Western intelligence reports point to a deep rift within Iran’s leadership over whether to resume nuclear deal talks by the end of this month, as the West demands, or maintain a hardline stance.
The split pits Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian. Pezeshkian recently argued publicly that talks with the U.S. are not surrender, questioning what the alternative would be—“war?” IRGC deputy Aziz Ghazanfari warned that rash statements could have serious consequences.
Israeli security officials say Pezeshkian shows pragmatic readiness to negotiate with President Trump’s administration, while Khamenei insists on sanctions removal and guarantees against future attacks before talks resume. Reuters reported Khamenei supports negotiations to avoid strikes on Tehran, but this remains unconfirmed.
Reformist leader Mehdi Karroubi slammed the government’s “catastrophic” policies, especially the nuclear program, while former president Hassan Rouhani urged a new strategy to ease tensions with Washington. Rouhani warned that Iran’s weakened regional standing has emboldened the U.S. and Israel, leading to the June war.