"Iranians Are Doing Our Work for Us": Leadership Divided, Public in Despair, and Mojtaba Remains Silent
A senior security official stated that recent remarks by Iranian leaders reflect deep public despair and a fractured leadership. He added that Mojtaba Khamenei holds an extremist position and is blocking any potential negotiations with the United States.
A senior security official said yesterday (Wednesday) that "the Iranians are doing our work for us," referring to their conduct in the Middle East and their attitude toward the Americans. The official further stated that the statements made last week by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were unprecedented and reflected the central problem within the Iranian leadership.
Araghchi spoke about the feelings that accompanied him during the elimination of Ali Khamenei, and Pezeshkian spoke about the economic war against Iran and its consequences, explaining that it harms Iranian stability and that it would have been better not to enter into this confrontation. He also said that if the fighting with Israel had stopped after 20 days, Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, would have remained alive, and the petrochemical and steel industries would not have been damaged.
According to the security official, "It hurts them. They talk about how 'the Jews and the Americans have figured out the patent for economic war,' there are localized protests, and it is starting to bubble." He added that "the stones thrown at them at Khamenei's funeral were authentic. This points to the division in the Iranian leadership."
In the security establishment, it is argued that in the past, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would let the leadership argue and at a certain point make a decision. In the current case, the leadership is divided, arguing, writing letters to Mojtaba Khamenei, and he does not respond. "He is an extremist. Opposed to any negotiations with the United States. He is influential," according to the official.
Within the security establishment, there is a disagreement over the interpretation of why the Iranians are not launching missiles at Israel. One source said cautiously that the Iranians are "deterred," but at the same time said that they are keeping the attack on the Israeli home front as another level of escalation against the United States. According to the security official, "It is not for nothing that they call us a crazy Jewish dog. They know what will happen if they attack the Israeli home front. We will attack national infrastructure."
