IRGC Blocks Pezeshkian Appointments, Isolates Khamenei

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has consolidated its influence over key state functions, blocking President Masoud Pezeshkian's appointments and establishing a security cordon around Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, according to multiple reports from sources close to the government. The moves, which became evident in recent weeks amid ongoing regional tensions, have deepened a political deadlock and sidelined civilian leadership in Tehran.

The IRGC, the elite military branch formed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to safeguard the regime, has long extended its reach into politics, the economy, and security. In the latest developments, IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi rejected all candidates proposed by Pezeshkian for intelligence minister, including former Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan. Vahidi argued that wartime conditions required the IRGC to fill and manage all critical positions directly until further notice. Sources indicated that Pezeshkian sought urgent meetings with Khamenei but was unable to gain access, as a military council of senior IRGC officers now controls entry to the supreme leader's inner circle. This isolation has prevented government reports from...