to defect to the protesters' side.

He described the Ayatollah as "the chief terrorist of Iran" with "blood on his hands," holding him directly responsible for violence domestically, regionally, and even within Britain.

"If the US is capable of taking him out, that would be a very good solution. It wouldn't be the end solution," Colonel Kemp stated, noting that removing the supreme leader could cause the entire regime structure to collapse.

Beyond direct military strikes, Kemp outlined several additional measures that Washington and Jerusalem could employ to support the uprising.

Cyber operations represent one avenue, potentially limiting the regime's ability to coordinate its crackdown while simultaneously restoring internet access for protesters to organise their activities.

"We could also see a sea blockade to prevent the movement of any, for example, oil tankers or any other traffic in and out of Iran, which would have an effect of bringing bearing down on the regime itself," he suggested.

The former commander also raised the possibility of supplying weapons to demonstrators, though he acknowledged this would prove exceptionally challenging given that protesters currently possess only arms seized from IRGC forces.

He emphasised that American and Israeli planners have undoubtedly examined all available options, stressing the need for any intervention to be decisive rather than merely provocative.

Colonel Kemp delivered a stark assessment of the uprising's prospects without external support, stating that American involvement backed by Israeli assistance was essential for any chance of success.

"Without US intervention backed by the Israelis, I think we're definitely going to see this uprising fail," he warned.

Even with substantial American engagement, he suggested that toppling the regime would require extraordinary circumstances.

"We will probably be witnessing a miracle if this regime does collapse, even with US intervention," the former officer acknowledged.