There are deepening divisions inside Iran’s leadership, with hardliners tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) increasingly overpowering more moderate voices as the regime struggles to regroup after recent turmoil, The Economist reported.
According to the Economist, talks held in Islamabad on April 11-12 exposed unusual disarray within Iran’s delegation. Instead of a small, tightly controlled team, roughly 80 Iranian representatives attended — many openly clashing with each other.
The group ranged from veteran diplomat Majid Takht-Ravanchi, who helped craft the 2015 nuclear deal, to hardline figures like Mahmoud Nabavian, who blasted the U.S. and dismissed negotiations as surrender.
Pakistani mediators reportedly spent as much time breaking up internal Iranian disputes as facilitating talks with American officials.
The infighting comes amid a leadership vacuum following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a U.S.-Israeli strike. Seven weeks later, no funeral has been set, and his presumed successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, is seen as either weakened or unable to assert control.
Meanwhile, Israeli operations have thinned the ranks of loyalist commanders, leaving a fractured power structure behind.
The Economist notes that Iran’s wartime unity has begun to unravel since a ceasefire was declared April 8. While formal authority lies with the Supreme National Security Council, divisions are growing.
Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf has been tapped to lead negotiations, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi assisting — but their willingness to engage diplomatically has sparked backlash from the IRGC.
That split has become visible in mixed messaging on key issues like the Strait of Hormuz, with different factions signaling conflicting positions.
Inside Iran, signs point to rising military influence. Pro-regime crowds linked to the IRGC have taken to the streets, openly criticizing negotiators. Military figures are increasingly delivering public messages once reserved for clerics, and even strict social norms appear to be loosening in unusual ways — suggesting shifting priorities under pressure.
In another sign of the Guards’ growing sway, IRGC-linked outlets have floated delaying upcoming municipal elections set for May 1.
The Economist’s reporting underscores a regime facing mounting internal strain, with hardliners asserting dominance as moderates struggle to maintain influence during a period of uncertainty.
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