Negotiations between the US and Iran remain deadlocked, with a breakthrough appearing distant. DW examines the key power players in Tehran amid internal turmoil and leadership uncertainty.
Since the April 8 ceasefire, the US has pushed for a permanent end to the war with Iran, but talks via intermediaries have stalled. A planned round in Pakistan fell through after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Islamabad before US envoys arrived.
US President Donald Trump claimed talks are complicated by Iran's chaotic domestic politics, alleging a power struggle between "hardliners" and "moderates." He wrote on Truth Social that Iran "is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is."
CNN reported that the US military is planning targeted strikes against Iranian military leaders allegedly undermining negotiations. Many top Iranian political and military figures have already been killed in US-Israeli strikes.
Ahmad Vahidi, 68, has been appointed commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He is wanted by Interpol for the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires and played a key role in suppressing the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, parliament speaker, led the first direct talks with US Vice President JD Vance in Pakistan, which ended without progress. He is considered a moderate, but officials deny internal divisions.
Saeed Jalili, an "ultra-hardliner," is reportedly poised to take over nuclear negotiations. He rejects rapprochement with the West and previously steered nuclear talks toward confrontation.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, appointed on March 8, has not made a public appearance. Reports suggest he is being treated for serious injuries at a secret location.
President Masoud Pezeshkian advocates for "fair and equal" talks with the US. Foreign Minister Araghchi has traveled to Pakistan, Oman, and Russia for discussions.
Trump met with advisors to discuss Iranian proposals, which reportedly include allowing passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for lifting the US blockade, with nuclear issues deferred.
Source: www.dw.com