Iran’s New President Proposes Striking Israel’s Interests in Azerbaijan Instead of Direct Attacks on Israel, Telegraph Reports
In a sensational report, Britain’s Telegraph newspaper has shed light on internal discussions within Iran regarding potential military actions against Israel. The report, citing reliable sources, details serious disagreements between Iran’s newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian’s team and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) over how to respond to Israel.
According to the report, the new Iranian administration, led by Pezeshkian, is opposed to an open military confrontation with Israel. A senior aide to Pezeshkian told the newspaper that the IRGC, however, is pushing for direct and aggressive strikes against Israel, potentially dragging the new president into a war.
The report includes another explosive detail: Pezeshkian and his supporters believe that the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was a trap set by the IRGC to ensnare the new president in a bloody conflict from the outset of his tenure. They suspect that the IRGC deliberately left a security gap in Haniyeh’s protection to facilitate his assassination, thereby attempting to derail Pezeshkian’s plans for rapprochement with the West and domestic reforms.
Pezeshkian’s aide stated that the president is engaged in a tense struggle with IRGC commanders to prevent a war, with some of these confrontations even reaching the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Pezeshkian is reportedly insisting on indirect responses to Israel that would preserve Iran’s reputation while avoiding actions that could lead to full-scale war.
One of the most intriguing revelations is Pezeshkian’s proposal to strike Israeli assets in neighboring countries such as Azerbaijan or Iraqi Kurdistan, rather than targeting Israel directly. According to the aide, Pezeshkian has suggested informing the governments of these countries in advance and then conducting a strike on an Israeli target in their territory. The aim would be to give the appearance of a retaliatory action by Iran without escalating into a broader conflict.
IRGC sources have confirmed to the Telegraph that there is indeed a dispute with Pezeshkian. An unnamed source within the IRGC stated that the commanders believe Pezeshkian is more concerned with safeguarding his position than with preserving the country’s dignity, and therefore they do not take his suggestions seriously.
