
War-strain reveals fault lines in Iran's ruling elite as succession looms
Iran's leadership is fracturing under the ongoing war pressure, with calls to appoint a new supreme leader intensifying. Mojtaba Khamenei is viewed as a front‑runner backed by the IRGC but risks alienating moderates, while hardliners push back against conciliatory moves by President Pezeshkian; the conflict is amplifying intra‑elite rifts and elevating the IRGC's role in strategic decision‑making.

