Over the last 24 hours, reports have surfaced claiming Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian resigned due to an alleged power struggle between his government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps which is "excluding" him from decision-making in the Iran war. Tehran has outright denied the reports, calling it "rumour mongering" by a foreign media outlet and accusing it of publishing "wishful thinking in place of reality", as the information war continues.
The first outlet to report the story was Iran International, a London-based media staffed by journalists from the Iranian diaspora, often considered a platform for opposition to the regime. Citing an unnamed source "familiar with the matter", the outlet reported that Pezeshkian had submitted a resignation letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Sunday.
According to the report, the president was frustrated by what he viewed as the growing influence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) over government affairs, and felt his administration had been "excluded" from key decision-making processes.
The claim was subsequently picked up by several international media outlets, including Israeli newspapers and US broadcaster Fox News, helping fuel speculation about the president's future. Social media discussion intensified after Pezeshkian – the same day – posted a message on X referring to "major challenges" facing the country and describing the need to navigate a "rugged, winding path" through public cooperation and awareness.
Iranian officials strongly denied the reports, with Pezeshkian's deputy head of communications describing them on X as "rumour mongering". Similarly, the spokeswoman for the Iranian government slammed the reports as part of a "recurring tactic used to sow discord and instability" by foreign-backed media.
Whilst Pezeshkian has not addressed the resignation rumours directly, he was quoted by Iranian state media in a cabinet meeting on Sunday as saying "I will continue as long as I breathe". He's also still seemingly carrying out the role, with global news agencies and Japanese media reporting on his phone call with Japan's prime minister on Monday.
