Coup Rumors Explode—Who Runs Iran Now?

Multiple Iranian flags waving against a clear blue sky

A power struggle inside Iran’s regime is now so intense that its president has reportedly tried to quit, saying military hardliners have effectively taken over the state.

Story Snapshot

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reportedly sent a resignation letter to the Supreme Leader’s office, citing a takeover by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).^[1]^[2]^[3]
The reported letter claims the elected government has been excluded from “major and vital” decisions, leaving Pezeshkian unable to perform his constitutional duties.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[6]
Iranian regime-linked outlets and officials have publicly denied that any resignation has been submitted, framing the story as opposition propaganda.^[5]^[6]
The clash exposes how Iran’s unelected security elite dominates war and economic policy—an instability that directly threatens U.S. security and global energy markets.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Reported resignation: president says IRGC has ‘taken over’ the state

According to London-based opposition broadcaster Iran International, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has submitted an official resignation letter to the Office of the Supreme Leader, saying he can no longer govern because hardline commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have “effectively taken control of affairs.”^[1]^[2] The outlet reports that in the letter, sent on a Sunday, Pezeshkian writes that the presidency and civilian cabinet have been excluded from “major and vital decision-making processes,” leaving him unable to carry out his legal and constitutional duties.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Regional and Western coverage has amplified the same core claim, while stressing that the story still rests on anonymous sources. Gulf News, citing Iran International, reports that Pezeshkian has “formally submitted a resignation letter” to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s office, highlighting that the president argues the elected government has been “increasingly sidelined” as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps factions seize control over key state decisions.^[2] The Times of Israel likewise reports that Pezeshkian has “sent a letter of resignation,” warning that rule has fallen under full control of Guard commanders since the war with the United States and Israel erupted earlier this year.^[3]

Tehran denies, opposition insists: a contested narrative with real stakes

Even as the resignation claim spread, regime-aligned voices moved quickly to deny it. A Balkan-based summary, drawing on Iranian agency Tasnim, reports that Tehran “categorically denied” Pezeshkian has resigned and insists he “continues to carry out his duties normally.”^[5] A detailed television explainer notes that Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani publicly rejected the Iran International story, saying the administration remains focused on national challenges, and that no official resignation has been acknowledged.^[6] That same segment underscores that the alleged letter is opposition-sourced, remains unverified by major wire services, and is now directly contradicted by official statements from inside the regime.^[6]

This dispute follows a familiar pattern in the opaque world of Iranian power politics. Analysts point out that Iran’s presidency has long been a secondary institution, with real authority concentrated in the Supreme Leader’s office, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and other security-linked networks.^[2] Reports from March described an escalating rift between Pezeshkian and Guard chief figures over who controls war and economic policy, including accusations that Guard-linked elites are driving strategy that worsens inflation and living standards.^[2] Those accounts lend plausibility to claims that Pezeshkian feels sidelined, even as they stop short of independently confirming a formal resignation letter.^[2]^[3]

Why this internal Iranian struggle matters to American conservatives

For U.S. readers, especially those who care about strong national security and stable energy prices, the stakes are straightforward. Reports that Guard commanders have “effectively taken over large portions of the government” describe an Iran where unelected military and intelligence figures call the shots on war, terror proxies, and oil policy.^[1]^[2]^[6] That structure increases the risk of reckless behavior toward Israel and American forces, and it shows why past Western attempts to empower so-called “moderate” presidents in Tehran have repeatedly failed: the real power centers never stood for election in the first place.^[2]

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has officially denied rumors of his resignation by releasing footage from a high-level government meeting. The reports, which alleged deep rifts between the President's Office and the IRGC during sensitive ceasefire talks, were labeled by… pic.twitter.com/PS9x865jWJ

— Danyal Alam (Global Military Forum) (@Danyal_GMF) June 1, 2026

The information battle around Pezeshkian’s reported resignation is also a reminder of how authoritarian systems manipulate narratives. Iran International and other exile-linked outlets rely on anonymous sources because genuine leaks are dangerous; regime media and officials reflexively label such reports as foreign “gossip” or psychological warfare.^[1] For American conservatives who have watched similar spin from bureaucrats and corporate media at home, the pattern is recognizable: powerful unelected actors prefer to operate in the dark, deny everything, and hope public fatigue buries uncomfortable truths. In Iran’s case, that darkness covers decisions about missiles, nuclear work, proxy militias, and the global oil supply—issues that reach directly into American wallets and onto American security briefings.^[1]^[2]^[3]