A shocking rift in the Iranian regime has burst into the open as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) publicly attacked Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for announcing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The unprecedented infighting suggests a "regime facade" in collapse, leaving the world wondering who is actually in charge of the world’s most important oil chokepoint.
The chaos began on Friday when Araghchi took to X/Twitter to declare the Strait “completely open” for commercial vessels following the ceasefire in Lebanon.
His post sent oil prices tumbling and sparked global hope for an end to the energy crisis.
However, the IRGC-linked Tasnim News immediately fired back, calling Araghchi’s post a “bad and incomplete tweet” that created “incorrect ambiguity.”
The IRGC insists that Araghchi’s announcement was an act of “political disobedience.” Hardliners argue that the Strait cannot be open as long as the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports remains in place.
Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf joined the fray, warning that matters of national security "will not be determined on social media" and that the Strait would slam shut if the U.S. doesn't back down.
By Saturday morning, the IRGC appeared to have won the internal battle.
Navigation through the Strait has returned to a state of “strict restrictions,” with CENTCOM Admiral Brad Cooper and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper both confirming that normal shipping traffic has not been restored.
This public brawl between Iran’s "diplomatic wing" and its "military wing" is a major headache for the White House.
While negotiators in Pakistan try to finalize a deal before the April 22 deadline, they are now faced with a regime that is literally fighting with itself.
The International Energy Agency warns that this continued closure represents the largest supply loss in history, over 10 million barrels of oil per day, leaving the global economy hanging by a thread.