Who is calling the shots in Iran amid the deadly war with the US?

The United States has portrayed Iran's leadership as fractured and unclear following the assassination of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior officials during ongoing conflict. However, Iranian authorities have categorically rejected this characterization, instead projecting a unified governmental position on key strategic matters.

At the center of Iran's coordinated response is control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which international shipping passes. Multiple tanker and cargo ship attacks have occurred in the strait this month after Iran signaled it would not permit vessels to use a southern route near Oman, instead requiring passage through Iranian territorial waters to the north.

Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, indicated during talks in Oman that Iran had proposed a third transit route that would allow all parties to return to honoring previous commitments. However, this proposal has not resolved the underlying crisis.

The military and security leadership driving Iran's Strait of Hormuz policy includes Ahmad Vahidi, commander-in-chief of the IRGC; Ali Abdollahi, head of the joint wartime command; and Ali Azmaei, the new IRGC Navy commander. These figures have made rare public appearances in recent weeks and consistently reaffirmed their determination to consolidate perceived military advantages in the waterway. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, serving as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, acts as a principal institutional coordinator among different political factions within the Iranian system.