'End the war, revive the economy': Iran's top leaders push for peace

As the war with the United States drags on and Iran's economic crisis deepens, the country's top leaders have begun openly calling for an end to the conflict. President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — who leads Iran's ceasefire negotiating team — have both argued that the war must end and economic recovery must begin, bringing a simmering rift with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) hardliners into the open.

According to the Wall Street Journal on Friday (local time), Pezeshkian, widely regarded as one of Iran's leading advocates of negotiations, said in remarks carried by local media that "the war must end at some point."

"Rather than continuing the war, it is better to show our strength and dignity on Saturday, and let the world know that we have won the war and are now bringing it to a close," he said.

Ghalibaf, who heads Iran's delegation in ceasefire talks with the United States, also said economic recovery must take priority over continued fighting.

"As someone who has experienced war, we know the true value of peace," he said. "No matter how much military power we possess, if our people are suffering, if money is not circulating in the country and the economy is not growing, we cannot achieve progress."

Analysts say the simultaneous public calls from Iran's top leaders for ending the war on economic grounds — even as ceasefire negotiations with the United States remain deadlocked — reflect the growing internal strain of a prolonged conflict.

Iran's economy is under severe pressure from the combination of a protracted war and the Donald Trump administration's maritime blockade and economic sanctions. Restrictions on oil exports and foreign trade, along with surging prices, have significantly increased the financial burden on ordinary Iranians.

The pressure on Iran's leadership has intensified further since Donald Trump recently declared a sweeping "economic isolation campaign," threatening to penalize third countries that do business with Iran.

IRGC-led hardliners, however, still insist the war must continue. Reports indicate that even during the 60-day negotiating period following the signing of a ceasefire MOU between the United States and Iran, hardliners used the lull on the front lines to prepare for additional combat.

Experts say that despite the public calls for peace from the negotiating camp, a breakthrough in talks is unlikely in the near term.

Iran expert Hamidreza Azizi said Donald Trump appears to be exploiting Iran's economic hardship to extract greater concessions, adding that this approach "is creating a vicious cycle that makes it even harder for Iran to back down."

Danny Citrinowicz, a researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), also said that despite the statements from Pezeshkian and Ghalibaf, the risk of further escalation between the United States and Iran is growing.