Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian is locked in a bitter dispute with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ahmad Vahidi over control of wartime decision-making, as the country’s economy spirals toward collapse under the weight of its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.

Citing Iranian sources, the London-based opposition outlet Iran International reported Saturday that Pezeshkian has openly criticized the IRGC’s strategy of escalating regional tensions and striking neighboring countries, warning of the long-term damage such actions are inflicting on the Iranian economy. The president has also demanded that executive decisions regarding the war be made by the civilian government rather than the IRGC — a demand Vahidi has rejected.

The IRGC, in turn, has pushed back against Pezeshkian, faulting him for failing to implement structural reforms before the war began.

The power struggle is unfolding against a backdrop of accelerating economic deterioration. Food prices have surged by at least 50 percent compared to pre-war levels, with some staples rising hour by hour. Internet disruptions have crippled services and commerce, factories are facing acute raw material shortages, and the country’s administrative apparatus has been severely compromised.

State-affiliated institutions and independent economists estimate that more than 40 percent of Iranians now live below the absolute poverty line — a figure that exceeds 50 percent in Tehran. Iran International, citing messages from government workers, reported that salaries and benefits for a large portion of public employees have gone unpaid for the past three months.

Iran’s economy was already under severe strain before the war. The current conflict has accelerated what analysts had long described as a slow-motion collapse, compressing years of decline into a matter of weeks.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)