Iranian President Denies Resignation Claims and Rift with Supreme Leader

JAKARTA - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has denied reports that he is planning to resign, saying the claims are aimed at "creating divisions" among Tehran's political and military leadership.

President Pezeshkian also stressed that his government was "fully coordinated" with the Iranian armed forces, as well as dispelling rumors of a rift in Tehran.

"I will not resign and I will remain firm," President Pezeshkian said, quoted by Iranian government media, reported by The National (5/8).

"If I resign, I will announce it officially," he said.

This statement came after reports that President Pezeshkian had threatened to resign 28 times. The report also indicates that he had submitted a temporary resignation letter in May, where President Pezeshkian reportedly complained that his government had been "completely sidelined" from national security and foreign policy affairs by the military and hardliners. At that time, Iranian officials denied the allegations.

The report also quoted a statement by cleric Mohammad Bagher Kharrazi saying that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, had told President Pezeshkian that any resignation in the future would be accepted.

Mehdi Tabatabai, a spokesman for President Pezeshkian's office, dismissed the report as "baseless" and "purely fabricated", and insisted that the president's resignation had never been considered.

He added that the reports were part of a broader effort to manipulate public perceptions of the government.

Although Iran is trying to present the image of unity during the conflict with the US, the development of the situation in Tehran shows the opposite.

The structural divisions within Iran's policymaking ranks have sharpened in recent weeks, with the military elite seen by analysts as gaining influence following the passing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The rift is reflected in statements and conflicting attitudes in Iran regarding various issues, including attacks on Gulf countries, negotiations with the US, and the future of the Strait of Hormuz.

Last month, during negotiations with the US, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the deal was "never closer".

His remarks triggered public rejection in Tehran. Videos on social media showed crowds chanting "Araghchi, have some shame, get rid of America", reflecting the hardliners' anger at any indication of concessions to Washington.

This is not the first time that Araghchi has come under sharp scrutiny from internal parties. In April, he was criticized by the Iranian news agency, Tasnim, after announcing through a post on the X platform that the Strait of Hormuz was "fully open".

The statement came after the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon - an issue that had previously been a major obstacle in US-Iranian negotiations.

However, an Iranian source quoted by Tasnim stated that sailing across the strait would be considered "illegal" if the US naval blockade continued. The source explained three conditions for ships that wanted to pass. Tasnim assessed that Araghchi's upload created ambiguity.

This difference in attitude was also evident from the beginning of the conflict. In March, President Pezeshkian promised to stop attacks on neighboring countries, unless attacks on Iran came from their territory.

However, attacks by drones and missiles targeting the Gulf countries continued for weeks, which eventually led Pezeshkian to withdraw his apology.