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Deepening divisions have emerged within Iran’s clerical regime as rival factions publicly clash over critical issues, including negotiations with the United States and adherence to international financial regulations. The escalating internal conflict has notably undermined the authority of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who faces unprecedented challenges from within his ranks.
Former Iranian regime’s President Hassan Rouhani directly challenged Khamenei’s position on negotiations with Washington, stating openly that the Supreme Leader “is not absolutely opposed to negotiations.” Rouhani argued Khamenei’s stance could shift quickly, adding, “He might oppose negotiations under current conditions but could agree to new conditions within months.” Rouhani further warned that the regime faces critical threats to national security, emphasizing the urgent need for unity and practical solutions, stating clearly that “we must help the system” to overcome its growing vulnerabilities.
Highlighting past U.S.-Iran negotiations, Rouhani pointed to historical precedents in Iraq and Afghanistan, revealing that Khamenei himself had supervised and approved talks with American officials. Rouhani also underscored Iran’s immense financial losses due to ongoing sanctions, estimating losses of $700-$800 billion since the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. He warned that resolving Iran’s economic crises would be impossible without “constructive engagement with the world.”
Khamenei’s Survival at Stake in #Iran—Refuses Talks, Doubles Down on Hostilityhttps://t.co/2QEJdEgIXI
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 13, 2025
Rouhani further criticized the regime’s chaotic decision-making processes, describing current leadership as devoid of coherent planning. “From outside, it’s clear that we lack any real strategy,” he said, emphasizing growing public disillusionment and low voter turnout as “threats to national security.”
Rouhani’s criticism came at a sensitive moment following Khamenei’s categorical, repetitive rejections of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent overture for negotiations. On March 12, Khamenei dismissed Trump’s diplomatic offer as a “deception,” asserting that “negotiations will only tighten the sanctions.”
On March 8, the regime’s Supreme Leader rejected negotiations with the U.S. as “not rational, not wise, and not honorable,” reflecting fears that concessions could destabilize his regime internally.
Why Khamenei Eliminated Hassan Rouhani from Upcoming #Iranian Electionshttps://t.co/Ja5RmzgWRW
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 26, 2024
Such skepticism was echoed by Khamenei’s representative in Karaj, Hosseini Hamedani, who dramatically declared, “Any negotiations with America mean the end of the Islamic Republic.” While intended as support for Khamenei’s resistance, the remark paradoxically underscores the existential anxiety gripping the regime, hinting at internal panic rather than unity.
Ghorbanali Dori Najafabadi, the Friday Prayer Leader of Arak, further underscored regime divisions by categorically rejecting negotiations with the U.S., calling them a tool of “bullying, coercion, and arrogance” by Washington. Speaking on March 14, Najafabadi said, “Negotiations with the Americans offer no guarantees benefiting our people.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty over the regime’s position regarding the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) deepened divisions further. According to an IRNA report published on March 14, a special commission within the Expediency Council approved Iran joining the Palermo and CFT conventions, essential for exiting the FATF blacklist.
However, hours later, Mohsen Dehnavi, spokesperson for the Expediency Council, denied that any discussions about FATF were ongoing, highlighting conflicting statements within the regime’s decision-making body. Further complicating the matter, Hossein Mozzaffar, a member of the Expediency Council, admitted approval still required a challenging three-fifths majority in the council, suggesting significant internal resistance and difficulty ahead.
#Khamenei Rejects U.S. Talks, Fears Concessions Will Crumble His Regime in #Iranhttps://t.co/Ev7k87roJS
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 8, 2025
Ali Nikzad, Deputy Speaker of the regime’s parliament, reinforced the regime’s rejectionist stance toward dialogue with Washington, labeling any negotiations with America “a great deception,” reflecting the Supreme Leader’s continued hostility and deepening Iran’s international isolation.
Adding to this tense atmosphere, Mahmoud Nabavian, a conservative MP affiliated with the extremist Jebhe Paydari faction, warned against internal actions that could “inflame the country.” Referring specifically to controversial protests over hijab legislation outside the parliament, Nabavian argued such disputes must be avoided to prevent “enemy attempts to turn Iran into another Syria.”
While rival factions within the Iranian regime fight fiercely over competing roadmaps intended to preserve the system, their internal warfare is ironically tearing the regime apart, weakening it further, and leaving it vulnerable to their common adversary—the Iranian people, who closely observe and increasingly challenge their rulers.