As Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, remains absent from public view, hardliners are alleging that moderates leading current negotiations with the U.S. are attempting a 'soft coup,' CNN reported on July 18. Some have even called for the capture of U.S. troops while continuing the war against the U.S. and Israel.
According to the report, the so-called 'soft coup' theory has gained traction among hardliners in recent months. They allege that the moderates are seeking to seize power by agreeing to peace negotiations with the U.S. and Israel without avenging the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who they claim was killed in an attack. Hardliners emphasize that any agreement with the U.S. does not reflect Mojtaba Khamenei's wishes and amounts to submission to American demands.
During the funeral of the former Supreme Leader, there were attempts to lynch politicians perceived as negotiators. At the funeral held in Tehran since July 4, some mourners shouted, 'Death to the compromisers' upon seeing Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, while others hurled stones at Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, calling him a 'traitorous sellout.' Araghchi had to seek refuge during the ceremony.
Some hardline politicians have directly mentioned the term 'coup.' Radical lawmaker Seyyed Mahmoud Nabavian posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) at the end of last month, warning, 'Is a coup approaching for the Iranian people?' On July 17, he also stated, 'Talking about peace during wartime is surrendering to the U.S. regime.' Nabavian is noted for leaking details of the U.S.-Iran agreement to the media, which was seen as an attempt to derail negotiations.
Another hardliner, Kamran Ghalibaf, accused the negotiators in a video statement earlier this month of diminishing the roles of the Supreme Leader and the parliament while enhancing the authority of the Supreme National Security Council. He labeled this as a political coup that the negotiators are planning and executing step by step.
Former Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki recently suggested in a TV interview that capturing hundreds or thousands of U.S. troops stationed in the Gulf region would be beneficial, claiming that even capturing just 100 would suffice to bring them to Iran.
The primary reason for the hardliners' discontent, as they raise the coup narrative, is their inability to contact Mojtaba Khamenei. Arash Azizi, author of 'What Iranians Want,' told CNN, 'Mojtaba's continued absence means that hardliners cannot access the Supreme Leader, and Ghalibaf and his political allies are effectively controlling the country.' He added that hardliners accuse Ghalibaf and Raisi of plotting a 'coup' against Mojtaba.
In related developments, the U.S. and Iran have intensified their missile and drone attacks over the weekend. According to The New York Times, U.S. forces have targeted Iranian surveillance facilities, military installations, and underground weapon depots. Iranian state media reported that U.S. attacks have hit bridges, roads, and desalination facilities. Additionally, Iran has reportedly attacked power plants and refineries in Kuwait.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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