Who is making decisions in Iran?

Pezeshkian, meanwhile, has aligned himself with the broader direction of the regime without visibly shaping it. Considered a relatively moderate figure, he has so far avoided pushing an independent line.The stalled second round of talks with the US in Islamabad reinforces the point. Even when diplomatic channels are open, the system appears unable or unwilling to commit.A military expanding remitControl over the Strait of Hormuz is Iran's most immediate source of leverage. But decisions over its closure sit with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), led by Ahmad Vahidi, rather than the diplomatic team.That places real power in the hands of actors who operate behind closed doors. Unlike previous crises, there is no single, identifiable figure clearly owning the strategy. Instead, a pattern emerges: actions first, messaging later, and not always consistent.In practice, it is the IRGC's actions, whether in enforcing the closure of Hormuz or in striking targets across the Gulf, that appear to be setting the pace of the crisis. Political and diplomatic responses often follow rather than lead.This does not necessarily signal a breakdown of the administrative branches. But it does suggest that operational autonomy of the IRGC has widened, at least temporarily, in the absence of clear political arbitration.Ghalibaf steps forward