Iran’s wartime leadership moves into hands of Revolutionary Guards

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has emerged as the dominant force in the country’s wartime leadership, reducing the role traditionally held by the supreme leader following the reported death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Reuters reported Wednesday.

According to officials, analysts and sources familiar with internal deliberations, Iran is no longer operating under a single undisputed authority at the top of its political system, marking a major shift from the model that has defined the Islamic Republic since 1979.

Sources told Reuters that Mojtaba Khamenei, who was elevated after his father’s death, now serves more as a figure who endorses decisions rather than directing policy himself.

Real influence is said to rest with the IRGC, the Supreme National Security Council, and senior figures in the supreme leader’s office.

Reuters reported that wartime pressures have concentrated authority within a smaller hardline circle, with commanders shaping military strategy, diplomacy and domestic security policy.

Iran’s diplomatic engagement with Washington has reportedly been led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, while parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former Guards commander, has become an important link between political and military elites. On security matters, IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi has been identified by sources as a key power broker.

Analysts told Reuters the shift reflects a broader transfer of power from clerical institutions to the security establishment. They said policy choices now appear centered on preserving leverage in the conflict, particularly over the Strait of Hormuz, while resisting Western pressure on nuclear and regional issues.

Despite ongoing military and economic pressure from the United States and Israel, Reuters reported there were no visible signs of major internal divisions or political collapse, suggesting the Guards and security services now firmly steer Iran’s wartime strategy.