1 hour agoIran turmoil erupts: Ultra-hardliner who mocked Trump poised to take over nuclear talks
Further signs of turmoil are emerging in Iran’s U.S. negotiating team as hardliner Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf looks set to be replaced by a veteran conservative known for rejecting nuclear concessions, according to reports.
Iran International reported April 24 that Saeed Jalili, 60 — who already leads what has been described as a “shadow government” — is expected to succeed Ghalibaf following his sudden departure amid internal disputes.
Jalili also heads Iran’s ultra-hardline faction known as the Stability Front (Paydari), which is known to be a “bastion of ultraconservatism in Iran,” according to reports.
Ali Safavi, an official with the Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital that Jalili “has evolved from a nuclear negotiator to an influential actor within the regime.”
Ghalibaf was reportedly forced to step down after attempting to bring the nuclear issue into talks with Washington, a move that triggered backlash within Iran’s political establishment.
President Donald Trump had called off plans for U.S. envoys to travel to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on April 25.
The rivalry between Jalili and Ghalibaf is said to span more than a decade and intensified during the 2024 elections, when Jalili refused to step aside, contributing to the victory of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Safavi said, “The increased visibility of latent divisions stems from recurring nationwide uprisings, deep economic crises and the pressures of war, all of which have intensified internal feuding.
“Far from signaling transformation, these developments reflect accelerating erosion and mounting pressure, deepening fractures and leaving the regime ever weaker and more vulnerable,” he added.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Emma Bussey.