A faction of hardliners within Tehran is reported to have sabotaged a US-Iran peace agreement by orchestrating attacks in the Strait of Hormuz this summer, according to published reports. The attacks undermined a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries in June, derailing hopes for a lasting cease-fire.

Following the June agreement, moderate Iranian officials led by President Masoud Pezeshkian viewed the cease-fire as a potential step toward permanently ending hostilities. However, those hopes were shattered in July when Iran launched strikes against three vessels navigating the strategic waterway. Sources indicate these attacks were authorized not by Iran's formal military command but by Hossein Taeb, the newly appointed head of the Basij militia, a paramilitary force known for its involvement in cracking down on domestic protests.

Taeb reportedly directed the attacks to prevent any compromise with the United States, with the intention of undoing the memorandum and halting future negotiations. This move was seen as a carefully orchestrated effort by hardline elements to maintain a state of confrontation with Washington.

The attacks took place amid uncertainty surrounding Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, whose whereabouts have remained largely unknown since reportedly sustaining serious injuries in the early stages of the conflict. Khamenei's physical and mental condition has been the subject of speculation, with official communications often issued through readouts rather than direct appearances. Some sources, including Pezeshkian, have expressed doubts about the authenticity of recent meetings purportedly involving Khamenei.

This leadership vacuum appears to have provided an opening for hardliners aligned with Khamenei’s faction to assert greater influence. They are believed to have exploited the supreme leader’s absence to advance their objectives while attributing decisions to him. When questioned about the July 7 attacks, Iranian military officials offered vague responses, frequently deferring responsibility to “orders from above.” The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters notably refrained from claiming credit for the strikes, a departure from its usual practice of publicizing such actions.

The episode exposes deep divisions within Tehran’s power structure and illustrates how hardline factions have leveraged internal uncertainty to perpetuate conflict. Since the July incident, Tehran has continued firing on vessels attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, escalating exchanges of attacks involving Iran and its allied groups on one side, and the United States and its partners on the other.