Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has assumed control over key state functions, sidelining President Masoud Pezeshkian and creating a political deadlock, according to Iran International.
Reports said the IRGC blocked presidential appointments and decisions while establishing a security perimeter around the core of power. Sources indicated that IRGC chief Ahmad Vahidi rejected Pezeshkian’s attempt to appoint a new intelligence minister, insisting that critical leadership roles remain under military oversight during wartime.
Traditionally, presidents nominate intelligence ministers with approval from the Supreme Leader. However, Pezeshkian’s repeated requests to meet Mojtaba Khamenei have gone unanswered, further complicating governance. A council of senior IRGC officers is reportedly managing access to the Supreme Leader’s office, preventing updates from reaching him directly.
Internal tensions have also surfaced within Khamenei’s circle. Senior security figure Ali Asghar Hejazi warned against hereditary succession, arguing it could concentrate power within the IRGC and weaken civilian institutions. Israeli media earlier reported Hejazi was targeted in an airstrike in Tehran, though later accounts suggested he survived.
Beyond domestic politics, Reuters reported the IRGC’s role in restructuring Hezbollah after heavy losses in the 2024 conflict with Israel. Officers retrained fighters, reorganised command systems, and oversaw rearmament, shifting towards decentralised units to improve resilience.
On March 30, Israel struck Imam Hossein University in Tehran, an IRGC-run institution linked to weapons research. Facilities, including wind tunnels and laboratories, were targeted, underscoring the university’s role in advanced military projects.
