The President's Last Chance Revealed: Behind the Scenes of Mojtaba Khamenei's Final Days

A confidant of Mojtaba Khamenei, Mohammad-Baqer Kharazi, revealed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian threatened to resign 28 times, until Khamenei issued an ultimatum. The president's office strongly denied this, calling it rumors from conservative factions. It was also reported that there is an intention to dismiss the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and replace him with Mohsen Rezaei.

Political drama in Iran: A confidant of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, cleric Mohammad-Baqer Kharazi, revealed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian threatened to resign no fewer than 28 times. According to the report on Iran International, the string of threats only stopped after Khamenei issued an ultimatum: "If he resigns one more time, I will approve it." Kharazi added that now "Pezeshkian no longer dares. Everyone has caved." The background to the tension lies in an official resignation letter Pezeshkian submitted at the end of May, claiming his government is excluded from substantive decisions and that extremist factions in the Revolutionary Guards have taken over the management of the state. The president's office strongly denied this: Deputy Minister Mehdi Tabatabai called the claims "an absolute and baseless lie," and another adviser, Ali-Asghar Shafian, claimed Kharazi never even met with Khamenei. Additionally, it was reported that Khamenei plans to dismiss the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad-Baqer Zolqadr, and replace him with Mohsen Rezaei. The confrontation reveals an intensifying struggle between Pezeshkian's allies and the extremist faction, especially around the approval of the agreement with the United States, which required support from 75% of council members.