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A deepening leadership void in Iran is intensifying bitter internal struggles, with hardline elements pushing for prolonged confrontation against the United States while rejecting any path toward negotiations. The unusual and prolonged public absence of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has created a dangerous power vacuum that is accelerating the political conflict.
Iranian factions are now openly contesting the country’s approach to the ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Israel. Conservative clerics and senior military officials are using Khamenei’s lack of visibility to argue against diplomatic outreach, framing any talks as unacceptable.
These disputes have broken through the regime’s usual wall of secrecy, revealing significant uncertainty at the highest levels of power, according to recent reporting from Bloomberg.
Uncertainty at the Top
President Masoud Pezeshkian sparked controversy after stating on national television that reaching the supreme leader had grown highly challenging.
Mojtaba Khamenei took full control following the February 28 Israeli airstrike that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He has remained out of public sight ever since. The president later revised his comments, describing a lengthy seven-hour discussion with Khamenei centered on national unity and the worsening economic situation, wrote Clash Report.
Although Pezeshkian maintains the supreme leader is in excellent condition, the continued lack of a clear, visible authority figure has disrupted normal decision-making. The late Ayatollah Khamenei long acted as the final arbiter in Iran’s recurring political battles. His son has yet to establish comparable influence capable of silencing opponents or protecting moderate voices from sustained pressure by hardliners.
“Mojtaba Khamenei does not make public appearances, is not easily accessible, and reportedly communicates with senior officials through intermediaries,” Arman Mahmoudian, a research fellow at the University of South Florida, told Bloomberg. “As a result, it’s much more difficult for him to provide clear and decisive leadership or quickly resolve disagreements within the political establishment.”
Conflict Over Diplomacy
The resulting uncertainty has given hardliners freer rein to publicly criticize Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for exploring ways to revive a diplomatic track.
Those favoring pragmatism see sanctions relief from the Trump administration as essential to easing economic collapse and avoiding further unrest like the deadly protests of January. Opponents treat engagement with Washington as a rejection of the principles of the 1979 revolution. They argue the U.S. naval presence near the Strait of Hormuz requires sustained military pressure rather than compromise.
“There’s always been one group that says we need a strategic agreement with the U.S. and there is a group that wants an endless war with the U.S.,” observed Saeed Laylaz, an economist and former presidential adviser.
The disagreements have moved into public view on state media and online platforms. Saeed Jalili, a leading figure in the ultraconservative Paydari group, has criticized officials for focusing on economic concerns instead of seeking retribution for the previous supreme leader’s death. Cleric Mohammad Bagher Kharazi went further, calling for an end to presidential elections and the creation of a fully clerical system. He referred to Pezeshkian in derogatory terms and threatened to mobilize armed supporters against government offices until authorities restricted his media appearances.
Strengthening Military Influence
As political tensions rise, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is expanding its authority over security institutions. State broadcasters announced a decree, presented as coming from the supreme leader, naming Mohsen Rezaee—a prominent hardliner—to lead the Supreme National Security Council. Additional appointments have largely elevated IRGC veterans, pointing to a stronger emphasis on external military operations.
Some regime circles appear increasingly assured that a robust stance in the Strait of Hormuz is limiting U.S. options, added Clash Report.
“The more hardline elements are confident,” said Dina Esfandiary, Middle East geoeconomics lead at Bloomberg Economics. “They feel they are ahead, and they have come to understand that the language of bullying works with Trump, so it’s all part of them coalescing around this idea and consolidating themselves further.”
Although senior officials continue to present a united front in public, observers caution that deep divisions persist beneath the surface. The unresolved tension between those seeking economic recovery through diplomacy and those committed to ongoing conflict has left Iran without a clear plan for ending the war.
