Media: Iranian president calls IRGC escalation "madness"

Exclusive information obtained by Iran International indicates a deepening internal rift within Iran’s leadership over recent military escalation in the Gulf, with President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly confronting senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders over attacks carried out against regional targets, including the United Arab Emirates.

According to sources familiar with Tehran’s internal deliberations, Pezeshkian has strongly criticised recent missile and drone strikes conducted during the May 4 escalation in the Persian Gulf, accusing the IRGC of acting without coordination with the civilian government.

The IRGC, led by Ahmad Vahidi, is said to have carried out strikes that Pezeshkian described as “completely irresponsible” and undertaken without government approval. He reportedly also characterised the military’s escalation strategy as “madness,” warning it could lead to irreversible consequences.

Amid rising tensions and fears of renewed conflict, Pezeshkian has requested an urgent meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei to push for an immediate halt to IRGC operations targeting Gulf states. He is expected to argue that a narrow diplomatic window still exists to preserve the ceasefire and reopen negotiations with international mediators.

Sources say he intends to stress Iran’s readiness to re-engage diplomatically, while warning that continued escalation risks triggering broader confrontation.

The internal dispute comes as ceasefire mediation efforts continue, even as competing accounts emerge over maritime activity in the Gulf. U.S. officials maintain that commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is continuing under protection and that Iranian threats have been contained. In contrast, Iranian officials have denied that any passage is occurring and have warned that “violating vessels” will be stopped.

President Donald Trump has not declared the ceasefire broken, stating that recent exchanges were “not heavy firing” and that “ships are moving.”

Within Iran’s political system, ultimate authority over security and military decisions rests at the highest levels of state power, underscoring the significance of the reported presidential intervention.

Sources close to the presidency say Pezeshkian is increasingly alarmed by the risk of international escalation and believes Iran cannot endure another full-scale war. He has warned that continued unilateral military action could provoke severe U.S. retaliation against key energy and economic infrastructure, potentially resulting in widespread destruction and an irreversible collapse in living standards.

Analysts cited in the reports say the growing divide between political and military decision-making raises the risk of strategic instability, with some warning of what they describe as “military self-destruction” if coordination within Iran’s leadership continues to fracture.

By Sabina Mammadli