Recent internal divisions over the Strait of Hormuz have exposed deeper disagreements within Iran’s leadership over its strategy towards the United States, a regional expert told CNN.
“These internal divisions are not merely political theater; they reflect a deeper struggle over Iran’s long-term strategy toward the United States,” Danny Citrinowicz, an Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), told CNN.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the Strait of Hormuz was open to traffic, but within hours Iranian state media confirmed the “full supervision of Iranian armed forces over the passage of ships, and such passage is considered null and void if the alleged naval blockade continues.”
A number of state-backed media outlets slammed Araghchi for his Hormuz post on X. The hardline news outlet Tasnim described his tweet as “poor and incomplete,” causing “a lot of criticism and speculation” and even aiding US President Donald Trump’s position.
Another conservative news outlet, Mehr News, called on the relevant officials “to provide the necessary clarification on this matter.”
Iran’s short-lived victory in briefly opening the Strait has exposed “significant internal tensions within Iran’s leadership,” Citrinowicz said.
“In particular, it has highlighted growing distrust between elements of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the more pragmatic political leadership led by President Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Araghchi,” he added.
The criticism of the foreign minister’s tweet exposes the fragility of the unity that the Islamic Republic has been at pains to portray, Citrinowicz told CNN, adding that the balance of power appears to favor the hardliners, including the IRGC.
“As the possibility of renewed talks emerges, one conclusion stands out: Iran is not retreating from its red lines,” he said. “On the contrary, control over the Strait of Hormuz has now become an even more central pillar of its strategic posture.”