All articles tagged with #hardliners
A Tehran mourning site near Ali Khamenei's death was shut after shroud-wearing ultra-hardliners occupied it for three days, exposing a widening rift inside Iran’s loyalist camp over how to memorialize the slain leader and shape policy, with one faction seeking unity and the other pressing a hardline campaign against officials seen as too pragmatic.
Hardline factions in Iran are mounting media campaigns and protests against a potential US-backed deal to end the conflict, but Tehran’s ruling structure still appears to hold the final authority to sign any memorandum, underscoring a loud but not decisive internal dissent.
Iran has partially restored international internet access after a nearly three-month blackout, triggering a public clash within the ruling elite as hardliners challenge President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration over who controls internet governance. A newly formed “special headquarters” to manage reconnection faces legal pushback from conservative factions, while NetBlocks reports ongoing heavy filtering and about 60% of normal connectivity. The episode highlights tensions between hardline elements aligned with the Supreme Council of Cyberspace and security bodies, revealing a fraught struggle over access to the global web.
The ultra-hardline Jebhe-ye Paydari (Endurance Front) is actively opposing any deal with the United States, arguing negotiations betray the 1979 revolution, and is leveraging media, parliament, and street rallies to pressure Tehran’s negotiators. While leaders project unity, the group’s influence persists through senior figures and loyal media networks, complicating talks and signaling ongoing power struggles within Iran as negotiations unfold.
A leaked confidential letter to Mojtaba Khamenei reveals a split within Iran’s leadership over whether to negotiate with the United States on the nuclear file; some senior figures urged talks due to a worsening economy, while others refused to sign. The leak prompted synchronized official posts of unity to quell the rift, underscoring a power struggle between hardliners and moderates.
Following the sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi, Iran is set to hold a snap election on June 28 to replace him. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeks a fiercely loyal hardliner to ensure stability and manage the succession to his own position. The Guardian Council will vet candidates, likely favoring those with strong ties to Khamenei, which may result in low voter turnout. Reformists face challenges in gaining political space, and the new president is unlikely to alter Iran's nuclear or foreign policy.
Iran's parliamentary election saw a record low turnout of around 41%, signaling widespread disillusionment with the clerical establishment amid economic struggles and limited electoral options. Hardliners and low-key conservatives dominated the contest, with reformists and moderates largely staying out. The election, the first since anti-government protests in 2022-23, resulted in hardliners maintaining their grip on parliament, while activists and opposition groups had called for a boycott. Critics argue that the ruling clerics are unable to address the economic crisis caused by mismanagement, corruption, and U.S. sanctions.
Hardliners have secured a majority of the seats in Iran's parliamentary elections, which saw a record low turnout of 41% after calls for a boycott. Most moderate and reformist figures were disqualified from standing, leading to widespread disenchantment with the political process. Run-offs will be held for more than half of the seats in Tehran, and conservatives also dominated separate elections for the Assembly of Experts. The elections have been criticized as a "sham" following the brutal suppression of 2022 protests and disqualification of prominent figures.
Iran began voting for a new parliament amid growing frustration over economic woes and restrictions on political and social freedoms. With heavyweight moderates and conservatives staying out of the race and reformists calling it an "unfree and unfair election," the contest is between hardliners and conservatives. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged high turnout, while activists and opposition groups are distributing hashtags calling the election a "sham." Many Iranians are disillusioned with the ruling clerics' ability to resolve economic hardships caused by U.S. sanctions, mismanagement, and corruption. The parliamentary election is twinned with a vote for the influential Assembly of Experts, which will choose Khamenei's successor.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly frozen out hardliners within his government following a mutiny by the private military company Wagner. The incident, which occurred in Libya, revealed a power struggle within the Russian security apparatus. Putin's move to sideline the hardliners suggests a consolidation of power and a desire to maintain control over Russia's military activities abroad.
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces a challenge from hardline Republicans who accuse him of betraying an agreement that got him elected to lead the chamber, raising questions about the job security of the top Republican in Congress. About a dozen hardliners derailed a Republican effort in the House of Representatives on Tuesday to block new environmental regulations on household gas stoves, joining with Democrats to kill the measure in the Republican-controlled chamber. McCarthy oversees a narrow House Republican majority of 222-213, meaning that he can lose only four votes from his own party on any measure that faces uniform opposition from Democrats.
GOP hardliners have derailed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's agenda in retaliation over his deal with Democrats to raise the debt limit. McCarthy's leadership has been criticized by some Republicans, including Rep. Madison Cawthorn, who said "we failed" and blamed McCarthy for the debt limit increase. The move highlights the ongoing divisions within the GOP between hardliners and more moderate members.