Iran's President Pezeshkian bruised by hardliners' blitz on cabinet

Iran's embattled President Masoud Pezeshkian is feeling shaken but determined to carry on in office after hardliners forced out two of his key aids, a source close to his office told Iran International.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the President is no quitter but has been "a bit fragile since Sunday evening".

Economy Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati was impeached by parliament while Vice President for Strategic Affairs Javad Zarif resigned under pressure last week.

The latter was the country's most prominent reformist and an articulate exponent of the Islamic Republic's foreign policy on the world stage. Zarif would likely have been Pezeshkian's key player in nuclear talks the administration hopes could have rolled back US-led sanctions crippling Iran's economy.

Hardliners, most importantly Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have rejected those talks.

But now that Pezeshkian's agenda appears decisively thwarted, Tehran newspapers which had long alluded to the possibility of his resignation have gone largely mute on such an unprecedented move which would lay bare political infighting.

Unlike a few weeks ago, when newspapers and websites openly debated Pezeshkian's possible resignation from various political perspectives, the topic now appears off-limits.

Journalists and commentators have largely avoided mentioning resignation directly, possibly engaging in self-censorship as they grasp the gravity of the situation and fearing reactions by authorities.

Nearly all outlets treated the word as taboo, instead voicing concerns over the collapse of Pezeshkian’s “national reconciliation” project—an effort to bridge the divide between rival factions, including Reformists and hardliners, to curb political infighting.

Only one prominent reformist, former lawmaker Ali Nazari—now editor-in-chief of the reformist daily Mostaghel—openly addressed the issue. He advised Pezeshkian to "honorably resign" following the removal of two top aides: Economy Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati and Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Although government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani officially dismissed rumors of Pezeshkian's possible resignation, a viral video on social media fueled further speculation. The footage showed Pezeshkian reciting a verse from the Quran: "If you live in poverty and misery, weakness is not an excuse to stay where you are. Leave!"

Many interpreted this as a sign of his frustration and sense of powerlessness, possibly hinting at a decision to step down. Others suggested he was simply encouraging Iranians struggling under economic pressure to consider emigration.

Meanwhile, some users circulated another video from Pezeshkian's election campaign, in which he said, "If I find it impossible to stand by my promises, I will discontinue my political activities."

Many newspapers and websites in Iran have highlighted the impact of Zarif's absence in the Pezeshkian administration.

They noted that Zarif would be sorely missed, as the president had relied on him in the unlikely event of a shift in Khamenei's firm stance against negotiations with the United States.

One newspaper pointed out on Wednesday that with Zarif and Hemmati gone, 75% of Pezeshkian’s cabinet is now made up of hardliners—figures he had attempted to co-opt but who remain fundamentally opposed to him.

Only two days after the impeachment of Hemmati and the removal of Zarif from his post, most of the press have almost forgotten the former while Zarif's pictures were all over both conservative and proreform media.

Although the word "resignation" was largely avoided, newspapers and websites widely discussed the deadlock created by Sunday's events. Ham Mihan wrote, "Those who brought about the deadlock are expected to explain it and show a way out of it."

Former diplomat Kourosh Ahmadi wrote in Shargh, "It was clear long ago that there was no room for Zarif in the government." On the conservative front, political commentator Mehdi Arab Sadeq wrote on the Nameh News website, "Zarif was Pezeshkian's last line of defense. With his departure, Pezeshkian lost at least half of his social backing."

On the same website, centrist politician Mansoor Haqiqatpour advised that Pezeshkian should remove all the conservatives he brought into his government. Like many other commentators across the political spectrum, he argued that Pezeshkian's national reconciliation project has failed and should be abandoned.

The pro-reform outlet Rouydad24 described Sunday's events as a symbolic defeat for the Iranian president and warned that even greater pressure is yet to come.