Iran’s hardliners warn of a ‘coup’ as US truce comes under pressure

Hardline Factions Signal Potential Power Shift as Ceasefire Crumbles

Iran s hardliners warn of a coup – During a somber procession in Tehran last week, President Masoud Pezeshkian followed closely behind the coffin of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Yet the atmosphere surrounding the presidential entourage was far from unified reverence. Several mourners dressed entirely in black directed their chants not toward the deceased ruler, but squarely at the living president, shouting “death to the compromiser.” Meanwhile, just a short distance away, another prominent figure faced a different kind of hostility. Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s chief diplomat responsible for securing a ceasefire agreement with the Trump administration and securing partial sanctions relief, was compelled to escape the ceremony after a hostile crowd began hurling stones at him. The crowd’s verbal assault included accusations branding him a “traitorous sellout.”

The Soft Coup Theory Gains Momentum

The intense animosity shown toward senior government officials during the funeral proceedings has brought renewed attention to a theory circulating within the Islamic Republic’s most radical elements. For several months, this perspective has been growing stronger: that the leaders who negotiated and ultimately signed the peace agreement with Washington are orchestrating a subtle takeover against the nation’s revolutionary foundations. Complicating matters further, the new supreme leader has remained largely out of public sight, allegedly either fearing for his safety or potentially dealing with health issues. Some observers have even suggested the latter possibility.

Those hardline factions who participated heavily in the funeral ceremonies maintain that rather than seeking retribution for Khamenei’s assassination, Iranian authorities have essentially capitulated. They argue that the signed accord contradicts directives issued by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late leader and his designated successor. Despite this, Mojtaba has avoided direct public communication, neither delivering a national address nor making visible demonstrations of his authority while other officials conduct negotiations and governance on his behalf.

Visible Leaders Face Hardline Scrutiny

Iran’s supreme leader’s absence from his father’s significant funeral ceremony has only intensified speculation about what comes next. Hardliners have leveled accusations against the visible leadership—those managing and representing the country while Mojtaba stays hidden—claiming they are attempting to centralize authority. These alleged maneuvers reportedly include suspending parliamentary sessions, ignoring Mojtaba’s instructions during negotiations, and trying to break up the nightly street demonstrations that have grown into a crucial power center for fundamentalist groups.

Warning to the people of Iran: Is a coup on the way??

Mahmoud Nabavian, a vocal radical member of parliament, posed this question on social media platform X several days prior to Khamenei’s funeral. In a subsequent post, he added: “In these moments of farewell to the martyred Imam (Khamenei), we raise the banner of vengeance for his blood and stand firm against the coup.”

With Mojtaba remaining absent from the public stage, chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, President Pezeshkian, and diplomat Araghchi have emerged as the most recognizable figures managing post-conflict Iran. According to Arash Azizi, an Iran specialist based in the United States and author of “What Iranians Want,” the lack of access to the new supreme leader has emboldened hardliners. “Mojtaba’s continued absence means that they don’t have access to him and also that Ghalibaf and allies are effectively in charge of the country… the ultra-hardliners have thus accused Ghalibaf and Pezeshkian of plotting a ‘coup’ against Mojtaba,” Azizi explained to CNN.

Ceasefire Under Pressure Amid Hardline Demands

Although calls for national unity during wartime echoed throughout Iran, the week-long grand funeral for Khamenei—who was killed in late February during coordinated Israeli and American airstrikes—transformed into a platform for the regime’s most uncompromising supporters. These hardliners utilized the occasion to intensify their demands for avenging their leader through renewed military confrontation with Washington. They also made clear their opposition to any settlement reached with Trump. Their objectives now seem largely achieved.

A delicate ceasefire between Iran and the United States nearly disintegrated this week when the Revolutionary Guards initiated attacks on maritime vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. These operations aimed to establish dominance over the critical waterway. Washington responded with counterstrikes, while Iranian hardliners simultaneously renewed their demands to abandon the truce entirely. The conflict has effectively devolved into a dispute over passage rights.

Mr President, if the leader’s conditions are not fulfilled, then it will be us, the blade and your throat.

Before hostilities escalated, hardliners had already begun directing their anger toward the architects of the American deal. Mohammad Ali Bakhshi, a security-affiliated religious singer known as a “Maddah” and loyal to the Iranian establishment, delivered this stark warning to Pezeshkian during a formal ceremony. “We will bring hell upon you,” he added. While the open threat against the president drew widespread criticism, Bakhshi has reportedly avoided any legal consequences. Other officials facing hardline examination include Ghalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guard commander whose extensive political background allowed him to assume leadership responsibilities during the war, positioning himself as the regime’s primary operational figure.