TEHRAN — Yousef Pezeshkian, son of Iran’s president, has dismissed reports of divisions between his father and military commanders, amid stalled efforts to bring the US-Israeli war that began on February 28 to a lasting end.

“There is absolutely no division at all,” Yousef told the Tehran Times on May 6 as he accompanied a delegation from the Presidential Office during a visit to the English-language newspaper on the 47th anniversary of its establishment.

He stressed that President Masoud Pezeshkian and military commanders trust each other.

“There may be discussions about what should be done, and different views might be expressed. But I can say with certainty that at the highest levels, when they sit together, there is mutual trust, and everyone is working for Iran. When we all know that we want Iran to be strong and proud, no division will arise,” Yousef said.

Claims about divisions between Iran’s military and political leadership once again appeared in Israeli-affiliated media, following accusations by the United Arab Emirates that Iran launched missile and drone attacks on the small Persian Gulf state on May 4 and 5.

However, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran’s highest military command center responsible for coordinating the armed forces, denied Abu Dhabi’s claims, saying the Iranian armed forces conducted no such operations.

Despite the military’s denial, Israeli-linked media outlets alleged that President Pezeshkian has clashed with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), without providing any evidence.

Since the start of the war, US officials, including President Donald Trump, have alleged infighting between Iranian military and political leaders over the conflict. Iran and the United States reached a ceasefire on April 8. However, Pakistani-mediated efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace reached a deadlock after negotiations between Iran and the US in Islamabad on April 11 failed. On Sunday, Trump rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal. Iran accused the United States of insisting on "unreasonable demands" shaped by Israel. 

Last month, in a coordinated move, President Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei dismissed Trump’s remarks about “divisions between extremists and moderates” in Iran.

In a post on X on April 23, Pezeshkian wrote, “In Iran there are no "hardliners" or "moderates" We are all Iranians and revolutionaries. With ironclad unity of nation and state and obedience to the Supreme Leader, we will make the aggressor regret. One God, one nation, one leader, one path; victory for Iran, dearer than life."

Iranian officials argue that Trump makes such statements in an attempt to drive a wedge within Iranian society and to gloss over Washington’s military setbacks and miscalculations in the war with Iran.

Unity and good-neighborly ties

Further in his talks with the Tehran Times, Yousef said President Pezeshkian emphasizes internal unity and good relations with neighbors.

“The president emphasizes two key points. First, we must preserve unity at home and prevent divisions from emerging or escalating. Second, we must improve our relations with our neighbors,” Yousef said. He added, “The reality is that they are our neighbors. Whatever happens there affects us, just as what happens here affects them. It’s like we are all sitting on the same ship — if it sinks, we all sink.”

During the 39-day US-Israel war on Iran, Iranian armed forces targeted American bases in Persian Gulf countries. Iranian officials have said these bases are “legitimate targets” because the United States uses them to launch attacks against Iran.

A role model for expanding relations

Prior to the war, the Pezeshkian government intensified efforts to strengthen relations with neighboring countries further.

Under his administration, Iran’s ties with its neighbors, including the Republic of Azerbaijan, improved following earlier tensions over political and security issues between Tehran and Baku. Yousef said this could serve as a model for strengthening relations with other neighbors. “I believe the improvement we have seen in relations with Azerbaijan can be extended to all neighboring countries.”

The president’s son noted that focusing on commonalities can help achieve this goal. “Even where differences exist, there are also shared interests and common ground. We can build on those commonalities to expand and improve relations. If we focus only on disagreements, the situation will only deteriorate — that is true of any relationship.”

The Pezeshkian family is from northwestern Iran, which borders the Republic of Azerbaijan. Yousef said cultural and linguistic proximity is another important factor that can bring the two countries closer. “With Azerbaijan, we share many cultural and linguistic commonalities. These can either become points of contention or foundations for cooperation. The president has chosen to highlight shared commonalities.”

He said this approach can be applied to strengthen relations with other neighbors as well. “The same approach can be applied to Arab countries, especially since we have Arabic-speaking citizens in our own country. It can also apply to the Kurdistan Region (in Iraq) — where the president has already taken steps in this direction — as well as to Afghanistan and Tajikistan.”

He also noted that linguistic ties among communities such as the Baloch and other cross-border groups can further support this process

Yousef concluded, “There are many links that connect us. The stronger we make those links, the stronger our relationships will become. When they grow stronger, we grow stronger too. We should see this as a collective good — something that benefits everyone.”

By Shahrokh Saei