Kanal13
Iran is experiencing a conflict between ruling factions, internal divisions are becoming increasingly evident, and the country’s shadow leader is now the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ahmad Vahidi. Fox News writes about this . “The conflict between the ruling factions in Tehran is no longer hidden; signs of confusion in the tense atmosphere, internal clashes and power struggles are clearly visible, and internal disagreements have become more obvious than ever,” the channel notes. The article states that Wahidi’s faction is opposing the faction of parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf. “The circle of power is shrinking every day, and in practice, the management structure has become a kind of joint-stock company of criminals from the intelligence and security agencies,” the TV channel adds. Journalists are emphasizing that Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains a mysterious figure, and there are questions about whether he is even alive. “US and Israeli intelligence and spy agencies have yet to fully confirm whether he is alive or dead. On the other hand, it remains unclear why and how he was chosen, how he came to this position, and the mechanism by which he was approved,” the article states.
According to the channel’s editorial staff, the Iranian regime, seeking to maintain the appearance of stability, is keeping the negotiating channel with the United States open and creating a quasi-suspended and ambiguous atmosphere. At the same time, he seeks to escalate the tensions in order to use them as a tool to extract concessions and wear down the other side. Previously, the media reported that the role of the ayatollah in Iran had weakened , and the IRGC was taking on a leading role. The New York Times writes that Iran’s new governance model increasingly resembles a collective leadership, with the generals of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps playing a key role.
The article states that following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the role of the ayatollah has weakened: his son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, does not have the same influence. One of the publication’s sources compared the current governance model to a board of directors, where decisions are made collectively and the IRGC plays a key role. Mojtaba Khamenei acts more as a coordinator, relying on a circle of advisers. Journalists’ sources note that IRGC generals have effectively become the dominant force, although other factions also participate in discussions when making decisions. “Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is an enigmatic figure, unseen and unheard since his appointment in March. Instead, a battle-hardened group of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and their allies have become key decision-makers on security, military, and diplomatic matters,” the article states. Under Ali Khamenei’s rule, the Ayatollah had absolute authority over all decisions regarding war, peace, and negotiations with the United States. In this case Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are attempting to remove Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, blaming him for the failure of peace talks with the United States, Iran International reports , citing insider information.
According to Iran International, Pezeshkian and Ghalibaf believe Araghchi is overly dependent on the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ahmad Vahidi. They claim that during negotiations with the American delegation, which took place on April 11 in Pakistan, Araghchi represented the interests of the IRGC, not the interests of the Iranian people. Pezeshkian and Ghalibaf accused the Iranian Foreign Minister of trying to sideline them from the negotiations and acting not as a minister but as Vahidi’s assistant. Iran International sources reported that Pezeshkian had decided to fire Araghchi if he continued this practice. Serious disagreements among Iran’s leadership regarding the terms of a peace agreement with the United States have long been discussed following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On April 22, US President Donald Trump unilaterally extended the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran indefinitely to “allow the divided Iranian leaders to reach an agreement.”
