INTERNACIONAL
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard sidelines president as military grip expands
IRGC leader takes control of Iran’s military as US tensions rise
A US Navy destroyer intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, firing into its engine room after repeated warnings. Following a six-hour standoff, US Marines took custody of the vessel. President Donald Trump issued stern warnings, threatening to ‘take out their bridges and power plants’ if ongoing peace talks fail, as Iran’s hardline IRGC leader consolidates military control.
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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, has blocked President Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidential appointments and erected what sources described as a security cordon around Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, a report published Tuesday by Iran International said.
The IRGC effectively has assumed control over key state functions, the report claimed.
«It was always a matter of when, not if, the IRGC was going to step forward even more than it has in the last three decades,» Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital.
Pezeshkian has reached a «complete political deadlock» as tensions between his administration and the military leadership deepen, according to the report.
IRAN’S CEASEFIRE PUSH MAY BE A ‘CYCLE OF DECEPTION,’ ANALYSTS WARN AS SHADOWY FIGURE GAINS POWER
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, has blocked President Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidential appointments, a new report says. (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
The reported shift could have major consequences far beyond Iran.
Analysts say a more powerful IRGC likely would mean a more confrontational Iran, less willing to compromise in talks with Washington and more inclined to continue military escalation across the region. With U.S.-Iran negotiations already faltering and uncertainty growing over whether Tehran will even send negotiators to the next round of talks, the rise of the Revolutionary Guard raises fresh doubts about who actually is making decisions in Iran and whether any civilian official can still speak for the regime.
«But it’s a mistake to assume this is some sort of coup,» Ben Taleblu said. «This has been the process in Iran for years now, as the regime has chosen conflict over cooperation and emboldened its security forces at every juncture.»
Pezeshkian’s recent effort to appoint a new intelligence minister collapsed after direct pressure from IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi, sources told Iran International, arguing that all proposed candidates, including former Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan, were rejected.
FILE- Members of the Iranian revolutionary guard march during a parade. The IRGC is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department. A large part of its work is to covertly operate outside of Iran. (Reuters)
Vahidi reportedly insisted that under wartime conditions, all critical and sensitive positions must be chosen and managed directly by the Revolutionary Guard until further notice.
«By any standard, Vahidi is considered a radical even within the regime’s hardline elite, and his rise is a warning that Tehran’s war machine now calls the shots,» Lisa Daftari, foreign policy analyst and journalist, told Fox News Digital.
Under Iran’s system, the president traditionally nominates an intelligence minister only after securing approval from the supreme leader. But with the condition and whereabouts of Mojtaba Khamenei unclear in recent weeks, the IRGC appears to be increasingly acting without civilian oversight.
IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER IS ‘HIS FATHER ON STEROIDS,’ EXPERTS WARN OF HARDLINE RULE
RGC commander Ahmad Vahidi reportedly insisted that under wartime conditions, all critical and sensitive positions must be chosen and managed directly by the Revolutionary Guard until further notice. (Morteza Nikoubazl/Nur Photo via Getty Images)
The report claims Pezeshkian repeatedly has sought an urgent meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei but has been unable to establish contact.
Instead, according to Iran International, a «military council» made up of senior IRGC officers now controls access to the center of power, preventing government reports from reaching Mojtaba and effectively isolating him from the elected government.
Still, analysts say the reported power struggle reflects a longer trend in Iran, where the Revolutionary Guard has steadily expanded its influence over politics, the economy, and national security.
Ben Taleblu argued that Pezeshkian’s apparent sidelining should not be viewed as a dramatic break from the past because the president never exercised significant independent authority.
«Those who worry about Pezeshkian’s potential sidelining need to consider what he realistically was or wasn’t able to do mere months ago when the regime slaughtered 40,000 Iranians in the streets,» he said.
Pezeshkian, elected in 2025 on promises of moderation and reform, has repeatedly found himself constrained by the security establishment and the clerical leadership.
The latest report suggests that dynamic has intensified dramatically as Iran faces growing external pressure and internal uncertainty.
One of the most striking claims involves Ali Asghar Hejazi, a powerful security official inside the office of the supreme leader.
LETHAL ELITE ‘BLACK-CLAD’ KILL SQUAD GUARDS IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER MOJTABA KHAMENEI
A banner featuring Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is displayed in Tehran, Iran, March 14, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Some of Mojtaba Khamenei’s associates are now trying to push Hejazi out because he opposed Mojtaba succeeding his father, according to Iran International.
The report said Hejazi warned members of the Assembly of Experts that Mojtaba lacked the qualifications to become supreme leader and that hereditary succession would violate the principles laid out by Ali Khamenei.
Hejazi reportedly also warned that putting Mojtaba in power would effectively hand the country to the Revolutionary Guard and permanently sideline civilian institutions.
That warning increasingly appears to reflect what is already happening.
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Analysts say the latest developments suggest the IRGC is no longer operating behind the scenes, but is openly emerging as the dominant force in Tehran. (AFP/Via Getty Images)
The Revolutionary Guard, created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution to defend the regime, has long evolved far beyond a military force. It now controls major sections of Iran’s economy, oversees the country’s missile and nuclear programs, and exerts influence across nearly every branch of government.
Analysts say the latest developments suggest the IRGC is no longer operating behind the scenes, but is openly emerging as the dominant force in Tehran.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment.
war with iran, mojtaba khamenei, presidential, national security, appointments, iran
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Hillary Clinton still fuming over Electoral College, calls it an ‘abomination’ in new Netflix series
Hillary Clinton slams Biden’s 2024 re-election bid as ‘terrible mistake’
Hillary Clinton labels former President Joe Biden’s 2024 re-election bid a ‘terrible mistake’ in a recent interview, stating he should have passed the torch. ‘Fox & Friends’ hosts discuss the irony and timing of her criticism, contrasting it with her earlier endorsement. They also critique the Democratic Party’s internal alignment and lack of diverse perspectives on this significant political decision, highlighting perceived flaws in party strategy.
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Failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is still railing against the Electoral College, which cost her the presidency in 2016, calling it an «abomination» in a trailer for the new Netflix docuseries titled «The American Experiment.»
In a trailer for the upcoming series, which is executive-produced by Tom Hanks, Clinton remarks, «Well, I personally think the Electoral College is an abomination. For obvious reasons.»
Set to drop today, the new five-part docuseries marks 250 years of U.S. independence by examining «how American democracy has been built, challenged, and reimagined» over the course of its centuries-long history, according to Netflix’s Tudum. In addition to Clinton, the series will feature interviews with dozens of politicians and historians, including former Vice Presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence and Al Gore, as well as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
The push for abolishing the Electoral College, which was instituted in 1787, has gained increased support in some corners of the left, especially after Clinton’s 2016 loss to President Donald Trump. Though Clinton won the national popular vote, Trump secured several key swing states that gave him the Electoral College edge, sending him to the White House.
WHAT IS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE? HOW DOES IT WORK?
Hillary Rodham Clinton attends a conversation with David Remnick at 92NY in New York City on June 15, 2026. (Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)
After her loss, Clinton lambasted the system, calling it «the god-forsaken Electoral College» in her 2017 memoir «What Happened.» In an interview with CNN host Anderson Cooper, Clinton reaffirmed her call to abolish the Electoral College, referring to it as «an anachronism that was designed for another time» that «no longer works.»
«We’ve moved toward one person, one vote, that’s how we select winners,» she continued, adding, «I think it needs to be eliminated, I’d like to see us move beyond it.»
Months before Trump’s 2024 victory over Harris, Clinton again raised concerns about the Electoral College, saying in an interview with The 19th, «We are the underdog, that just kind of goes with the territory when we have the Electoral College staring at you.»
Trump defeated Harris both in the Electoral College and in the popular vote.
Fox News Digital reached out to Clinton for additional comment.
CARVILLE WARNS DEMS NEED ‘SOMEBODY THAT CAN WIN THIS GOD— THING’ WHEN ASKED IF AOC IS VIABLE FOR 2028
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th National Convention on July 25, 2024, in Houston, Texas. (Montinique Monroe/Getty Images)
In the trailer for the new docuseries, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., states that «the founders themselves were not in love with the Electoral College» and «it was defective from the beginning.»
«We have a problem that a minority of the population, because of the structure of the Electoral College — in some cases, over the objections of the majority — is ruling the majority,» added Lofgren.
Discussing Clinton’s interview, director Brian Knappenberger told Variety, «I knew I would be asking former Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton about one of the most painful moments of her life.»
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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton delivers a concession speech after losing to Republican president-elect Donald Trump as former President Bill Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine look on in New York on Nov. 9, 2016. (Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images)
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«She has rarely spoken candidly about that election night and we’re really happy she talked about it for the series,» said Knappenberger, adding, «She has a unique perspective as one of only five people in American history to lose the presidency after winning the popular vote. The 2016 election also stands out because Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in the popular vote by such a significant margin.»
Fox News Digital also reached out to Netflix, Knappenberger and Lofgren for comment.
hillary clinton, presidential, the electoral college, democratic party, elections, politics
INTERNACIONAL
John Lennon, músico inglés: “Si todo el mundo exigiera la paz en lugar de otro televisor, entonces habría paz”
En la primavera de 1969, el mundo ardía. La Guerra de Vietnam se devoraba las vidas de miles de jóvenes en el sudeste asiático, las calles de Europa aún crujían por las réplicas del Mayo Francés y la Guerra Fría dictaba un guion de paranoia global. En ese ecosistema de tensión absoluta, el hombre más famoso del planeta decidió atrincherarse en la cama de un hotel. Estamos hablando de John Lennon, quien supo ser el líder de The Beatles. No lo hizo para esconderse, sino para encender un megáfono incómodo.
Instalados en la suite 1742 del Hotel Queen Elizabeth en Montreal, John Lennon y Yoko Ono convirtieron su luna de miel en una acción artística, política y mediática sin precedentes: el Bed-In for Peace (Encamada por la paz). Entre sábanas blancas, rodeados de flores y carteles que rezaban “Hair Peace” y “Bed Peace”, la pareja recibió durante siete días a periodistas, filósofos y activistas. Fue el 1 de junio de ese año que dijo: “Si todo el mundo exigiera la paz en lugar de otro televisor, entonces habría paz”.
Cronistas escépticos le exigían soluciones pragmáticas a un músico de rock. Entonces disparó esta sentencia que hoy opera como una profecía de nuestra era hiperconectada. Pero para desarmar la potencia de esa frase es imperativo analizar su contexto histórico y simbólico. A finales de la década del 60, el televisor no era un electrodoméstico común; era el nuevo tótem del capitalismo tardío, el centro de gravedad de la sala de estar de la clase media global y la gran promesa de confort de posguerra.
Lennon, un agudo observador de la conducta de masas, identificó allí una trampa. El sistema ofrecía bienestar material a cambio de apatía política. La comodidad de consumir imágenes —incluso las de la propia guerra transmitida a la hora de la cena— funcionaba como un anestésico para la acción civil. La frase encierra una ecuación filosófica de responsabilidad individual: la paz no es un accidente geográfico ni un decreto de las cúpulas de poder; es una demanda colectiva que se asume o se delega.
Si el ciudadano medio invierte su energía, su tiempo y su salario en acumular bienes de consumo en lugar de presionar a sus gobernantes, se vuelve cómplice por omisión. Reemplácese hoy la palabra “televisor” por el último modelo de smartphone, la suscripción a una plataforma de streaming o el algoritmo de turno, y la interpelación de Lennon mantiene su vigencia intacta, desnudando cómo el entretenimiento y el mercado fagocitan las urgencias humanitarias. Para que haya paz, primero hay que exigirla.
Aunque la frase nació como una declaración oral al calor del debate periodístico, su supervivencia histórica y su estatus de manifiesto político se consolidaron gracias a su registro impreso. La cita aparece en John Lennon en sus propias palabras, publicado originalmente en 1980 por los editores Miles y Pearce Marchbank. A diferencia de las biografías tradicionales, este libro se estructuró como una curaduría minuciosa de declaraciones textuales, cartas, manifiestos y fragmentos de entrevistas.
Esa frase en Montreal no fue un exabrupto ni un eslogan publicitario; es, posiblemente, la síntesis perfecta del viaje intelectual de su autor. Representa la transición definitiva del John Lennon ídolo de masas —el joven de Liverpool atrapado en la histeria de la Beatlemanía de álbumes como A Hard Day’s Night— al John Lennon activista radical y artista conceptual influenciado por el situacionismo de Yoko Ono. Toda la obra posterior de Lennon está contenida conceptualmente en esa crítica al televisor.
Es el mismo nervio ideológico que meses después pariría la campaña global de afiches callejeros War Is Over! (If You Want It) (¡La guerra ha terminado! [Si tú quieres]) y que, en 1971, encontraría su forma artística en el himno Imagine. Cuando el músico cantaba sobre imaginar a la humanidad despojada de posesiones, fronteras y religiones, no lo hacía desde una utopía ingenua o de fantasía infantil, sino desde la convicción de que la sociedad civil estaba atrapada en un diseño cultural destinado a distraerla.
John Winston Lennon nació el 9 de octubre de 1940 en Liverpool, Inglaterra, en medio de los bombardeos de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, y creció marcado por el abandono de sus padres y la crianza de su estricta tía Mimi. Su espíritu rebelde encontró refugio en el naciente rock and roll, lo que lo llevó a fundar The Quarrymen, germen de lo que pronto se convertiría en The Beatles. Junto a Paul McCartney, George Harrison y Ringo Starr, Lennon protagonizó el fenómeno cultural más masivo de la historia de la música.
Entre sus grandes álbumes están Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band y Abbey Road. Tras la disolución de la banda en 1970, el músico canalizó su genio en una carrera solista profundamente introspectiva y vanguardista de la mano de su esposa, la artista Yoko Ono, legando al mundo obras maestras como los discos John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band e Imagine. Su vida pública estuvo signada tanto por su genialidad artística como por su férreo activismo político contra la Guerra de Vietnam.-
Tras un retiro de cinco años para dedicarse a la crianza de su segundo hijo, Sean Lennon (ya había tenido a Julian Lennon con su primera esposa, Cynthia Powell), el compositor regresó a la escena musical en 1980 con el aclamado álbum Double Fantasy. Sin embargo, el renacimiento creativo fue trágicamente interrumpido el 8 de diciembre de ese mismo año: al regresar a su residencia en el Edificio Dakota de Nueva York, Mark David Chapman, un fanático perturbado, lo asesinó a balazos. Tenía apenas 40 años.
standing hands in pockets looking away arms crossed side by side,standing hands in pockets looking away arms crossed side by side sunglasses
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