People wave Iranian flags and portraits of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, during a memorial ceremony in honor of the assassinated Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the Iranian embassy in Beirut on April 22, 2026. (Credit: Anwar Amro/AFP)

Has the war exposed divisions within Iran’s regime?

Negotiations with Washington have revived the debate over potential fractures at the top of the Iranian state, a narrative largely emphasized by Donald Trump.

by · L'Orient Today

In the fog surrounding the ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington, one idea has taken root in American discourse: that of a deeply divided Iranian regime. President Donald Trump has recently hammered home the argument, mentioning “insane” infighting between the regime’s “hardliners” and “moderates.” This narrative enables him to justify the extension of the cease-fire, while keeping up maximum pressure, particularly through the maritime blockade. In Tehran, this interpretation is vigorously rejected. Responding to Donald Trump’s remarks, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian asserted: “There are neither extremists nor moderates in Iran. We are all Iranians and revolutionaries,” while Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, head of the negotiation delegation, echoed this message of unity. Read more Trump tightens the...

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