Power shift in Iran? Not Mojtaba Khamenei, IRGC assumes 'de facto control' amid war with US, Israel
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Power shift in Iran? Not Mojtaba Khamenei, IRGC assumes 'de facto control' amid war with US, Israel")
A protester holds a portrait of Iran's newly nominated supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during a march against Middle East's war, triggered by the joint US-Israeli strikes, alongside a rally against racism, fascism and state violence, in Paris on March 14, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
The IRGC has reportedly seized de facto control of Iran, sidelining President Pezeshkian and isolating Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei behind a military council amid escalating wartime tensions and internal instability.
Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has effectively taken control of key functions of the state amid an escalating power struggle with President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration, according to informed sources cited by Iran International. The latest report said growing tensions between the civilian government and military leadership have pushed the president into what they described as a “complete political deadlock”, with the IRGC increasingly sidelining elected authorities.
The military force has reportedly blocked presidential appointments and policy decisions, while establishing a tight security perimeter around the core of Iran’s leadership structure. This has left the government unable to exercise executive authority in several critical areas.
Efforts by Pezeshkian to appoint a new intelligence minister last Thursday collapsed following direct intervention from IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi, sources familiar with the matter told the outlet. All proposed candidates, including Hossein Dehghan, were rejected.
Vahidi is said to have insisted that, under current wartime conditions, all sensitive and strategic posts must be controlled directly by the IRGC until further notice.
The hierarchy in Iranian regime
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Under Iran’s political system, the president traditionally nominates ministers in consultation with the Supreme Leader, who retains ultimate authority over key security portfolios. However, uncertainty surrounding the condition and whereabouts of Mojtaba Khamenei in recent weeks has further complicated the process.
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As per sources cited by Iran International, a “military council” composed of senior IRGC officers is now exercising effective control over central decision-making, enforcing a strict security cordon around Mojtaba Khamenei. Repeated attempts by Pezeshkian to secure an urgent meeting with him have reportedly gone unanswered, with no direct contact established in recent days.
The same sources said the arrangement has prevented government reports on the country’s situation from reaching the Supreme Leader’s inner circle, raising further concerns about the functioning of Iran’s governance structures. Speculation has also emerged over whether Mojtaba Khamenei’s health may be a contributing factor in the current power dynamics, though no official confirmation has been provided.
