Iranian leadership would accept if Pezeshkian resigned again, relative of Khamenei claims - report

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has warned Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that his resignation would be accepted if he submits it again, according to a relative of the supreme leader. Senior cleric Mohammad Bagher Kharrazi, whose sister is married to Khamenei’s brother, told Iran’s Tabnak media site that the warning was intended to make Pezeshkian "back down."

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They've written that if Mr. Pezeshkian does it one more time, they will accept his request. They've officially announced it. That's why they've started packing up their things.

Kharrazi claimed that Pezeshkian "no longer dares to do it" after being told that his resignation would be accepted. This assertion comes despite reports that Pezeshkian had previously threatened to resign if key decisions excluded him and other voices. The Iranian presidency has denied claims that Pezeshkian attempted to resign multiple times, and Pezeshkian himself stated in a televised interview that he has no plans to leave his position voluntarily.

"We are fully coordinated with the military forces. I will not resign, and I will stand firm," Pezeshkian declared. "If I resign, I will formally announce that I have resigned." Kharrazi also alleged that Khamenei plans to replace Supreme National Security Council chief Mohammad-Bagher Zolghadr with his top military aide Mohsen Rezaei. Additionally, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was reportedly told he had "no right to interfere" with negotiations.

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Pezeshkian no longer dares to do it. Since they told him that..., if he does it one more time, they'll accept it.

Kharrazi's comments emerge amid reported divisions within the Islamic regime regarding consensus on concessions to maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz. Pezeshkian has stated that the Supreme National Security Council fully supports a Memorandum of Understanding and that Iran should encourage the U.S. to uphold it. Meanwhile, Iran's chief negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf argued in July that Iran should not sacrifice other objectives to maintain resources for controlling Hormuz.

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We are fully coordinated with the military forces. I will not resign, and I will stand firm. If I resign, I will formally announce that I have resigned.