Iran’s Revolutionary Guard sidelines president as military grip expands
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran (IRGC), the elite arm of Iran’s armed forces, has blocked President Massoud Pezeshkian’s presidential appointments and erected what sources describe as a security cordon around the Supreme Leader. Mojtaba Khamenei, A report published by Iran International on Tuesday said:
The report claimed that the IRGC had effectively assumed control of key state functions.
“It was always a question of whether the Revolutionary Guard would step forward further than they have in the last three decades,” Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.
Pezeshkian fell into “complete political stalemate” as tensions between his administration and the military leadership deepened. according to the report.
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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite arm of the Iranian Armed Forces, has blocked President Massoud Pezeshkian’s presidential appointments, according to a new report.
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The reported change could have important consequences far beyond Iran.
Analysts say a stronger Revolutionary Guard would likely mean a more confrontational Iran, less willing to compromise in talks with Washington and more likely to maintain military tensions across the region. With U.S.-Iran talks already faltering and uncertainty growing about whether Tehran will send negotiators to the next round of talks, the rise of the Revolutionary Guard raises new doubts about who is actually calling the shots in Iran and whether any civilian officials can still speak on behalf of the regime.
“But it would be a mistake to assume that this is some kind of coup,” Ben Taleblu said. “This process has been going on like this in Iran for years, as the regime has chosen conflict instead of cooperation and encouraged the security forces at every point.”
Pezeshkian’s latest efforts to appoint a new intelligence minister failed after direct pressure from the United States. IRGC commander Ahmed VahidiSources speaking to Iran International claimed that all proposed candidates, including former Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan, were rejected.
Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard march during the parade. The Revolutionary Guard is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A large part of its business is operating secretly outside Iran.
Vahidi reportedly insisted that under war conditions, all critical and sensitive positions should be directly selected and managed by the Revolutionary Guard until further notice.
“By any standard, Vahidi is considered a radical even among the regime’s hardline elites, and his rise is a warning that Tehran’s war machine “He’s making the decisions now,” foreign policy analyst and journalist Lisa Daftari told Fox News Digital.
In Iran’s system, the president traditionally nominates the intelligence minister only after receiving the approval of the supreme leader. But with him status and whereabouts While Mojtaba Khamenei’s status has been unclear in recent weeks, the Revolutionary Guard increasingly appears to be operating without civilian oversight.
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RGC commander Ahmed Vahidi reportedly insisted that all critical and sensitive positions in wartime conditions should be directly selected and managed by the Revolutionary Guard until further notice.
The report claims that Pezeshkian repeatedly requested an urgent meeting with Khamenei, but could not communicate.
Instead, according to Iran International, “military councilA group of senior Revolutionary Guard officers now controls access to the center of power, blocking government reports from reaching Mojtaba and effectively isolating him from the elected government.
Still, analysts say the reported power struggle reflects a longer-term trend in Iran, where the Revolutionary Guard has steadily expanded its influence over politics, the economy and national security.
Ben Taleblu argued: Pezeshkian’s apparent stepping aside This should not be seen as a dramatic break with the past, as the president has never had significant independent authority.
“Those worried about Pezeshkian potentially being sidelined need to consider what he realistically did, or failed to do, when the regime massacred 40,000 Iranians in the streets just months ago,” he said.
Pezeshkian, elected in 2025 on promises of moderation and reform, has repeatedly found himself constrained by the security establishment and religious leaders.
The latest report finds that the dynamic has intensified dramatically as Iran faces increasing external pressure and internal uncertainty.
One of the most striking allegations concerns Ali Asghar Hijazi, a powerful security official in the religious leader’s office.
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A banner featuring Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is displayed in Tehran, Iran, on March 14, 2026.
According to Iran International, some of Mojtaba Khamenei’s associates are now trying to alienate Hejazi because he is opposed to Mojtaba succeeding his father.
The report stated that Hejazi warned members of the Assembly of Experts that Mujtaba did not have the qualifications to be a religious leader and that hereditary succession would violate the principles laid out by him. Ali Khamenei.
Hejazi also reportedly warned that bringing Mujtaba to power would hand the country over to the Revolutionary Guard and permanently disable civilian institutions.
This warning increasingly seems to reflect what is already happening.
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Analysts say recent developments show that the IRGC is no longer operating behind the scenes but has clearly emerged as the dominant force in Tehran.
The Revolutionary Guard, created to defend the regime after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has long gone far beyond a military force. It now controls much of Iran’s economy, manages the country’s missile and nuclear programs, and has influence over nearly every branch of government.
Analysts say recent developments show that the IRGC is no longer operating behind the scenes but out in the open. dominant power in Tehran.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment.
Original article source: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard sidelines president as military control expands
