Within Iran's top political circles amid war with the United States, voices are publicly calling to end the war and move to economic recovery. President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who leads talks with the United States, emphasized the need for a cease-fire, revealing differences with hard-liners such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who argue for continuing the war.
On the 22nd, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and the Financial Times (FT), President Pezeshkian recently said in Iran that a war must end at some point. The point is that it is better to conclude the war while Iran holds strength.
Speaker Ghalibaf also stressed the need for economic recovery. He said that even with sufficient military power, a country cannot advance if people are suffering, money is not circulating in the nation, and the economy is not growing. He also said that, having experienced war, he knows the value of peace.
Their remarks came as negotiations between the United States and Iran have stalled and U.S. economic pressure has intensified. The United States has signaled additional sanctions against Iran, and Iran's economic burden is growing due to the protracted war and maritime blockade.
In contrast, hard-liners centered on the IRGC maintain that the war must continue against the United States. Even while the United States and Iran were conducting cease-fire talks, they were reportedly preparing for the possibility of additional fighting. Analysts say this reveals to the surface a policy split within Iran's leadership over cease-fire talks.
However, it is unclear whether remarks by President Pezeshkian and others on the need for a cease-fire will immediately lead to a deal. Some predict that if the United States uses Iran's economic hardship as leverage to demand further concessions, hard-line views could gain strength within Iran.