Iran's president slams minority rule as resignation rumors swirl

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian delivered a pointed rebuke of his country's leadership structure at a cabinet meeting Saturday, criticizing the concentration of power in the hands of a small minority. The remarks drew attention given the growing influence of hard-liners, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, amid the ongoing conflict with the United States.

Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported that Pezeshkian told the cabinet that "Iran's leadership should not be composed solely of leaders and officials from a limited minority group." He called for all segments of society — including ordinary citizens, economic stakeholders and scientists — to participate in the country's decision-making process, arguing that broader public involvement would improve the chances of resolving the nation's problems. He also appealed for those in positions of responsibility to stand alongside the people and work together to find solutions when citizens face hardship.

The remarks came as hard-liners, particularly the Revolutionary Guards, have consolidated control over Iran's internal decision-making during the war with the United States. Analysts interpreted the comments as targeting the narrow group of hard-liners who have used opaque decision-making processes — invoking the supreme leader's will — to expand their influence and legitimacy.

The Revolutionary Guards maintain military capabilities that dwarf those of the regular armed forces, ostensibly to protect the theocratic system, and control major companies that account for a significant share of the Iranian economy. The corps has formed a cartel with the clerical establishment and other pillars of political power, cementing its place at the center of the country's leadership. It has particularly driven Iran's hard-line military posture in the current conflict with Israel and the United States. Mojtaba Khamenei's election as the next supreme leader is also said to have depended on the full backing of both the clerical establishment and the Revolutionary Guards.

Pezeshkian is considered part of the negotiating camp alongside Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Known for his pragmatic approach, he is credited with keeping negotiations alive through multiple near-collapses. His position remains precarious, however, as internal hard-liners argue that negotiations do not serve Iran's sovereignty and that the country must be prepared for military confrontation with the United States.

Reports of a possible resignation surfaced the same day, when an opposition outlet claimed Pezeshkian had signaled his intention to step down, citing the Revolutionary Guards' takeover of state affairs. Iran International, a London-based Iranian opposition outlet, reported that Pezeshkian had formally communicated his wish to resign.

Citing internal sources, Iran International reported that Pezeshkian had sent an official letter to the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei conveying his intention to resign immediately. The letter stated that he could not continue to govern or fulfill his legal responsibilities given that the president and the government had in effect been excluded from major state decisions — a vacuum that hard-liners within the Revolutionary Guards had exploited to seize control of the country, according to those sources.

The presidential office swiftly denied the report, saying Pezeshkian "will not stop serving the Iranian people."