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Iran's radical change/ A new leadership at a critical moment for the Middle East

2026-07-05 09:01:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Iran's radical change/ A new leadership at a critical moment for the Middle

After months of tumultuous conflict with the United States and Israel, Iran is at a historic turning point. With the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in airstrikes early in the war, the political scene in Tehran has undergone a complete transformation, ending the era of the "old guard" of the 1979 revolution.

The new leadership, headed by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, and other figures closely linked to the Revolutionary Guards IRGC, is emerging as a much more pragmatic and determined force than its predecessors.

Unlike Ali Khamenei's old "neither war nor peace" strategy, the current leadership has shown a willingness to engage in a more aggressive conflict, directly challenging US military bases and destabilizing important sea lanes like the Strait of Hormuz.

According to experts, this generational change in power has changed the "chessboard" in the Middle East. While the country's economy remains in dire straits, the regime has focused on its survival through a new pragmatism.

Efforts to soften some internal taboos, such as easing restrictions on the hijab or introducing Western elements into urban life, are interpreted as attempts to regain the trust of an educated and disaffected population that has so far felt it has no role in determining the country's future.

Despite the deep hostility, the diplomatic process launched after the ceasefire has opened a window of opportunity. The memorandum of understanding agreement with the US, which includes the temporary lifting of sanctions on oil exports, is being used by Tehran as a mechanism to repair the economy and perhaps build a "new social contract" with its citizens.

However, the situation remains extremely fragile. Mutual distrust, disagreements over the nuclear program and unresolved tensions in the region mean that this moment, described by diplomats as a "plastic moment" because of the great potential for change, could easily turn into failure.

For the new Iran, the challenge is not simply military survival, but the ability to translate this fragile stability into a transformed relationship with the world and its own people. /CNA