According to a report by the Persian-language media Iran International, based in London, dated August 4th, Iran's supreme leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, warned President Masoude Peshairizadian that if he again proposed resignation, it would be officially accepted. This statement was disclosed by Mohammad Bagheer Khareche, a relative of Ahmadinejad and a senior cleric, leading to strong denial from the presidential office and political controversy.
"Iran International" is a privately owned overseas media outlet that launched in London in 2017, predominantly broadcasting in Persian with English and Arabic content. It primarily targets Iranian domestic audiences and diaspora communities abroad. The media claims to be independent and impartial, but has been designated by the Iranian government as "hostile media" for years on end. Its reporting often focuses on criticism of the Iranian government's voice, with funding background also being subject to controversy.
In a video, Harazi said that Pezeshijiyan had “threatened to resign 28 times,” but stopped after receiving warnings from the supreme leader. He quoted Hameney as saying, “If he resigns one more time, I will approve it, simply writing ‘approved’ on it, and that will be the end of the matter.” Harazi also said, “Pezeshijiyan is now afraid. They have all backed down.”
The ‘Iran International’ reported earlier on May 31 this year that Paezeshizian had submitted an official resignation letter to the office of the supreme leader, citing the government being excluded from major decisions and the hard-line Revolutionary Guard forces taking control of national affairs. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Paezeshizian believed he was unable to continue fulfilling his constitutional duties and requested to leave immediately.
Iranian President's Office Spokesperson Mehdi Tabbatai quickly responded, saying that Kharezi's claims were "baseless and pure lies." He wrote on social media: "A vicious alliance of fraudulent instigators and extremist incompetent forces is undermining sacred unity and national cohesion. After failing in the vote two years ago, they are still retaliating against the will of the people, becoming puppets of Iran's enemies, which is outrageous."
Iranian President's advisor Ali Asghar Shafiei also dismissed the claims, stating that Khatabi “had neither met the Supreme Leader nor had any connections, and was known for fabricating bizarre stories.” He called for not spreading rumors. Reformist political activist Ahmad Zaydabadi said that such remarks were “inciting tension” and advised official authorities to clarify the situation promptly to avoid triggering further political controversy.
Harazi also claimed that Hameney plans to replace the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohammad Baqer Soroush, with the military advisor to the Supreme Leader, Mohsen Rezai. He also stated that Foreign Minister Abbas Arghandi was warned not to interfere in negotiations under any circumstances.
These controversial statements come at a time when the Pesezhiyan government is engaged in ongoing disputes with the hardliners over the Mexican-American Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 17th this year. The Pesezhiyan side stated that the majority of members of the security committee supported the agreement, while the hardliners believe that the agreement has touched upon the line set by the supreme leader.
