US Officials Report 'Absolute Fracture' Inside Iran; IRGC Hardliners Block Civilian Negotiators

American officials disclosed on April 22 that a fundamental breakdown had occurred inside Iran's leadership, with IRGC hardliners under Gen. Ahmad Vahidi effectively sidelining civilian negotiators and blocking any deal. US officials described 'an absolute fracture inside Iran between the negotiators and the military — with neither side having access to the supreme leader, who is not responsive.' Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who replaced Ali Khamenei after his death in February 2026, was described as 'largely silent and inaccessible' — even senior civilian Iranian negotiators lacked direct contact with him. Trump's ceasefire extension was explicitly framed around this paralysis: 'Based on the fact that the government of Iran is seriously fractured.' Time magazine reported on the power vacuum at Iran's top, with IRGC commanders exercising de facto military authority. Iran's civilian Foreign Minister Araghchi continued to signal openness to dialogue in principle, but IRGC hardliners had already rejected terms that Araghchi's team had discussed in the first Islamabad round. US officials gave Iran 'days, not weeks' to resolve the internal standoff and submit a unified proposal for negotiation to resume.