Pezeshkian threatened to resign if Mojtaba rejected agreement with US: NYT

• The reported dispute comes during funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei.
• Pezeshkian, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, and senior commanders reportedly backed a ceasefire and broader agreement.
• Hardline factions have criticized the negotiating team, accusing it of forcing the deal.

A sweeping report by The New York Times has exposed severe political fracturing within Iran's leadership, revealing that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian threatened to resign to force the country’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, to accept a comprehensive diplomatic agreement with Washington.

The political showdown has intensified during the weeklong state funeral ceremonies for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

While the processions were intended by officials to serve as a display of systemic resilience following a direct military conflict with the United States and 'Israel', they have instead highlighted the deep internal schisms and isolation gripping the ruling elite.

Security paralysis

Despite walking shoulder-to-shoulder during the high-profile funeral processions, senior officials have been unable to mask the total public absence of Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his late father in March but has yet to make a public appearance.

The New York Times, citing two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and an organizer of the funeral, reported that Mojtaba Khamenei explicitly requested to lead the funeral prayers and attend the final burial rituals at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad on July 9.

However, state security officials completely vetoed the move. The restriction stems from grave intelligence assessments that Tel Aviv would track or immediately assassinate the new leader, particularly after a previous US airstrike targeted his residential compound, killing his wife and teenage son.

Pragmatism force 

This power vacuum has consolidated a formidable pragmatic wing led by President Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and senior IRGC commanders.

This faction concluded that the survival of the governing system was contingent upon ending the direct military confrontation with Washington and reopening the paralyzed economy.

The pragmatic coalition pushed aggressively to accept a ceasefire, initiating direct backchannel talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance that ultimately culminated in an agreement with President Donald Trump.

According to sources familiar with the matter, when Mojtaba Khamenei hesitated to approve the preliminary parameters, Pezeshkian conducted an urgent intervention, placing full institutional accountability on the new leader and threatening a government shutdown via his immediate resignation.

The pressure was compounded by a critical ultimatum from Central Bank Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati, who warned that a continuous US naval blockade was effectively strangling the nation, stating that food and medical reserves would be entirely exhausted by the end of August. Confronted with systemic collapse, the Supreme Leader issued a conditional green light.

Hardline revolt 

The concession has ignited a furious domestic backlash from Iran's ideological hardliners.

During a live televised address by Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf defending the truce, state media controllers abruptly cut the broadcast.

Concurrently, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was subjected to hostile chanting by hardline groups, who shouted "Death to the appeasers" during official regional travel.

Prominent ideologues, including Hassan Rahimpour Azghadi and analyst Foad Izadi, told the paper that the Pezeshkian government is operating under dangerous delusions.

In parliament, ultra-conservative lawmakers Mahmoud Nabouyan and Kamran Ghazanfari have submitted formal petitions accusing Pezeshkian and Ghalibaf of orchestrating a "quasi-coup" against the new Supreme Leader.

They argue the deal dangerously circumvents the framework of the 2015 nuclear accord to end 47 years of foundational anti-American policy, leaving the future of governance in Tehran highly volatile.