NEW YORK (VINnews) — Even before the United States launched a new wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday and President Donald Trump cast doubt on the ceasefire between the two countries, divisions had already begun to emerge within Iran’s leadership over the agreement.

The developments of the past day have only deepened those rifts, pitting one faction of Iranian officials that supports negotiations with Washington against hardline figures who strongly oppose any agreement with the United States.

The faction favoring talks has simultaneously accused the United States of violating the terms of the ceasefire. Among its senior members is Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who said on Wednesday that Washington “abuses its adversaries, creates obstacles, and deceives.”

The opposing camp, made up of a minority of hardline officials advocating a more confrontational approach, has directed its anger at the Iranian president and the country’s negotiating team.

The growing tensions, both inside and outside Iran, have unfolded during the week-long funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held in five cities across Iran as well as in Iraq. Khamenei’s body arrived in Najaf, Iraq, as the U.S. airstrikes began, and was scheduled to return to Iran for burial in Mashhad today.

Throughout the week, as the funeral procession continued, Iran’s hardline faction increasingly targeted government officials.

According to The New York Times, President Pezeshkian was confronted on Monday by a crowd of hardline supporters who attempted to push into him while shouting, “Death to the appeaser!” As he participated in the funeral procession, Pezeshkian reportedly stumbled and appeared shaken while his security detail shielded him and pushed the crowd back.

Another senior official aligned with Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, was reportedly struck by a stone on Monday while being chased through an alley during the funeral. According to the report, his attackers waved flags, cursed at him, and called for his death.

Government officials and supporters have since called for the arrest of those who attacked the president and the foreign minister, urging Iran’s judiciary to prosecute the hardliners responsible.

Yousef Pezeshkian, the president’s son and adviser, published a lengthy social media post defending his father’s policy of engagement with the United States. He condemned the attacks against his father and other officials by hardline elements.

“If this anger is directed at our own officials instead of toward internal unity and broader Islamic solidarity, then it has become a tool in the hands of the enemy,” he wrote.