Iran President Wants Foreign Minister Araghchi Sacked For 'Defying Orders' On US Peace Talks

Last Updated:May 01, 2026, 15:48 IST

Reports say Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf seek to oust Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi amid IRGC linked rifts over stalled US talks.

A widening rift within Iran’s leadership has reportedly emerged amid stalled peace talks with the United States, with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said to be pushing for the removal of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

According to a report by Iran International, Pezeshkian and Ghalibaf have accused Araghchi of bypassing the presidency and instead following directives from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during negotiations with Washington. The report claimed Araghchi had increasingly acted as an aide to IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi rather than as a cabinet minister implementing government policy.

Sources cited by the UK-based outlet alleged that Araghchi had failed to keep Pezeshkian informed about developments in the nuclear talks over the past two weeks. Frustrated by the situation, the Iranian president reportedly told close associates that he could dismiss the foreign minister if the pattern continued.

Iran has not issued any official statement regarding the claims, and the reports could not be independently verified.

The internal tensions come as negotiations between Tehran and Washington remain deadlocked over converting the fragile ceasefire with Israel into a more permanent arrangement. Reports suggest the leadership divide is one of the key reasons behind the slowdown in diplomatic progress.

Earlier reports had already hinted at friction within Iran’s power structure. Iran International had reported in March that disagreements had surfaced between Pezeshkian and IRGC-linked figures over the handling of the conflict, its economic fallout and the worsening pressure on ordinary Iranians.

According to Israel Hayom, American officials were frustrated that the Iranian delegation participating in talks in Islamabad lacked the authority to make binding commitments. The report claimed Washington had laid down two conditions for restarting talks, one of them being that Iran’s negotiators must receive full backing from the IRGC to finalise any agreement.

The report further alleged that senior Revolutionary Guards officials Ahmad Vahidi and Ali Abdollahi prevented the Iranian political delegation in Pakistan from responding directly to American proposals. In response, Pezeshkian reportedly urged Ghalibaf, who was leading the delegation, to intervene and “save Iran from total economic collapse".

The developments have intensified speculation about a broader power struggle within Tehran, with competing factions divided over diplomacy, military strategy and how far Iran should engage with the West following months of regional conflict and economic strain.

News world Iran President Wants Foreign Minister Araghchi Sacked For 'Defying Orders' On US Peace Talks

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