[78903] Wave of rumors about President Pezeshkian's resignation in Tehran and vigorous denials by the regime
[78903] Wave of rumors about President Pezeshkian's resignation in Tehran and vigorous denials by the regime
Senior Iranian government officials are launching a series of official denials regarding reports of President Masoud Pezeshkian's resignation, while accusing foreign media outlets of psychological warfare.
Wave of rumors about President Pezeshkian's resignation in Tehran and vigorous denials by the regime
Over the past day, a wave of rumors has swept the internet regarding the planned resignation of Iran's President, Masoud Pezeshkian. The initial report came from Iran International, which is identified with the exiled opposition, citing an "anonymous source" claiming that Pezeshkian had sent a letter to the office of Mojtaba Khamenei, complaining about the loss of civilian control in favor of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command.
In contrast, the Iranian establishment responded with a coordinated attack. Akhbar-e Fouri and Akharin Khabar reported extensively on the words of Elias Hazrati, head of the government's Information Council, who called the rumors "wishful thinking by unscrupulous foreign networks" and emphasized that the President is working as usual. IRNA News Agency added that the President clarified in a cabinet meeting: "Either I will continue with strength or I will die as a martyr."
Alongside the political drama, government officials released data on public involvement. Ali Abdollahkhani, Deputy for Strategic Affairs in the presidency, claimed that according to IRNA, "more than 56 percent of the public participated at least once in nighttime gatherings" with the intention of protecting the regime and the country from "US and Israeli threats." The state-run IRNA Agency emphasized that the administration is determined to continue serving citizens despite the pressures of war and the economy.
Commentators identified with the regime, as quoted in Tabriz Khabarlary, claim that the goal of the foreign publications is "obtaining intelligence for the Mossad and the CIA" and undermining social cohesion. Al Arabiya Farsi, which presents a more critical and moderate stance, noted that the rumors come against the backdrop of heavy political and economic pressures experienced by Pezeshkian's administration in recent months.