Speaking after a deadly drone or missile attack that killed two US service members in Jordan, Hoffman described the current confrontation between Washington and Tehran as a war of attrition driven by Iran’s ruling elite, News.Az reports.
“The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps… are in absolute control,” Hoffman said, arguing that the IRGC dominates not only Iran’s security apparatus but also much of the country’s economy.
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According to Hoffman, the Revolutionary Guard oversees large sections of Iran’s commercial activity, from local businesses to critical industries, making it difficult for sanctions or economic hardship to weaken the leadership.
“They’ve got a practically infinite level of threshold for pain if they’re willing to inflict on their own military and their own citizens,” Hoffman said. “What they care about is staying in power.”
He argued that the Iranian leadership views the confrontation with the United States as an existential struggle aimed at eliminating US influence across the Middle East, making compromise increasingly unlikely.
Hoffman also noted the absence of widespread anti-government protests inside Iran, saying the ruling establishment currently faces little internal pressure that could force a change in policy.
“They are in absolute control… that is the wickedly complex challenge that we face right now as the president seeks to find the right policy answers,” he said.
His comments echoed recent remarks by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who argued that the United States should focus on dismantling Iran’s ability to project power through proxy groups and missile capabilities.
Hoffman said allowing the IRGC to rebuild its military capabilities after the current conflict would pose a continuing security challenge, urging US policymakers to consider long-term measures aimed at preventing the organization from reconstituting its forces.
