Trump’s “Venezuela Model” Strategy in Iran Has Failed, Claims Financial Times
**Islamabad:** A report by the British newspaper Financial Times claims that U.S. President Donald Trump’s military and political strategy in Iran, modeled on a similar approach used in Venezuela, has failed.
According to the report, Trump believed the “Venezuela model” — which involved backing alternative leadership in the country’s political structure — could be effective in Iran. The strategy was reportedly inspired by political developments involving Delcy Rodríguez in Venezuela.
However, the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader has undermined that approach. The report says Iran’s religious and military institutions continue to maintain a strong grip on power, limiting external influence over the country’s leadership.
The newspaper also stated that U.S. interest in supporting Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was largely ignored by the White House. As a result, there appears to be no clear path for establishing a U.S.-backed leadership in Iran.
The report added that the conflict has already had immediate economic consequences, pushing global oil and gas prices higher and increasing domestic political pressure on the White House.
According to the newspaper, Israel may attempt to challenge Iran’s current leadership, but under the present circumstances, the prospects of installing a U.S.-preferred leadership in Iran remain extremely limited.
