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The recent developments in Iran’s political landscape highlight the deep-rooted instability and factional infighting within the regime, underscoring the absence of any realistic hope for internal reform. The introduction of Masoud Pezeshkian‘s cabinet has triggered fierce competition among rival factions for influence and power, revealing the regime’s fractured nature.
Despite attempts by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s affiliates to assert control, tensions have boiled over. The infighting was evident in the way Pezeshkian’s proposed cabinet was received, with critics from various factions describing it as merely a continuation of Ebrahim Raisi’s administration. This sentiment was captured by Pezeshkian himself, who described the appointees as “experienced” and akin to “the Basijis who managed the war.”
On August 14, Pezeshkian wrote on his website, “The proposed cabinet list was prepared and presented to strengthen the synergy between the government and the parliament. The criteria for evaluating performance in this government are commitment and effort to properly and maximally implement the vision goals. We are confident that if we move forward with the same spirit that the Basijis managed the war, using the most up-to-date solutions and advanced tools, we can overcome all problems, including sanctions and restrictions.”
The political discord reached a boiling point when the hardline newspaper Farhikhtegan, aligned with Khamenei’s senior advisor Ali Akbar Velayati, attacked former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, labeling his resignation as an “internal government coup.” The paper questioned how a president, whose strategic council head flipped the table in the first 40 days, could defend his proposed cabinet. It accused Zarif of weakening the government’s bargaining power against foreign enemies during his tenure and suggested that Pezeshkian might struggle to defend the regime under similar conditions. Farhikhtegan lamented, “If only this internal government coup had not occurred due to disagreements over cabinet formation, and Zarif had understood his political position.”
Unformed Pezeshkian Cabinet Under Siege from Competing Regime Factions in #Iranhttps://t.co/fYvXKbmvAn
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 15, 2024
The resignation of Zarif has sent shockwaves through the political establishment. The state-run newspaper Setareh Sobh expressed concern over the impact of Zarif’s departure, stating on August 14, “The first shock to Pezeshkian’s voters was the list of ministers. However, the heaviest shock to the fourteenth government was Zarif’s withdrawal from the cabinet. These two shocks are not suitable for this time and this situation. Zarif’s departure in such a troubling manner will create a rift among the president’s supporters.”
Proposed ministers under attack
Prominent figures like former MP Jahanbakhsh Mohebbi-Nia have also voiced concerns, questioning the competence of some proposed ministers, describing them as mere “experts, not ministers.” He criticized the opportunism and influence of rival factions in the cabinet formation, warning of a “suspicious presence” within the ranks.
The regime’s internal divisions were further exposed by the IRGC-run Fars News Agency, which opposed the nomination of Abdolnaser Hemmati for the Ministry of Economy, accusing him of burdening the country with 460 trillion tomans in debt to the International Monetary Fund. Meanwhile, the Khabar Online website, associated with former parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, criticized Pezeshkian for including ministers from Raisi’s faction in his cabinet, questioning why the new government should keep the old staff while “the thirteenth administration had even replaced “the cafeteria personnel from the previous administrations.”
This sentiment was echoed by disillusioned so-called reformist Benazir Jalali, who lamented, “I feel like we are only wanted for voting, just decorative figures. What happened in the Strategic Council was exactly that—they wanted a bunch of decorative figures.”
#Iranian Regime’s Factions Erupt in Conflict Over Pezeshkian’s Controversial Cabinet Choiceshttps://t.co/JDqRZ8PHIB
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 14, 2024
The ongoing debates in the regime’s parliament, and the evident regret expressed by some proposed ministers during commission hearings, further illustrate the deep-seated turmoil. Hadi Mohammadpour, a member of the Economic Commission, noted, “Obviously, some ministries have challenges, especially the Ministry of Economy. We have individuals who have no ministerial experience. Likely, at least two ministries will not receive a vote of confidence.”
Other MPs, such as Ruhollah Abbaspour, pointed out the likely failure of the proposed Minister of Roads and Urban Development, questioning her ability to interact effectively with the parliament. Hassan Beyadi, a former member of Tehran’s city council, warned that if Pezeshkian fails, the entire regime will face significant weakness. He stressed the difficulty Pezeshkian faces due to his lack of extensive executive experience and the challenge of selecting capable personnel.
Repenting for Power
In an attempt to appease hardline parliament members, Ahmad Meydari, the proposed Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, expressed regret for his past, particularly during his time in the Sixth Parliament. Former IRGC commander and current MP Ahmad Rastineh quoted Meydari saying, “We took the wrong path in the Sixth Parliament, and we are not ashamed to admit it. This wrong path imposed many costs on the state. Today, we clearly declare that the path the reformists took in the Sixth Parliament was very dangerous and wrong.”
This sentiment was echoed by Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of the Kayhan newspaper, who wrote about the proposed ministers’ regrets over their past actions, noting, “Some of these deviants, who appeared before the relevant committees of the Parliament, expressed regret and admitted that they had made mistakes! Others, while knowing that their deviant positions and actions were indefensible, chose to remain silent, leaving the evidence and documents presented unanswered, indicating their insistence on previous positions and actions.”
Pezeshkian Cabinet Triggers New Battlefront in #Iran’s Factional Power Strugglehttps://t.co/Vyh8UQTz0u pic.twitter.com/Xox0HYuuze
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 13, 2024
Shariatmadari concluded with a warning to the regime, stating, “Now you are regretful, so do not expect us to make the mistake of accepting you as ministers, only to regret it later like you! Why would a wise person do something that leads to regret again?”
Meanwhile, in a bid to stave off further political brinkmanship and rally disillusioned “reformists,” Pezeshkian’s Vice President, Mohammad-Reza Aref, admitted, “The current state of the nation is incomparable to the conditions when the reformist government first assumed power. The strategy of the national consensus government is to engage and cooperate with all political factions.”
The escalating factional strife and power struggles within the Iranian regime, intensified by the contentious cabinet selections, expose a regime teetering on the edge of crisis. The relentless tug-of-war between rival factions, compounded by mounting domestic and international challenges, underscores the system’s inherent fragility. As Khamenei grapples with navigating his fractured regime through these turbulent times, his efforts to maintain control are increasingly marked by isolation and dwindling support.