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Iranian officials have denied reports that President Masoud Pezeshkian resigned amid an alleged power struggle with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), dismissing the claims as "rumour mongering" by a foreign media outlet.

The reports, first carried by London-based outlet Iran International, said Pezeshkian had sent a letter to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's office submitting his resignation. According to the report, the president was frustrated by what he viewed as the IRGC's growing influence over government affairs and felt his administration had been "excluded" from key decision-making processes. Tehran has rejected the claims, with Pezeshkian's deputy head of communications describing them on X as "rumour mongering." The spokeswoman for the Iranian government called the reports part of a "recurring tactic used to sow discord and instability" by foreign-backed media.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the resignation reports varies significantly across outlets. France 24 reported that the claims surfaced over the last 24 hours, citing an unnamed source "familiar with the matter," and noted that they were subsequently picked up by several international media outlets, including Israeli newspapers and US broadcaster Fox News. The outlet also highlighted that Pezeshkian posted a message on X the same day referring to "major challenges" facing the country and the need to navigate a "rugged, winding path" through public cooperation and awareness.

The Jerusalem Post reported the resignation claim as fact, citing an anonymous official who told Iran International that the letter had called out the fact that the IRGC had effectively taken over large portions of the government. The Post also reported that anonymous sources said the primary source of differences between Pezeshkian and the IRGC head was "the way the war was managed and its destructive consequences on the people's livelihoods and the country's economy."

ABC Australia's coverage focused on the broader context of Pezeshkian's presidency, noting his background as a cardiac surgeon and health minister, and his portrayal as a "moderate" reformer. The outlet reported that the resignation report was "not independently verified" but that it comes at a turbulent time for Iran's regime, following the death of its supreme leader in February in a deadly strike from Israel and the United States. The consequent war between the three countries has killed thousands of people, according to ABC.

Key Claims

  • Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sent a letter to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's office submitting his resignation, as reported by Iran International and cited by several outlets. Tehran has denied these reports.
  • The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had effectively taken over large portions of the Iranian government, according to an anonymous official cited by Iran International.
  • Pezeshkian was unable to run the government or fulfill his responsibilities under the circumstances, according to the same report.
  • Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is hidden in a secret location with little access to the outside world, as revealed by US officials to CBS, according to the Jerusalem Post.
  • The war between Iran, the US, and Israel has killed thousands of people, as reported by ABC Australia.
  • Iran is reeling from water and energy shortages, international sanctions, inflation, weak economic growth, and the military defeat of most of its regional allies, according to ABC Australia.
  • Pezeshkian posted a message on X referring to "major challenges" facing the country, as reported by France 24.