Iran President Vows to Stay in Office as Khamenei Remains Missing for 5 Months, His In-Law Sparks Resignation Storm

TEHRAN, Aug 4: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected reports that he is considering stepping down, saying he will remain in office and continue his duties despite growing political tensions and a senior cleric's claim that his next resignation attempt would be accepted.

In a preview of an interview scheduled to air on Iranian state television, Pezeshkian said he had no plans to resign and stressed that his administration remained coordinated with the country's military forces.

“We are fully coordinated with the military forces. I will not resign, and I will stand firm,” Pezeshkian said, adding that he would formally announce any decision to leave office.

The comments came after Mohammad-Bagher Kharrazi, a senior cleric whose sister is married to Khamenei’s brother, claimed Pezeshkian had threatened to resign “28 times” but stopped after being warned that his next resignation would be accepted. 

Kharrazi alleged that Pezeshkian had raised the possibility of resignation 28 times but stopped after receiving a warning that the next request would be approved. He quoted Khamenei as saying that if Pezeshkian resigned again, the resignation would be accepted immediately.

The claims triggered strong reactions from Pezeshkian’s allies, who dismissed them as false and politically motivated. Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy for communications and information at the president’s office, described the allegations of resignation as “baseless” and accused opponents of attempting to sow division in the country.

Pezeshkian adviser Ali-Asghar Shafieian also rejected Kharrazi’s remarks, saying the cleric had no direct connection with Khamenei and was known for making controversial claims.

The controversy follows earlier reports that Pezeshkian had submitted a resignation letter over disagreements about decision-making power and the influence of hardline factions, although Iranian officials denied the reports.

Meanwhile, Kharrazi also claimed that Khamenei planned to replace the Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Mohammad-Bagher Zolghadr, with Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The claim has not been officially confirmed.

The dispute comes amid ongoing political tensions in Tehran over the direction of Iran’s foreign and security policies, particularly following disagreements surrounding the Iran-US memorandum of understanding and the role of hardliners in major state decisions.

Pezeshkian has maintained that his government continues to have broad support within state institutions, while critics accuse his administration of making concessions on issues they consider sensitive.