The IRGC seizes control of Iranian state functions and blocks the president, the report said

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of Iran’s armed forces, has blocked President Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidential appointments and established what sources described as a security cordon around Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, according to a report published by Iran International on Tuesday.

The IRGC has effectively taken control of key state functions, the report claims.

Pezeshkian has reached “complete political deadlock” as tensions rise between his government and the military leadership. according to the report.

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The reported shift could have major consequences far beyond Iran.

Analysts say a more powerful IRGC would likely mean a more confrontational Iran, less willing to compromise in talks with Washington and more likely to continue military escalation across the region. With US-Iran negotiations already faltering and uncertainty growing over whether Tehran will even send negotiators to the next round of talks, the rise of the Revolutionary Guard is raising new doubts about who actually makes the decisions in Iran and whether a civilian official can still speak on behalf of the regime.

“But it is a mistake to assume that this is some kind of coup,” Ben Taleblu said. “This has been the process in Iran for years, as the regime has chosen conflict over cooperation and emboldened its security forces at every turn.”

Pezeshkian’s recent attempt to appoint a new Intelligence Minister failed after direct pressure from IRGC Commander Ahmad Vahidi, sources told Iran International, arguing that all proposed candidates, including former Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan, had been rejected.

Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard march during a parade. The IRGC has been designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a foreign terrorist organization. A large part of her work consists of operating covertly outside Iran. (Reuters)

Vahidi reportedly emphasized that under war conditions, all critical and sensitive positions should be chosen and managed directly by the Revolutionary Guards until further notice.

In the Iranian system, the president traditionally appoints an intelligence minister only after receiving approval from the supreme leader. But with Mojtaba Khamenei’s condition and whereabouts unclear in recent weeks, it appears that the IRGC is increasingly acting without civilian oversight.

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RGC Commander Ahmad Vahidi has reportedly emphasized that under war conditions, all critical and sensitive positions should be directly selected and managed by the Revolutionary Guards until further notice. (Morteza Nikoubazl/Nur Photo via Getty Images)

The report claims that Pezeshkian has repeatedly sought an urgent meeting with Khamenei but has failed to make contact.

Instead, according to Iran International, a “military council” made up of senior IRGC officers now controls access to the center of power, preventing government reports from reaching Mojtaba and effectively isolating him from the elected government.

Still, analysts say the reported power struggle reflects a longer trend in Iran, where the Revolutionary Guard has steadily expanded its influence over politics, the economy and national security.

Ben Taleblu argued that Pezeshkian’s apparent sidelining should not be seen as a dramatic break with the past because the president has never exercised significant independent authority.

“Those concerned about Pezeshkian’s possible sidelining should consider what he realistically could or could not have done just months ago, when the regime slaughtered 40,000 Iranians in the streets,” he said.

Pezeshkian, who was elected in 2025 on promises of moderation and reform, has been repeatedly restricted by the security establishment and clerical leadership.

The latest report suggests that momentum has increased dramatically as Iran faces mounting external pressure and internal uncertainty.

One of the most striking claims concerns Ali Asghar Hejazi, a powerful security official in the supreme leader’s office.

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A banner featuring Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is displayed in Tehran, Iran, March 14, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Some of Mojtaba Khamenei’s associates are now trying to oust Hejazi because he was against Mojtaba succeeding his father, Iran International said.

The report said Hejazi warned members of the Assembly of Experts that Mojtaba did not have the qualifications to become supreme leader and that hereditary succession would conflict with Ali Khamenei’s principles.

Hejazi also reportedly warned that bringing Mojtaba to power would effectively hand the country over to the Revolutionary Guards and permanently sideline civilian institutions.

That warning increasingly seems to reflect what is already happening.

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Analysts say the latest developments suggest the IRGC is no longer operating behind the scenes but is openly emerging as the dominant force in Tehran. (AFP/via Getty Images)

The Revolutionary Guard, created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to defend the regime, has long developed far beyond a military force. It now controls large parts of Iran’s economy, oversees the country’s missile and nuclear programs and exerts influence in virtually every branch of government.

Analysts say the latest developments suggest the IRGC is no longer operating behind the scenes but is openly emerging as the dominant force in Tehran.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment.