As reported by Iran International Television on April 30:
"Both the Iranian President and the Speaker of Parliament have called for the removal of Foreign Minister Alaghchi."
The accusation: He directly followed orders from Revolutionary Guard Commander Vahidi during nuclear negotiations, completely sidelining the President and effectively nullifying presidential authority.
It is reported that Pezeshkian has confided to his inner circle that if the situation continues, he will dismiss Alaghchi.
……
The situation is further deteriorating.
While a ceasefire remains in place for now, the Iranian government that facilitated it is already deeply fractured internally.
This report about the Iranian President and the Speaker seeking to oust Foreign Minister Alaghchi acts like a surgical scalpel, precisely slicing through the facade of unity in Iran’s political landscape, revealing profound internal power fissures. This is not merely an ordinary personnel dispute—it is a concentrated manifestation of escalating tensions between Iran’s “civilian government” and its “military strongmen,” marking a shift from covert struggles to open confrontation.
The core of this incident lies in the inevitable eruption of Iran’s inherent “dual power structure” under external crisis.
The hollowing out of elected governance: President Pezeshkian, as an elected leader, should be leading national foreign policy. Yet he is being systematically sidelined. The report indicates he is not only excluded from foreign policy decisions but even stripped of basic personnel authority, such as appointing successors for fallen officials. This shows that the civilian government, represented by the President, is losing core control over the state apparatus.
Full takeover by the Revolutionary Guard: Revolutionary Guard Commander Vahidi has become the de facto center of power. He not only controls military and security matters but has extended influence into key political domains including diplomacy and appointments. He has explicitly stated that all critical positions must be directly managed by the Revolutionary Guard—equivalent to a silent “political takeover.”
Foreign Minister Alaghchi’s role perfectly embodies this imbalance of power. As foreign minister, he should execute the President’s policies—but is now accused of serving merely as a “mouthpiece” for the Revolutionary Guard. His alleged alignment has directly intensified conflict with both the President and the Speaker, becoming the catalyst for this power struggle.
It should be noted that this explosive news originates from Iran International, a media outlet headquartered in the UK and often regarded by Iranian authorities as politically biased. Therefore, specific details in the report must be viewed with caution.
Nevertheless, even after stripping away some dramatic elements, the central logic—that there exists serious internal power struggle within Iran—aligns closely with multiple reports and analysts’ assessments. Regardless of whether the dismissal of the foreign minister ultimately materializes, this episode clearly demonstrates that decision-making power in Iran is accelerating toward hardline military-security factions led by the Revolutionary Guard, while the authority of the elected government is continuously eroded.
This dispute over the foreign minister’s fate is a total outbreak of deep-seated structural contradictions within Iran’s political system. It foreshadows that no matter whether external ceasefires can be maintained, internal political fragmentation and power struggles have become the most critical variables determining Iran’s future trajectory.
To demonstrate institutional unity, on the same day, the Iranian President, Parliament, and military jointly issued a statement. The Supreme Leader, along with the President and Speaker, separately expressed identical positions, showcasing high cohesion among factions amid U.S. maximum pressure. (See previous microblog post.)
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863988880683008/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.