Tehran internal rift widens over unauthorized U.S. diplomatic contact

Internal divisions have emerged in Tehran following high-level diplomatic contact between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. representatives in New York, exposing a rift between negotiators and hardline security factions. The Tasnim news agency, which maintains close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that the interactions were not authorized by Iran’s official policymaking bodies. Disputed Authority and Secret Channels The friction followed reports from Iran International detailing Araghchi’s contact with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. While the Iranian Foreign Ministry maintains that the communications were conducted via Qatari mediation to outline specific conditions, domestic critics in Tehran have questioned the mandate of the negotiating team to offer concessions. U.S. President Donald Trump described the three-hour meeting as "very good," citing "momentum" toward a potential agreement. Steve Witkoff confirmed the completion of a round of discussions on Thursday, 24 September, describing the talks as potentially "constructive and promising." However, the public rebuke from Tasnim suggests that any diplomatic progress faces significant hurdles from the IRGC, which oversees much of Iran’s regional military strategy and remains wary of direct engagement with Washington. Strategic Demands and Deadlocks Iran has anchored any further progress to a specific set of demands. These include the cessation of U.S.…