Iranian Guards Threaten Israeli Cities, New President Targets Mossad

New Delhi:

An impasse between Iran’s freshly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian and some hardliners in the potent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has placed the future of Iran’s retaliation to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s killing in Tehran hanging in the balance. As per The Telegraph, the Iranian government is split on how to counteract against Israel following the assassination.

The IRGC is purportedly advocating for a direct and harsh missile strike on Tel Aviv and other prominent Israeli cities. Nevertheless, President Pezeshkian, who took office just days prior to the assassination, is resisting this aggressive approach. Pezeshkian, recognized for his moderately moderate stance and his electoral triumph over a candidate supported by the IRGC, is advocating for a more calculated response. He is urging for attacks on alleged Mossad bases situated outside Israel, particularly in neighboring regions such as the Republic of Azerbaijan and Iraqi Kurdistan. This strategy, he contends, would decrease the risk of a full-scale war with Israel, a clash he believes could have serious repercussions for Iran.

“Pezeshkian apprehends that any direct assault on Israel would have grave repercussions,” a close associate to President Pezeshkian informed The Telegraph. The associate purportedly added that Pezeshkian has proposed notifying Azerbaijan and Iraqi Kurdistan before any attacks on alleged Israeli bases within their borders.

The IRGC, which has traditionally relished substantial autonomy and influence within the Iranian government, is reportedly undermining Pezeshkian’s attempts to evade a major confrontation with Israel. An official from the IRGC informed The Telegraph that the organization is mostly dismissive of the president’s more cautious approach. “The primary consideration is still striking Tel Aviv with Hezbollah and others concurrently,” the official stated as quoted by The Telegraph

Esmail Qaani, the commander of the IRGC’s elite Quds Force, has also expressed robust support for an immediate and conclusive retaliation.

As per The Telegraph, Pezeshkian encounters an uphill battle in asserting his authority over the IRGC, which remains devoted to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As per another associate close to the president, the IRGC’s push for a more assertive response is “more about undermining his week-long presidency rather than concealing the embarrassment they have endured” from the assassination.