Political analyst Jabbar Rajabi said Mojtaba Khamenei needs the Islamic Republic’s hardline core to consolidate his position; a hardline core, he said, that is shrinking every day, and for this reason he is trying to stabilize his place within the power structure through gradual changes.

He added that Mojtaba Khamenei has also come to the conclusion that, in order to maintain power, he will have to reach an agreement with the United States. According to Rajabi, the main challenge for him is how to both keep his hardline supporters satisfied and reach a deal with the Trump administration that would ensure his survival in power.