A French report alleges a covert January attempt by senior Iranian figures to sideline Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during heightened tensions with Israel.
A dramatic report in the French daily "Le Figaro" claims that in January 2026, former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif spearheaded a covert political initiative aimed at sidelining Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei or restructuring the Islamic Republic’s power system.
According to the report, the alleged move took place during the nights of January 7–8, 2026, amid heightened security tensions and military friction with Israel. The timing was reportedly designed to exploit an atmosphere of emergency and internal uncertainty within the regime.
The report further claims that senior clerics from Qom and certain elements within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were involved in discussions. However, the effort allegedly collapsed after Ali Larijani, described as the dominant figure within Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, refused to cooperate and instead alerted the leadership.