TEHRAN May 5, 2026 – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is reportedly furious with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after the force carried out missile and drone strikes on the United Arab Emirates without informing the civilian government, according to exclusive reporting.
Sources familiar with Tehran’s internal deliberations told Iran International that Pezeshkian described the IRGC-led attacks as “completely irresponsible” and branded the decision to escalate tensions with regional neighbors as “madness” that risks “irreversible consequences.” The president is said to have expressed strong anger at IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi, claiming the strikes bypassed the government entirely.
The reported rift highlights longstanding tensions between Iran’s elected civilian leadership and the powerful IRGC, which operates with significant autonomy. This is not the first such incident. In March 2026, Pezeshkian publicly apologized to Gulf states for similar “fire at will” attacks on neighboring countries, even as strikes continued, raising questions about who controls Iran’s military decisions amid the ongoing regional war.
The latest strikes on the UAE come as part of broader Iranian retaliation in the 2026 Iran-Israel-U.S. conflict, which has seen Tehran target Gulf infrastructure and U.S.-linked sites in the region. Gulf states, including the UAE, have reported intercepting multiple Iranian missiles and drones in recent weeks.
Iran International, a London-based Persian-language outlet often critical of the Iranian regime, cited anonymous sources close to the matter. Neither the Iranian presidency nor the IRGC has issued an official statement confirming or denying the reported clash as of Tuesday morning.
Analysts say the episode underscores deep fractures in Tehran’s power structure. “The president being angry is irrelevant if he doesn’t command the IRGC,” one observer noted on social media, echoing widespread commentary following the initial report.
The development arrives at a sensitive moment, with Iran facing economic strain from prolonged conflict and ongoing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions with Gulf neighbors it has repeatedly called “brothers.”
Life News Agency will continue monitoring this story for official reactions from Tehran or Abu Dhabi.
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