The people are stronger than our leaders: Iranian president’s son reveals secrets of a strategy-less war
While Iranian leaders project defiance in their public statements, the underlying reality appears different—there is a “latent fear beneath the surface,” as Israel continues its policy of targeted killings.
This was revealed by Youssef Pezeshkian, son of Iran’s president, in an online blog where he shares a mix of personal accounts and behind-the-scenes glimpses as Iranian leaders are targeted one after another.
As Iran enters the fourth week of the war and its leaders continue to be killed, those remaining have retreated to locations they hope are secure, according to Pezeshkian, who offers a rare insight into how Iranian political figures are coping with the outbreak and proximity of the conflict.
Youssef, 44, and an adviser to his father, said he has neither seen nor spoken to him since Israel and the United States launched the war against Iran on February 28, noting that Iranian leaders have been forced to go underground.
He had hoped to catch even a brief glimpse of his father, but in his diary entries published on his Telegram channel, he expressed regret that his attempts were unsuccessful.
Panic among political elites
On the sixth day of the war in early March, he wrote: “I believe some political figures are panicking. The people are stronger and more resilient than our analysts and political leaders. We must always remind ourselves that defeat comes only when we feel defeated.”
He also expressed concern for his father, saying that he and his two brothers are waiting for the remaining two years of the presidential term to end “so that we can all return to normal life.”
So far, Israeli and U.S. strikes have resulted in the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the dismantling of the top military command structure, as well as Ali Larijani, head of the Supreme National Security Council and de facto ruler of Iran, and intelligence chief Esmail Khatib, among others.
In his writings, Pezeshkian stated that protecting the lives of officials has become the country’s top priority, adding that stopping targeted killings is now “a matter of honor.”
He has been publishing his diary entries on Telegram almost daily since the start of the war, continuing a practice that began at least a year ago, and occasionally linking them to his other official social media accounts, including Instagram.
Israel’s ability to track senior officials in their hidden locations has unsettled Iran’s leadership and raised concerns over who might be next and how the regime can sustain such losses, according to three senior Iranian officials who spoke to The New York Times on condition of anonymity.
They said some losses were particularly severe, including that of Ali Larijani, who wielded exceptional influence across political factions, security services, and the military, and was seen as a figure capable of negotiating a ceasefire with the Trump administration.
Pezeshkian wrote: “I did not want to believe the news of Larijani’s death at all. We should not have allowed the enemy to carry out another successful assassination.”
He added that unless Iran can halt the targeted killings, “we will lose the war.”
Many are now questioning who is governing the country in Larijani’s absence, while Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father as Supreme Leader, remains out of sight. The three officials confirmed that the country is currently being run by a committee.
Revolutionary Guard commanders are leading the front, with General Ahmad Vahidi, the new commander-in-chief, overseeing the tactical dimension of the war. General Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a close ally of Khamenei, has quietly taken over Larijani’s responsibilities. A former IRGC commander and now Speaker of Parliament, he is responsible for strategic decision-making.
President Pezeshkian and Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref are managing the day-to-day administration of the state to ensure continuity. Retired generals, former officials, and administrators have been recalled to service.
Disagreements over the war
The son, who holds a PhD in physics and is a university professor, keeps a daily war diary blending personal and political reflections, revealing some internal deliberations among senior Iranian officials.
He recounted attending a government meeting during the first week of the war, where disagreements over strategy emerged.
He wrote: “Our main serious disagreement is this: how long are we supposed to fight? Forever? Until Israel is destroyed and the United States withdraws? Until Iran is completely devastated and we admit defeat? We must examine different scenarios.”
Pezeshkian did not respond to requests for comment, but current and former Iranian officials confirmed the authenticity of the writings and that he manages the accounts, with some Iranian media referencing his posts.
In his diary, he notes receiving messages about the war not only from acquaintances but also from strangers. At times, he said, “the messages call for surrender and returning power to the people.”
Concerns
He also expressed concern that Iranian attacks on Arab countries in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes could backfire. He wrote: “It is unfortunate that we defend ourselves by attacking U.S. bases in friendly countries. I do not know whether they will understand our situation.”
Pezeshkian strongly defended his father after he apologized to Arab countries for the strikes in a video message on March 7, stating they would stop. However, conservatives and military leaders reacted angrily, and the president’s promise was reversed within hours.
He wrote: “Apologizing to neighbors is a moral duty, not a legal one,” adding that the populations of Gulf countries were not responsible for the war, even though their lives had been disrupted by it.
Iran’s system of governance
Analysts suggest that Iran’s political system has evolved into a cohesive structure of interlinked institutions, supported by a network of loyal leaders and civilian and military cadres to ensure the continuity of the Islamic Republic and its war effort.
According to Ali Vaez, Iran program director at the International Crisis Group, “in the face of the risk of Israel targeting top leadership, Iran is managing the war effort as a networked survival machine, mobilizing all hands and delegating authority across interconnected centers of power.”
