Amid the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, signs of a historic shift in Iran’s state structure have emerged. According to a report by Reuters, for the first time since the 1979 revolution, the centre of power in Iran has moved away from traditional religious leadership toward the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The report claims that although Mojtaba Khamenei is seen as the apparent figurehead of the system after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in practice all major strategic decisions are being taken by commanders of the Revolutionary Guards.
The current wartime situation has further concentrated authority within a narrow and hardline circle, with the Supreme National Security Council and the IRGC now playing a central role in decision-making.
Political analysts and diplomatic sources say this shift has significantly affected Tehran’s decision-making process, leading to unusual delays in any potential negotiations or diplomatic contact with Washington.
Experts add that moderate voices within the Iranian system have largely diminished, and the internal debate is now dominated by hardline and ultra-hardline positions. Iran’s current strategy, they note, focuses on avoiding full-scale war while maintaining its military and economic influence in the region.
