Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei told officials on Friday to stop publicising problems and instead highlight the country's “power and strength”, in the latest sign of a leadership rift in Tehran.
Mr Khamenei's message – published by state media shortly before President Masoud Pezeshkian was due to appear on television – appeared to slap down officials who have acknowledged economic hardship in recent days.
The government has sought to placate public concerns after fears of rising fuel prices sparked long queues at petrol stations in Tehran. The US this week announced new sanctions in a bid to isolate Iran's already fragile economy and force it into concessions in peace talks.
The written message from Mr Khamenei – who has not been seen or heard in public since his election in March – decreed that “committing anything that harms Iran's social cohesion is forbidden”.
The supreme leader, while “appreciating the worthy actions of the government, especially the honest and compassionate president [Mr Pezeshkian] … emphasised the need to explain and narrate the power and strength of Iran and highlight it,” state television said.
“Weakness, defects, and deficiencies do not require narration and highlighting; rather, they require planning and action to resolve and solve the problem,” Mr Khamenei said.
“Sometimes honestly expressing one's weaknesses when the enemy needs encouragement is a great help to him, and it may even cause concern in the hearts of friends and companions.”
Responding shortly afterwards, Mr Pezeshkian pledged to act with "complete unity and cohesion" alongside other branches of government.
Anger at Iran's weak currency and the cost of living sparked protests in December and January that spiralled into one of the biggest anti-regime revolts since the 1979 revolution. Believing they could weaken the regime further, the US and Israel began strikes on Iran six months ago on Friday.
While they failed to bring about the collapse of Iran's regime, several top leaders and commanders were killed, resulting in confusion over who is really in charge in Tehran.
Mr Pezeshkian, who appears to have been sidelined in security matters by the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has mainly been seen attending to the domestic front at a time of high prices and job losses. The president has given at times contradictory accounts of his access to Mr Khamenei.
This week Mr Pezeshkian acknowledged “difficulties and hardships” but said the government was working to stabilise the economic situation. Officials have also admitted that high volumes of fuel are being dispensed, pushing Iran's production capacity to its limit.
The uncertain command has also come to the fore during talks with the US. Top negotiator Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf was this week accused of going soft by a prominent ultraconservative newspaper editor. Mr Pezeshkian has defended the interim deal agreed with the US in June.
Addressing divisions over the talks, Mr Khamenei rejected what he called the "imaginary dualism" of war or negotiations as he again warned against "weakening of national and public motivations". Despite his warning about damaging morale, he also ordered officials to "pay serious attention" to issues such as inflation and unemployment.
Mr Khamenei's absence from view has led to speculation about his health and whereabouts. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he believed Mr Khamenei was "very seriously wounded" but alive.
Mr Pezeshkian this month denied rumours he had offered his resignation. Even in normal times the president is far from a commanding figure in Iran's complex regime, working alongside layers of religious and military authority. Mr Pezeshkian was elected in 2024.
