A deepening power struggle has reportedly erupted within Iran’s leadership as senior political, military, and security officials clash over who should control Tehran’s messaging, direct the country’s military response, and ultimately bear responsibility for the growing losses from the conflict, according to a report by the UAE-based Erem News.

Citing Iranian opposition sources, the report says the dispute centers on three competing power centers: the office of Mojtaba Khamenei, the diplomatic camp led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and the military camp, which includes Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, the IRGC Quds Force, and the IRGC Aerospace Force.

According to the report, the main disagreements center on who should communicate Iran’s position to Washington through mediators, who should determine the limits of Iran’s military response, and who will bear responsibility for the losses and decisions made before the U.S. expanded its military campaign. Araghchi reportedly pushed for a single official diplomatic channel, while IRGC leaders continued sending separate military assessments directly to Khamenei’s office.

The report says Khamenei’s office received conflicting assessments from the Foreign Ministry and various military commands regarding the extent of the damage, Iran’s ability to continue the war, and whether Iran’s attacks were deterring Washington or instead prompting an even stronger U.S. response. It also claims rival factions have begun quietly collecting internal documents related to battle damage assessments, the defense of military facilities in southern Iran, the management of the Strait of Hormuz, and leaks concerning the American strikes as each camp prepares for a possible internal investigation.

According to the report, the absence of Ali Khamenei has intensified the internal struggle, with rival factions increasingly blaming one another for military losses, intelligence failures, and decisions that led to the expansion of the U.S. campaign. Mehdi Oghbai, a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, told Erem News that Khamenei’s absence removed the central authority that had previously kept competing factions in check. He claimed Mojtaba Khamenei’s efforts to fill the vacuum have yet to establish stable control, and that disputes over his legitimacy and ability to balance the competing religious, military, and political factions continue.

The report also cites accounts published by Iran International claiming tensions have spread to military units on the ground. According to those accounts, some commanders were absent during critical stages of the U.S. strikes while rank-and-file troops remained at their posts. Other witnesses alleged soldiers felt they were being used as “human shields,” while two IRGC commanders were reportedly seen hiding overnight near a fire station and a girls’ high school in Lorestan Province.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)