The Daily Who’s Really Running Iran?
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Apr 27, 2026 
Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times U.N. bureau chief and veteran Iran reporter, maps the real power structure inside Iran. She explores how the Revolutionary Guards eclipsed clerics. She follows the scramble after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s killing. She tracks wartime decision-making, Mojtaba Khamenei’s reliance on generals, and why sanctions relief, leverage, and a possible U.S. deal matter so much.
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Iran’s Generals Have Overtaken the Supreme Leader
- Farnaz Fassihi says Iran’s real decision-makers are now the Revolutionary Guards, not the new supreme leader.
- In 22 interviews, insiders repeatedly answered who runs Iran with sepah, while officials no longer say they await Khamenei’s yes or no.
War Turned Guard Influence Into Direct Rule
- The war let the Revolutionary Guards turn long-growing influence into dominant power across Iran’s military, politics, and economy.
- After Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, they used the opening to elevate Mojtaba Khamenei, a leader tied closely to them.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s Injuries Limit His Control
- Mojtaba Khamenei defers to the Guards because he owes them his position, depends on them for regime survival, and is severely injured.
- Fassihi reports he is hidden, unreachable electronically, and communicates by hand-carried letters, making real-time control nearly impossible.