Iran's political establishment is facing growing internal divisions, with hardline factions accusing the country's civilian leadership of engineering a "soft coup" after reaching an agreement with the United States. The allegations come as Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has remained largely absent from public view, fueling speculation and intensifying tensions within the ruling establishment.
The divisions became evident during the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran last week. As President Masoud Pezeshkian walked alongside the late leader's coffin, sections of the crowd reportedly chanted "death to the compromiser" instead of offering traditional tributes.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who played a central role in negotiating the ceasefire and sanctions relief agreement with the United States under the Trump administration, also faced hostility. Reports said he was forced to leave the funeral after mourners allegedly pelted him with stones and accused him of betraying the country's revolutionary ideals.
The incident reflected growing anger among Iran's hardline factions, which claim that senior officials involved in negotiations with Washington are attempting to marginalise the country's revolutionary leadership while Mojtaba Khamenei remains absent from public life.
Although officials have cited security concerns for his limited appearances, some critics have speculated that his prolonged absence could also be linked to health issues. No official confirmation has been provided.
Hardliners contend that instead of retaliating for Ali Khamenei's death in Israeli airstrikes allegedly carried out with US coordination earlier this year, the government effectively capitulated by signing an agreement with Washington. They argue that the deal contradicts Mojtaba Khamenei's stated directives. While government leaders continue to govern and negotiate in his name, the new supreme leader has neither addressed the nation nor publicly asserted his authority.
In his absence, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, President Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi have become the principal public faces of Iran's post-war administration. Their increasing prominence has prompted accusations from hardline groups that they are consolidating power by bypassing parliament, disregarding the supreme leader's guidance during negotiations and suppressing demonstrations organised by conservative supporters.
Days before the funeral, conservative lawmaker Mahmoud Nabavian echoed these concerns in a post on X, asking whether a coup was underway in Iran. Following the funeral, he declared that supporters would continue seeking vengeance for Ali Khamenei's death while resisting what he described as an unfolding political takeover.
Arash Azizi, a US-based Iran expert and author of What Iranians Want, told CNN that Mojtaba Khamenei's continued absence has deprived hardline factions of direct access to the country's highest authority. As a result, they have increasingly portrayed Ghalibaf and Pezeshkian as the leading figures behind an alleged power grab.
Hardliners Push for Renewed Confrontation
The funeral ceremonies also became a platform for hardline factions to renew calls for military retaliation against the United States while rejecting continued diplomatic engagement.
Those demands intensified after the fragile ceasefire reportedly deteriorated this week. The Revolutionary Guards launched attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting retaliatory US strikes and encouraging hardliners to call for the complete abandonment of the truce.
Even before the renewed hostilities, prominent conservative figures had publicly criticised members of the government over the agreement with Washington.
At one gathering, regime-aligned religious singer Mohammad Ali Bakhshi issued a warning to President Pezeshkian, stating that if the supreme leader's conditions were not fulfilled, severe consequences would follow. Although the remarks attracted criticism, no legal action has reportedly been taken against him.
Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf has also become a target of sustained criticism despite his longstanding ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and his influential role during the recent conflict. Hardliners accuse him of strengthening the authority of the Supreme Council for National Security while diminishing the influence of parliament and the supreme leader.
Hardline MP Kamran Ghazanfari similarly alleged that efforts were underway to elevate the National Security Council at the expense of Iran's traditional power structure, describing the process as a gradual political coup.
Efforts to Sideline Hardline Factions
The internal struggle has also extended into Iran's parliament.
On Tuesday, Mahmoud Nabavian and another lawmaker opposed to the agreement with the United States were removed from the National Security Commission.
Nabavian, who previously served on Iran's negotiating team before becoming a vocal critic of the agreement, has accused negotiators of violating the supreme leader's red lines. He was also alleged to have attempted to derail the negotiations by leaking details of the agreement before it was finalised.
Nabavian and his allies are closely associated with Jebhe-ye Paydari, or the Endurance Front, an ultraconservative political movement that presents itself as the guardian of the principles established during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
According to political analysts, Iran's current leadership is increasingly seeking to reduce the influence of these hardline groups.
Hamidreza Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told CNN that Ghalibaf appears to be actively working to sideline radical factions, arguing that their growing internal rivalries have become increasingly costly for the political system during a period of instability.
Although relatively small, the Endurance Front continues to wield influence within parliament, the state broadcaster IRIB and other state institutions. One of its most prominent leaders, former national security chief Saeed Jalili, finished second in Iran's 2024 presidential election after securing more than 13 million votes.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly described Iran as deeply divided, suggesting that internal political fractures have complicated efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran.
However, analysts maintain that despite visible disagreements between the government and hardline factions, the broader Iranian establishment remains largely united on key strategic priorities, including securing sanctions relief and maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz.
At the same time, Mojtaba Khamenei's continued absence from public life, his conditional endorsement of the ceasefire, the expanding role of the Revolutionary Guards and the large public turnout at Ali Khamenei's funeral have strengthened calls from hardline groups for a more aggressive military response against both the United States and Israel.
Reflecting that position, former Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki stated during a televised interview on Wednesday that Iran should target a US military base in the region and capture American troops, arguing that detaining around 100 US soldiers would be sufficient to demonstrate Iran's resolve.
