Iran’s War Machine Has a New Master – Ahmad Vahidi And He’s Killing Any Chance of Peace

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Internal Factions and Iran’s Inability to Keep a Ceasefire

One power center to watch is the current head of the IRGC (Islamic Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps), Ahmad Vahidi. He has shown little interest in cooperating with any ceasefire. Some have speculated that he’s the man in charge.

More on Vahidi from Israel’s MediaLine: Ahmad Vahidi, recently elevated to lead Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is emerging as a central figure in Tehran’s decision-making on war and diplomacy, as analysts warn his rise signals a shift toward a more hardline posture. Analysts say the appointment places significant authority in the hands of a figure long associated with Iran’s external operations and security apparatus (MediaLine).

Foundation for Defense of Democracies: [Vahidi] is also linked to the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. servicemembers, the 1996 Khobar Towers attack, and a 2008 embassy attack in Yemen (FDD).

Institute for the Study of War: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appears to be engaged in a serious intra-regime debate with Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Major General Ahmad Vahidi and other senior regime officials opposed to negotiations with the United States. Ghalibaf publicly defended negotiations on Iranian state television on April 18, arguing that diplomacy with the United States, alongside military power, is necessary to secure Iran’s objectives (ISW).

Meet Ahmad Vahidi — the shadowy general actually running Iran — and Trump’s biggest obstacle to peace

By Ronny Reyes, NY Post, April 23, 2026:

After US-Israeli airstrikes rocked Iran’s leadership, killing dozens of top officials in the initial days of the war, one man has risen to control the Islamic Republic from the shadows.

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Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has mobilized his inner circle to take control of Iran’s military response and negotiating team, analysts said.

As soon as Vahidi, 67, and his allies took control, Iran shifted to an even harder-line stance, with officials refusing to join peace talks with the US this week and Tehran ramping up attacks on ships trying to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.

Armed men in camouflage and balaclavas, one holding a Palestinian flag, march alongside posters depicting caricatures of American and Israeli leaders.
Vahidi, who is heavily sanctioned by the West and linked to terror attacks in Argentina, represents Iran’s most extreme faction that has sidelined Tehran’s moderates, including those leading the current negotiations with the US.

Even if the US were to secure a deal with Iran’s delegation, the team may not have any actual pull in Iran as long as Vahidi and his allies run the show.

Washington, DC Trump and his advisors are seen during an announcement on researching the effects of psychedelic drugs in medical treatment for veterans, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC.

Vahidi had served as the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force in the 1990s, building up Iran’s influence across the Middle East before handing the reins to terror mastermind Qasem Soleimani.

Vahidi and Soleimani have often been credited with laying the groundwork for Iran’s terror proxies to bloom abroad, including the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon.

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Unlike the last two IRGC chiefs, Vahidi served in Iran’s political machine, holding senior roles and serving as defense minister and interior minister under two administrations.

The seasoned military commander and politician was appointed as the IRGC’s deputy chief last December by slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Once Khamenei and former IRGC Chief Mohammad Pakpour were killed by US-Israeli airstrikes on Feb. 28, Vahidi rose to the top of Iran’s paramilitary force.

Vahidi and his allies are strict about keeping the Strait of Hormuz open as long as the US blockade on Iranian ports remains.

Who is really in charge in Iran?

Following Khamenei’s death, Vahidi pushed for his lackluster son, Mojtaba Khamenei, to be his successor despite reports that the slain ayatollah never wanted him in charge.

With Mojtaba injured in the Feb. 28 strikes and yet to be seen in public, it’s clear that the new supreme leader is nothing more than a tool for the real regime heads, said Khosro Isfahani, research director for the Washington-based National Union for Democracy in Iran think tank.

“If Mojtaba is alive, and that is a big if, he is just a sock puppet. He is the first AI-generated supreme leader in human history,” Isfahani told The Post, referencing the fake photos the regime had posted of Mojtaba following his appointment.

“He has zero political capital, zero public support, and zero sway over the decision-making. The regime has and will continue attributing statements to him,” Isfahani added.

Armed men in camouflage and balaclavas, one holding a Palestinian flag, march alongside posters depicting caricatures of American and Israeli leaders.

Vahidi’s control of Iran’s negotiating team became evident when he was able to tap Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary and an IRGC veteran, to join the delegation earlier this month.

Zolghadr was specifically sent to make sure the delegation was following the IRGC’s hardline commands, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

The security secretary proved to do just that when he reported Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi after the diplomat allegedly suggested that Iran was willing to make concessions during the first round of peace talks.

“Zolghadr sent a complaint to senior IRGC leaders, almost certainly including Vahidi, that Araghchi had surpassed his mandate during the negotiations by expressing flexibility regarding Iran’s support for the Axis of Resistance,” the ISW said of the initial peace talks.

“Zolghadr’s anger caused senior leaders in Tehran, including former IRGC Intelligence Organization Chief and long-time member of Mojtaba’s inner circle, Hossein Taeb, to call the negotiating delegation back to Tehran,” the think tank added.

Iran’s delegation has yet to return to Pakistan to continue peace talks with the US, suggesting Vahidi and Zolghadr’s alliance continues to dominate Iran.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in a meeting in Tehran.