Iran’s Shadow Leader Who Mocked Trump Now Set to Control Nuclear Strategy

Clear Facts

• Saeed Jalili, 60, an ultra-hardline conservative who heads Iran’s Stability Front, is expected to replace Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in leading nuclear negotiations with the United States
• Jalili previously served as Iran’s top nuclear negotiator from 2007-2013 and is known for rejecting nuclear concessions and opposing engagement with the West
• The leadership change follows internal disputes after Ghalibaf attempted to bring nuclear issues into talks with Washington, triggering backlash from Iran’s political establishment

Signs of internal turmoil within Iran’s negotiating apparatus are intensifying as a veteran hardliner known for his defiant stance toward the West prepares to assume control of nuclear talks. Saeed Jalili, who already leads what observers describe as a “shadow government,” is expected to succeed Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf following his sudden departure amid internal disputes, according to Iran International reporting April 24.

Jalili, 60, heads Iran’s ultra-hardline faction known as the Stability Front (Paydari), which has been characterized as a “bastion of ultraconservatism in Iran.” His expected appointment signals a significant hardening of Iran’s diplomatic posture, with greater emphasis on resistance over compromise.

Ali Safavi, an official with the Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), told Fox News Digital that Jalili “has evolved from a nuclear negotiator to an influential actor within the regime.”

Ghalibaf was reportedly forced to step down after attempting to bring the nuclear issue into talks with Washington, a move that triggered backlash within Iran’s political establishment. President Donald Trump had called off plans for U.S. envoys to travel to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on April 25.

The rivalry between Jalili and Ghalibaf is said to span more than a decade and intensified during the 2024 elections, when Jalili refused to step aside, contributing to the victory of President Masoud Pezeshkian.

“The increased visibility of latent divisions stems from recurring nationwide uprisings, deep economic crises and the pressures of war, all of which have intensified internal feuding,” Safavi said.

“Far from signaling transformation, these developments reflect accelerating erosion and mounting pressure, deepening fractures and leaving the regime ever weaker and more vulnerable,” he added.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also seeking a continued leading role in negotiations, highlighting competing centers of influence over Iran’s diplomatic strategy, sources said. Araghchi is in Islamabad, Pakistan, after returning from a short trip to Muscat, Oman, where he is holding high-level diplomatic talks on the conflict. Reports indicate Araghchi will travel to Moscow.

Jalili’s potential appointment, however, signals a hardening of Iran’s stance, with more emphasis on resistance over compromise.

“Within this regime, there are a number of constants espoused by all factions,” Safavi said before highlighting that these were “repression, the export of terrorism and the pursuit of nuclear weapons.”

“The factions all ultimately move along a common path: the preservation of power. They differ in methods, not in objectives,” Safavi cautioned.

Jalili served as Iran’s top nuclear negotiator from 2007 to 2013 under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and later ran for president three times. He also served as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.

A former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Jalili lost his right leg at 21 during the Iran-Iraq War, earning him the title of “Living Martyr”. The Paydari Front, which he is associated with, opposes engagement with the West — particularly the 2015 nuclear deal — and advocates a doctrine of “active resistance.”

During Hassan Rouhani’s presidency, Jalili established a “shadow government” to counter the administration’s policies, especially the nuclear deal.

On April 7, he wrote on X: “Yes — ‘infrastructure’ is on the verge of collapse; the infrastructure of domination and the American order. And after that, a better foundation will be built.”

A day earlier, he posted: “‘Shut up’ is not the appropriate response to Trump’s ramblings; let him speak more. Nothing is more effective in laying bare the true nature of the United States than Trump’s outbursts.”

“In dealing with this regime,” Safavi said, “we must bear in mind that in the 45 years since the mullahs consolidated their rule in 1981 by crushing all peaceful political life, so-called reformists have governed for nearly half that time — presiding over some of its darkest crimes.”

“These include the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, the assassination of dissidents abroad, the chain murders of intellectuals inside Iran and the relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons.”

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.