As disputes surface over the internal and external management of Iran’s crises, rumors of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian’s resignation have repeatedly circulated, whether through hardline domestic media or foreign outlets.
However, recent remarks by cleric Mohammad Bagher Kharrazi regarding what he described as a warning from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, that if Pezeshkian submits his resignation again, it will be accepted, revealed that hardliners are seeking to make him the first president of the Islamic Republic to end his term by resignation.
The significance of Kharrazi’s remarks lies in his influence within Iran's decision-making circles. He holds the position of Secretary General of the so-called “Hezbollah of Iran,” making his statements noteworthy. He is also the brother-in-law of Masoud Khamenei, the late leader’s son.
The Iranian president responded to the resignation rumors by saying, “If I want to resign, I will announce it officially. I will not resign, and I will remain steadfast.”
A report by the Iranian website “Rouydad24” indicates that there is an intersection between hardliners and some opposition media abroad in their opposition to the reformist movement. The hardline faction, which promotes “political purification,” has been active for years against factions calling for a review of the regime’s policies, occasionally aligning its positions with external objectives.
This intersection has gone so far that some figures openly advocate bypassing the leadership’s considerations. For instance, Meysam Nili, the responsible director of “Ja News” and brother-in-law of the late President Ebrahim Raisi’s daughter, said at a night gathering that the issue of summoning Pezeshkian's needs to be raised, adding, “We must do our duty, and we are not concerned with the leadership.”
The report explained that a protest resignation by a president directly elected by the people carries a heavy political message, as it would formally announce his inability to govern within the existing system.
During Ali Khamenei’s leadership, the general trend was to maintain governments until the end of their terms, even in cases of clear disagreements with presidents. However, what hardliners are pursuing today is to break with this political tradition, particularly with the advent of the new leader, by claiming consent for President Pezeshkian’s future resignation.
A report by the “Arman Meli” newspaper indicated that there are signs of diminishing influence among hardline currents in the new phase, as they face increasing challenges in maintaining their influence and have seen their sphere of influence shrink more than ever. They believe that recent developments show that hardline rhetoric and extremist behavior no longer enjoy the same broad support at various levels of decision-making or within the Iranian public sphere.
According to the Iranian newspaper, politician Mohammad Atrianfar observed that hardline currents, particularly in recent months and especially on issues they sought to escalate into the streets by adopting sharp positions or making offensive statements against officials, failed to gain acceptance and instead faced criticism and rejection from various sectors within state institutions and the political milieu. These currents’ efforts to maintain their presence and influence on the political scene are facing increasing challenges.
Academic Eshaq Karimpour said that overcoming the state of extremism in the country has become a necessity, explaining that the experiences of past years have shown that whenever hardline tendencies dominate the political scene, national decision-making faces greater challenges, while development opportunities and avenues for solving problems are wasted. He added that the current phase needs, more than ever, rationality, dialogue, and the benefit of diverse political and social energies.
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter
