Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has publicly acknowledged policy disagreements within Iran’s leadership and called for open discussion of them, in remarks reported by the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) and carried by Hiru News.
“There are differences of opinion about the country’s issues, and we must talk to each other about them,” Aref said.
He paired the admission with a firm statement about where authority ultimately sits:
“The constitution defines the red lines and the position of each individual and institution in decision-making, and it is clear which individual and institution should have the final say on matters of foreign policy and war.”
Why the framing matters
Aref named no individuals or bodies. But under Iran’s constitution, final authority over foreign policy and military command rests with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the top security institutions, operating alongside the executive branch headed by President Masoud Pezeshkian. Read in that light, the remarks concede that disagreement exists while restating that it cannot override the leadership’s decisions.
Aref also criticised the tone of domestic political argument, urging officials and public figures to avoid insults rooted in factional disagreement and arguing that senior figures and public servants deserve respect even in vigorous debate.
Context
The comments come as Iran manages sustained external pressure, economic strain under prolonged international sanctions, and the regional escalation that has drawn in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. A public acknowledgement of internal division from a serving first vice president is unusual for Iranian officials, who typically project unity when the country is under external pressure.
What is not reported: ISNA’s account, as carried, does not identify which policy dispute Aref was addressing, where or to what audience he was speaking, or on what date the remarks were made. No other international newsroom had filed on them at the time of writing, so this account rests on a single agency report.
