Iranian daily censures ‘radicals for targeting both IRGC and gov’t’ amid tensions

In a significant development, a video of a phone conversation between the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami and President Massoud Pezeshkian was released shortly after a massive missile strike on Israel on Tuesday.

Iran’s reformist Shargh newspaper has highlighted the event in its Thursday edition, writing the video taken from the operation room aimed to counteract recent attempts by the radicals, affiliated with the Perseverance Front, to create a rift between the government and the IRGC.

The radical elements had previously claimed that the IRGC responded to Israel following their pressure, despite the current administration’s reluctance.

The video posted by Tasnim news agency shows the IRGC chief briefing the president on the phone, saying “200 missiles were fired in this operation.”

According to the newspaper, the missile strike followed by the release of the video conveyed a clear message, “Efforts to divide the government and the IRGC had failed.”

The situation highlights the ongoing struggle within the political landscape, where, as Shargh argues, radical elements continue to challenge the new administration’s authority and seek to manipulate military forces for their political gain.

The newspaper believes Operation True Promise II marked the end of a week of attacks and pressure on the government and military forces by the radicals, “claiming to defend field commanders, but did not hesitate to criticize the very commanders.”

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