Trump labels Irans leadership as fractured amid uncertainty over authority

US President Donald Trump Announces Ceasefire Extension, Describes Iranian Leadership as “Fractured”

In a statement released on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire in place since the start of the conflict. The extension is intended to allow for further negotiations between the two sides.

According to Trump, the Iranian leadership is “seriously fractured,” suggesting that the country’s government may be divided or unstable. However, it is unclear whether this assessment is based on factual evidence or speculation.

Three weeks ago, Trump claimed that the US military campaign had achieved its goal of forcing a change in Iran’s government. Since then, there have been reports of negotiations between Iranian officials and the US, including a delegation led by parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to Islamabad, Pakistan.

Ghalibaf is a 64-year-old politician who has held various positions within the Iranian government, including commander of the IRGC air force and mayor of Tehran. He was also a candidate for president in several elections before withdrawing his bid.

Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, has been largely absent from public view since his ascension on March 8. However, reports suggest that he is still recovering from injuries sustained in US-Israeli strikes and is taking part in meetings through audioconferencing.

Khamenei’s position as supreme leader was confirmed by state media reports, and he has been active in making decisions regarding the war effort. In a recent message to Iranian state TV, Khamenei warned that the Iranian navy is ready to inflict “new bitter defeats” on the US and Israel if tensions escalate.

Ghalibaf has also expressed his opposition to negotiations with the US, stating that Iran will not engage in talks under the threat of sanctions. The ceasefire was initially set to expire this week, but Trump extended it until Iran can come up with a new proposal.

Source: Al Jazeera