President Masoud Pezeshkian used the second anniversary of his government to rule out leaving office. He said the rumors were meant to manufacture a split — the impression that the Leader says one thing and his government says another. He also claimed the Leader intended to replace Mohammad Bagher Zolqadr as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. The hardline former lawmaker Hamid Rasaei suggested Pezeshkian resign in order to test whether Kharrazi’s account was true. His statement resolves nothing about whether he attempted to resign; it establishes that he intends to stay and that he will not concede a public rift.