When an Iranian president has to publicly explain why Iran attacked neutral neighbors, it is because he did not authorize those strikes. The IRGC made the call. The civilian president is cleaning up the diplomatic damage. Reuters reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have seized wartime control, with pre-delegated authority to junior ranks before the strikes, allowing mid-ranking officers independent strike authority.
Operation True Promise 4 and the Gulf
The IRGC conducted Operation True Promise 4, firing over 400 ballistic missiles and nearly 1,000 drones at Arab Gulf states within 72 hours. Targets included U.S. naval bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, and civilian infrastructure. The strikes targeted Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman—as well as Jordan. CNN reported that Iran’s retaliation has rattled its neighbors. The Gulf Cooperation Council invoked Article 51 for collective self-defense.
Civilian vs. Military Control
According to Reuters, with top leadership killed, the IRGC had pre-delegated authority to junior ranks. Gulf News reported that a temporary three-person leadership council has taken charge—with Masoud Pezeshkian as reformist president—but real power rests with a 13-member National Security Council dominated by military and security insiders. The Atlantic noted that the Guards control not just military operations but much of Iran’s economy through parastatal institutions.
Why the President Explains
When the Iranian president publicly explains why Iran attacked neighboring countries, he is performing damage control. The IRGC struck first; the president is left to justify. That confirms Iran has no unified command structure. The military made the call. The civilian leadership is cleaning up.
What This Actually Means
Iran’s president defending Gulf strikes is not a show of unity. It is a confession. The IRGC is calling the shots. The civilian president is the spokesperson for decisions he did not make. That makes the conflict far more dangerous—because the people explaining are not the people deciding.