Iranian general, Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has taken control of Iran’s military response and negotiating team after US-Israeli airstrikes killed dozens of top officials in the country during the war. Vahid, who is heavily sanctioned by the West and linked to terror attacks in Argentina, represents Iran's most extreme faction that has sidelined Tehran's moderates, including those leading the current negotiations with the US. He and his allies have shifted Iran's stance towards harder-line stance, with officials refusing to join peace talks with the United States and increasing attacks on ships trying to sail through the Strait of Hormuz. Despite efforts to secure a deal with Iran's delegation, even if the US successfully negotiates with them, it may not have any actual pull in Iran as long as Vahidis and allies take control of the country.