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As nuclear negotiations with the United States quietly proceed, the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has taken a defensive posture, addressing his inner base not with triumph, but with caution and visible concern over possible cracks in loyalty. His recent speech reflects a leadership confronting not just external pressure, but growing internal uncertainty.
On April 24, speaking at a state ceremony, Khamenei revisited a historic moment in Shiite Islam: the controversial peace treaty of Imam Hassan. “Some people complain about Imam Hassan’s peace. But the Imam said: ‘You do not know; perhaps it is a trial for you and a temporary respite,’” he said, referring to his own published interpretation from years past.
Khamenei did not try to project strength. Instead, his words were filled with warnings about doubt, disloyalty, and even loss of control among insiders: “In every era, some fall into doubt… Those who stood with Imam Hassan at first, many of them later turned their backs,” he said.
Khamenei Backpedals on U.S. Talks, But Tries to Mask #Iranian Regime’s Submissionhttps://t.co/QWUWVHhtbd
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 16, 2025
He also condemned what he described as reckless talk from within the regime: “Some people cannot control their tongue. They cannot control their mouth. These people are dangerous.” The statement, delivered with emphasis, seemed aimed at figures inside the system who may criticize or waver in the face of upcoming decisions.
Ahmad Alamolhoda, Khamenei’s representative in Mashhad, sought to manage public expectations and deflect responsibility for Iran’s deepening economic woes. In his Friday sermon on April 25, 2025, he warned against “tying people’s lives to negotiations,” declaring: “It is not right to say if talks succeed, our economy will be fine—and if not, we are ruined.” He blamed market instability, reduced investment, and psychological strain on what he called the “conditionalization” of the economy on diplomacy. Despite his role in the clerical establishment, Alamolhoda’s remarks portrayed the crisis as external and implied that those at the top — including himself — are not responsible for the negotiations now underway.
This wave of caution comes amid unprecedented socio-economic hardship. Javad Arianmanesh, a former lawmaker, described the situation as “catastrophic” and warned of a possible uprising. “The people no longer believe in reformists or hardliners. Trust is gone,” he said, adding that even voters who once backed extremist candidates like Saeed Jalili are now “rethinking their views.”
Khamenei’s Defiant Display Masks #Iranian Regime’s Unease Amid U.S. Talkshttps://t.co/zpVuFRD4DK
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 13, 2025
Meanwhile, Shahaboddin Tabatabaei, Secretary-General of the Neday-e Iranian Party, warned that public trust is shaped not only by policy but by the signals coming from leadership. He contrasted the messaging of previous governments, which he said gave off “a perception of overthrow,” with the current approach under President Pezeshkian, which he described as oriented toward “survival.”
In a parallel statement, Mohammad-Mehdi Imanipour, a senior cultural official, admitted that Iran is facing growing global scrutiny. “Cases are being prepared against us on charges of human rights violations—especially regarding women’s rights and regional involvement,” he said on state television. Imanipour emphasized that Iran is “under fire on both fronts,” facing simultaneous pressure over its nuclear program and its domestic human rights record.
With negotiations underway and the potential for controversial outcomes ahead, Khamenei’s speech reveals more than resolve—it reveals fear. Not fear of foreign powers, but of erosion from within: of doubt, dissent, and defection that could deepen the clerical dictatorship’s legitimacy crisis at a critical juncture.