Kamal Ghorui
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reportedly assumed control over key state functions, sidelining President Masoud Pezeshkian and pushing him into a “complete political deadlock” as the military tightens its grip on the country’s core centres of power, according to multiple reports. The IRGC has blocked presidential appointments and decisions while erecting a security perimeter around Supreme Leader Khamenei, effectively sidelining the government from executive control, Iran International reported.
IRGC blocks intelligence minister appointment
Fox News and Iran International reported that efforts by Pezeshkian to appoint a new intelligence minister last Thursday failed after IRGC chief commander Ahmad Vahidi intervened. All proposed candidates, including Hossein Dehghan, were rejected.Vahidi is said to have insisted that, given wartime conditions, all critical and sensitive leadership positions must be chosen and overseen directly by the IRGC until further notice, according to Fox News.Under Iran’s political system, presidents typically nominate intelligence ministers only after obtaining the Supreme Leader’s approval, as the office holds ultimate authority over key security portfolios.
Supreme Leader’s whereabouts unclear
With the condition and whereabouts of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remaining unclear in recent weeks, the IRGC is effectively preventing the president from advancing his preferred candidate, further tightening its hold over Iran’s security apparatus.Fox News and Iran International noted that Khamenei has not appeared in public since assuming office, fuelling speculation about his condition and leaving uncertainty over decision-making at the top of Iran’s leadership. Some US officials have suggested he may be incapacitated, according to the Financial Express.Reports further claim that a “military council” led by senior IRGC commanders has restricted access to him, effectively isolating him from government officials and limiting the flow of information.
Power vacuum after Khamenei’s death
The situation has intensified after the reported death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which has created a leadership vacuum at the top of the Iranian system, the Financial Express reported. While his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is believed to have assumed a key role, there has been little public visibility or official communication from him.Informed sources told Iran International that Pezeshkian has repeatedly sought an urgent meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei in recent days, but all requests have gone unanswered, with no contact established.Fox News and Iran International reported that a “military council” composed of senior IRGC officers now exercises full control over the core decision-making structure, enforcing a security cordon around Mojtaba Khamenei and preventing government reports on the country’s situation from reaching him.
Efforts to remove Hejazi
At the same time, an unprecedented internal crisis is reportedly unfolding within Mojtaba Khamenei’s inner circle. Some close associates are said to be pushing to remove Ali Asghar Hejazi, a powerful security figure in the Supreme Leader’s office, Iran International reported.The tensions are rooted in Hejazi’s explicit opposition to Mojtaba Khamenei’s potential succession. He had previously warned members of the Assembly of Experts that Mojtaba lacks the necessary qualifications for leadership and argued that hereditary succession is incompatible with the principles outlined by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.Hejazi reportedly cautioned that elevating Mojtaba would effectively hand full control of the country to the IRGC and permanently sideline civilian institutions.
IRGC asserts control amid external pressure
With the supreme leadership reportedly weakened or inaccessible, the IRGC has expanded its role beyond military operations to exert control over governance, including political appointments and intelligence decisions, the Financial Express reported.The developments come as Iran faces mounting external pressure and internal strain. While US President Donald Trump has suggested the possibility of talks with “moderate” Iranian figures, reports indicate that hardline factions remain firmly in control, according to the Financial Express.At the same time, divisions have reportedly emerged within Iran’s leadership over military strategy, with concerns that ongoing regional actions and disruptions to key routes like the Strait of Hormuz could further damage the country’s already fragile economy.
