DUBAI, March 7 (Reuters) — A public apology from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to neighboring Gulf states for recent missile and drone strikes has exposed deep fissures within Iran’s leadership, as the Islamic Republic grapples with escalating regional tensions and a succession crisis following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week.
Pezeshkian’s statement, broadcast on state television Saturday, offered an apology for the attacks, while simultaneously pledging to halt further strikes unless Iran itself faced attack. However, the conciliatory tone quickly drew sharp criticism from hardline elements within the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and the clerical establishment, forcing the president into a partial retraction, according to sources close to the Iranian leadership.
The internal dispute underscores a power struggle that has intensified since Khamenei’s death, with previously suppressed divisions between pragmatic and hardline factions now openly manifesting. The unrelenting pressure from U.S. And Israeli strikes, coupled with a decapitation campaign targeting top commanders, has emboldened the IRGC to assert a greater role in strategic decision-making, despite the losses it has sustained.
Hardline cleric and lawmaker Hamid Rasai publicly rebuked Pezeshkian’s initial statement on social media, calling it “unprofessional, weak and unacceptable.” In a subsequent post, Pezeshkian omitted the apology that had drawn the ire of hardliners, a move widely seen as an embarrassing concession. According to Al Jazeera, Pezeshkian later reiterated his pledge to halt attacks unless Iran was targeted first.
The succession process for the Supreme Leadership is accelerating, with a decision potentially coming as early as Sunday, though the next leader’s ability to quell internal disputes remains uncertain. Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, is considered a frontrunner, backed by the IRGC and his father’s office. However, he lacks the seniority and widespread respect within the clerical hierarchy of other potential candidates, and has alienated moderate factions, sources say.
“Wartime tends to clarify power structures, and in this case the decisive voice is not that of the civilian leadership but of the IRGC,” said Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. This shift in influence reflects the IRGC’s growing dominance within the Iranian system, particularly during times of heightened conflict.
While all senior Iranian officials remain committed to defending the Islamic Republic, disagreements exist over the optimal strategic approach. Two senior sources within the Iranian leadership indicated that the dispute over Pezeshkian’s statement revealed genuine divisions, rather than a tactical maneuver in negotiations with the West. A hardliner close to Khamenei’s office expressed anger over the president’s comments, while a moderate former official acknowledged that no successor could fully replicate Khamenei’s strategic acumen.
The strains within the leadership are even visible within the interim council established to oversee the succession. Ayatollah Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, the hardline head of the judiciary, contradicted Pezeshkian’s conciliatory stance by stating that strikes would continue against regional targets that facilitate attacks against Iran, according to reports. Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani, in a statement carried by the semi-official Fars News Agency, urged the clerical body responsible for appointing a new supreme leader to expedite the process “so that it leads to the disappointment of the enemy and the preservation of the unity and solidarity of the nation.”
Iran’s political system, characterized by an elected government subservient to the authority of the Supreme Leader and the IRGC, has historically allowed for internal disagreements as long as they ultimately deferred to the Supreme Leader’s authority. With Khamenei’s death, that central authority is temporarily absent, exacerbating existing tensions and raising questions about the future direction of the Islamic Republic.