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United States President Donald Trump has described Iran’s leadership as “seriously fractured” while announcing an extension of the ceasefire and confirming that the US naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian ports will remain in place.
Trump said on Tuesday that the ceasefire extension would allow more time for negotiations and suggested Iran’s leadership was in disarray.
He also said the US military campaign had already achieved its objective of changing Iran’s leadership structure, adding that Washington was now dealing with “a whole new set of people”.
He added that Iran had sent a delegation led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to Islamabad on April 11 to begin talks with the US.
The question of whether Iran’s leadership is fractured centres on key power institutions and figures within the country’s political and military system.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was selected as Iran’s new supreme leader on March 8, according to state media reports, after Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli air strikes on February 28.
The 56-year-old has not held elected office but has long been influential within Iran’s political and security establishment, with close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Since his appointment, he has not appeared publicly. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on March 13 that he had been wounded in the strikes.
A Reuters report on April 11, citing sources close to the leadership, said he was recovering from injuries and taking part in meetings via audioconference. These claims have not been independently verified.
State media reports say he remains involved in wartime decision-making. In a televised message on April 18, he warned that Iran’s navy was ready to inflict “new bitter defeats” on the US and Israel as tensions escalated in the Strait of Hormuz.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, is leading talks with the United States. He previously served as the IRGC air force commander, Tehran mayor, and police chief.
Ghalibaf has defended negotiations, saying diplomacy is a way to “consolidate military gains and translate them into political outcomes and lasting peace”. He has also said Iran does not accept negotiations “under the shadow of threats”.
He has faced criticism inside Iran, with some accusing him of “betrayal” over engagement with the US, while others argue that diplomacy is necessary under current conditions.
The ceasefire was due to expire this week, but was extended by Trump until Iran submits a “unified proposal”.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains a central power centre, operating alongside the regular army and reporting directly to the supreme leader.
The IRGC controls key military assets, including drones and airspace defence and plays a major role in Iran’s deterrence strategy against the US and Israel.
Following recent strikes, the IRGC has carried out attacks on US military assets across the Gulf region and vowed further retaliation.
Some analysts say negotiating officials are closely aligned with the IRGC, while others point to differences between diplomatic and military approaches. Reports also indicate internal debate over actions in the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker incidents have continued during the ceasefire period.
The Paydari Front, a hardline political faction, continues to oppose concessions in talks with the US and supports strict adherence to Iran’s 1979 revolutionary principles.
Analysts say the group has been vocal in criticising negotiations but remains focused on domestic political influence rather than shaping formal decision-making outcomes.
