As Iran and the US continue to negotiate a peace treaty, reports surfaced that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sent an official letter to the office of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, expressing interest in resigning from his post.
The Iranian President indicated in his message that the structure of state administration had practically deviated from official channels, and that key parts of power were now under the control of a group of Revolutionary Guard commanders, according to a report by Iran International, an anti-regime website based in the UK.
The report, quoting an unnamed source, said that Pezeshkian warned in his letter of a "complete takeover" of the administration of state affairs by the IRGC. He described it as a "deep and unprecedented rift" within the highest levels of government and said the President and the government have become effectively excluded from the decision-making process on major and vital issues.
Pezeshkian stressed in the letter that this situation had emptied the presidency of its actual powers and that the government was no longer able to perform its normal role in managing the affairs of the country, which prompted his resignation.
However, Iran soon rushed with a clarification that Pezeshkian still remained the country’s president.
Soon, a statement from Pezeshkian appeared in Iranian state media wherein he reaffirmed his determination to serve the Iranian nation.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, the president said that his life was not more valuable than that of “remain present and manage problems honestly in the field, trusting in God’s help.” “We will either press ahead with strength or be martyred; in both cases, we see it as victory,” he said.
In spite of Pezeshkian’s reassurance that all is well, reports had been doing the rounds for some time that Pezeshkian had disputes with Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi and the IRGC over the management of the war and its economic repercussions .
Reports suggested that the IRGC has gradually curtailed many of the president's powers and now effectively controls key parts of the state apparatus. There were also rumours of serious disagreements between Pezeshkian and Ahmad Vahidi, who is said to hold a prominent position within the IRGC.
Pezeshkian's also reportedly protested against his exclusion from the authority to appoint replacements for those killed in the war. Ahmad Vahidi declared explicitly that, due to the critical circumstances of the war, all leadership and sensitive positions should be temporarily managed directly by the Revolutionary Guard until further notice, the reports added.
