Iran's Real Power: IRGC Dominance Shapes Talks Behind the Scenes

Trump said the U.S. is in talks with a 'top' Iranian official, even as Tehran publicly denies negotiations, underscoring a widening gap between Washington and Tehran. Analysts say the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps now dominates Iran’s political-military system while the state appears weaker and more fragmented, with the Supreme National Security Council coordinating policy under IRGC influence. Figures like Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are seen as potential interlocutors, though others such as Abbas Araghchi may function mainly as channels rather than policy-makers. The situation points to a divided leadership united mainly by a desire to preserve the regime.