IRGC Takes Control Of Key Iran Functions, Blocks Presidential Appointments As War Rages On

Last Updated:April 01, 2026, 11:40 IST

The IRGC has reportedly taken control of key state functions in Iran, pushing President Masoud Pezeshkian into a political deadlock amid wartime pressures.

Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has taken control over key state functions, pushing President Masoud Pezeshkian into a “complete political deadlock," Iran International reported, citing informed sources.

According to the report, the IRGC has blocked presidential appointments and decisions while establishing a security perimeter around the core of power, effectively sidelining the civilian administration from executive authority.

Sources quoted in the report say that the military force has asserted direct influence over sensitive governance areas amid ongoing wartime pressures.

An attempt by Pezeshkian to appoint a new intelligence minister last Thursday reportedly collapsed after IRGC chief commander Ahmad Vahidi intervened, rejecting all proposed candidates, including Hossein Dehghan, the report mentioned.

Sources indicated that Vahidi insisted critical leadership roles must remain under IRGC oversight during wartime conditions, preventing the president from installing his preferred nominee.

Under Iran’s political structure, presidents traditionally nominate intelligence ministers after obtaining approval from the Supreme Leader, who holds ultimate authority over national security portfolios.

However, Iran International reported that uncertainty surrounding access to Mojtaba Khamenei has further complicated decision-making processes.

SECURITY CORDON AROUND KHAMENEI

The report mentioned that Pezeshkian has repeatedly attempted to secure an urgent meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei in recent days, but his requests have gone unanswered.

Sources told the outlet that a council comprising senior IRGC officers is exercising control over the central decision-making structure and managing access to the Supreme Leader’s office.

The report said the arrangement has prevented key government updates from reaching Khamenei, effectively consolidating the Guard’s influence over state affairs.

The report also highlighted internal tensions within Khamenei’s inner circle, including efforts by some associates to remove Ali Asghar Hejazi, a senior security figure who has opposed the prospect of Mojtaba Khamenei’s succession.

Hejazi reportedly warned members of the Assembly of Experts that hereditary succession would contradict the ideological framework established by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and could ultimately concentrate power within the IRGC, weakening civilian institutions.

Israeli media had earlier reported that Hejazi was targeted in an airstrike in Tehran during the first week of the war, though later accounts suggested he survived, according to Iran International.

IRGC ROLE IN HEZBOLLAH RESTRUCTURING: REPORT

Separate reporting by Reuters highlights the IRGC’s wider regional role, particularly its involvement in rebuilding Hezbollah’s military structure after heavy losses during the 2024 conflict with Israel.

According to the report, the IRGC deployed officers to retrain Hezbollah fighters, reorganise command systems and oversee rearmament efforts following the killing of the group’s leader Hassan Nasrallah and other senior commanders.

Sources cited by Reuters said the restructuring included shifting Hezbollah’s command model towards decentralised operational units designed to limit intelligence penetration and improve battlefield resilience.

Reuters described the IRGC as an elite force responsible for protecting Iran’s clerical system and noted that both the IRGC and Hezbollah are designated as terrorist organisations by the United States and some other countries.

ISRAELI STRIKE ON IRGC-LINKED UNIVERSITY

On March 30, Israel’s military said it struck infrastructure at Imam Hossein University in Tehran, an institution run by the Revolutionary Guards that Israeli officials claim is linked to advanced weapons research.

The Israeli military said the strikes targeted facilities including wind tunnels, chemistry laboratories and engineering centres allegedly used in weapons development.

The university is considered one of the IRGC’s primary academic institutions and has been visited by senior Iranian officials, including former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

News world IRGC Takes Control Of Key Iran Functions, Blocks Presidential Appointments As War Rages On

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