The political landscape in Iran is experiencing heightened tensions as rival factions increasingly leverage the influence of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to assail adversaries and bolster their own standing. This strategic maneuvering persists amid ongoing uncertainty about whether Khamenei is actively steering the nation’s governance, as per insights from an Iran expert.

The internal feud was thrust into the limelight by two reports from Iran International, which scrutinized the nature of the relationship between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the newly appointed supreme leader.

The first of these reports highlights comments from senior cleric Mohammad-Bagher Kharrazi, who is linked to the Khamenei family through marriage. He alleged that Pezeshkian had frequently threatened to step down from his role, only to be cautioned that if he were to attempt resignation again, it would be accepted without objection.

“Should he choose to resign once more, it will be approved,” Kharrazi reported Khamenei as having said.

Pezeshkian’s office strongly denied the account. Mehdi Tabatabaei, the president’s deputy for communications and information, called the allegation “baseless and an outright lie,” while another presidential advisor said Kharrazi had no contact with the supreme leader and was known for telling “strange stories.”

Hours later, Iran International published a second report alleging Pezeshkian had met Mojtaba Khamenei only once, inside a vehicle with tinted windows at an undisclosed location in Tehran.

According to the outlet’s unnamed sources, the encounter lasted several minutes, the two men could not see each other and Pezeshkian was not permitted to shake Khamenei’s hand. The report alleged that the president later questioned whether the voice he heard had actually belonged to the supreme leader.

The claims have not been independently verified. Pezeshkian previously described a substantially different encounter, saying publicly that he had spent approximately two and a half hours with Khamenei in a cordial atmosphere.

Kasra Aarabi, director of IRGC research at United Against Nuclear Iran, said the competing claims surrounding Pezeshkian and Mojtaba Khamenei reflected a deeper struggle inside what he described as an “Islamist oligarchic mafia system.”

Under Ali Khamenei, Aarabi said, the supreme leader functioned as the system’s “godfather,” arbitrating among rival Islamist factions and guaranteeing their access to power and money. His removal created a vacuum that Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment was intended to fill, but the new supreme leader’s prolonged public absence has left rival factions uncertain about who is actually in charge.

“The very essence of this mafia system is built on a godfather,” Aarabi said. “If the godfather is absent, whether because he is severely incapacitated or nonexistent, that vacuum… re-emerges between the various Islamist oligarchic clans.”

Aarabi said those factions are not primarily divided by ideology.

“They’re not competing over ideology,” he said. “They’re competing over raw power and economic interests.”

In that environment, Aarabi said, Mojtaba Khamenei’s name has become a political instrument that competing factions can invoke to legitimize themselves, constrain their rivals or justify decisions whose true source remains unclear.

“Mojtaba’s name is the glue that’s holding the system together right now,” Aarabi said. “Each of these clans invokes his name to justify its existence, legitimize its position, and consolidate its place within this fragile system.”

Exiled Iranian journalist Mehdi Ghadimi described the resignation claims as part of a recurring political strategy used by reformist administrations.

“This is a familiar cycle,” Ghadimi said. “Whenever they feel that their usefulness to the supreme leader has come to an end, they start circulating these resignation rumors in an effort to build public sympathy and improve their image before being pushed aside.”

Ghadimi said similar rumors surrounded former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani during the final years of their administrations. He argued that reformist-aligned media channels often continue circulating resignation claims even after a president’s office formally denies them, allowing officials later to portray themselves as having challenged the supreme leader.

On Mojtaba Khamenei’s status, Ghadimi went further than Aarabi, saying he did not believe there was “a functioning person by that name who is capable of thinking, making decisions or speaking.”

“Either he is dead, or he is being kept alive in an extremely unstable and severely deteriorated condition,” Ghadimi said.

Aarabi said the two reports illustrate that dynamic. A cleric opposed to or unaligned with Pezeshkian invoked Mojtaba Khamenei’s authority to weaken the president by claiming his next resignation would be accepted, while figures around Pezeshkian pushed back with an account portraying the president as having met directly with the supreme leader.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in any publicly released video or audio recording since succeeding his father, according to Iran International. Iranian officials have offered conflicting accounts about how often senior government figures have met him.

Aarabi cautioned that using Khamenei’s name as a source of authority will become increasingly difficult if his public absence continues.

“There’s only so many times you can use someone’s name without any proof of life that they actually exist,” Aarabi said. “The longer Mojtaba is absent, the more questions develop over whether he is alive or able. And as soon as that doubt increases, you will see this infighting increase.”

Believe.

After taking a three-year break, the Emmy-winning sensation “Ted Lasso” on Apple TV triumphantly returns with its fourth season. This installment revitalizes the series with a much-needed burst of energy.

Season 4 initially falters with a lukewarm premiere, but once it regains its stride, it delivers the finest episodes since the inaugural season of “Ted Lasso.”

Making its debut on August 5, the new season revisits Ted Lasso (played by series creator and star Jason Sudeikis), the affable former college football coach turned unexpected Premier League soccer manager in the UK. This time, he finds himself back in Kansas, having left his soccer adventures behind.

Originally airing for three seasons from 2020 to 2023, the series has fast-forwarded a few years past the events of its third season, exploring fresh narratives and character arcs.

Ted is working a mundane job and raising his son, Henry (played by Gus Turner from Seasons 1 to 3, now recast as Grant Feely). 

When his old friends and colleagues, including Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley Jones (Juno Temple) and Leslie Higgins (Jeremy Swift), visit, they convince Ted to return to his old stomping grounds across the pond — this time, to coach their budding women’s soccer team. 

Unwisely, the season premiere takes nearly an hour to set that up, even though we all know that Ted coaching a women’s team is the premise of Season 4. 

It’s in the trailers! So, that’s a needlessly laborious note to start on. 

But, after that misfire, Season 4 has a similar format to Season 1, as Ted tries to assemble and motivate a team of underdogs and figure out how to make their clashing personalities work — and everyone has their own drama. 

Former player Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) returns as the men’s coach who is conveniently sharing the facility. This allows him to constantly pop up, like a foul-mouthed version of a sitcom neighbor. He continues to have a “will they or won’t they” dynamic with his ex-girlfriend, Keeley. 

Season 4 is different enough that it doesn’t feel like the show is repeating itself (give or take some plot threads, such as Roy and Keeley circling each other). There’s a new team, with new characters and unique issues. 

It’s also familiar enough that for audiences who found the show cozy when it came out during the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ll find the new episodes to be a return to form. 

It seems like a course-correction from how it veered off the rails in Seasons 2 and 3, which got bogged down with plots that didn’t work, including Nate’s (Nick Mohammed) heel turn. He’s mercifully absent.

The show seemingly ended in 2023, until Season 4 was announced in March 2025. 

The first three seasons were a culture-clash story, following goofy Ted in England, coaching an underdog men’s team, which included Roy and Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, who has been cagey about if he’s returning).

After premiering in 2020, “Ted Lasso” quickly became a phenomenon. To date, it has 61 Emmy nominations and 13 wins. The comedy put Apple TV on the map for its later shows, including “The Studio” and “Widow’s Bay,” to also dominate awards season. 

The show was a star-maker for Goldstein, Waddingham and Temple. Fittingly, they all get a lot of focus in Season 4. 

The new season mixes them with new characters, including the hard-nosed women’s coach, Alice Chilton (Tanya Reynolds), and working-mom player Lizzie (Faye Marsay).

The new players’ personalities are introduced slowly. Returning characters dominate the plot. 

Does all of the “Ted Lasso, but this time, with women” stuff work? No. 

In some places, it’s woven in well, such as in Rebecca’s efforts to lean into “girl boss” feminism. It’s deliberately and amusingly awkward, which suits her character. In other sequences, such as the first episode’s attempt to compare women’s sports to baseball’s historic Negro Leagues, it lands with a thud. 

The cringeworthy moments are minimal, though.

The episodes clip along at a steady pace, and the humor mingles well with more serious points about women’s sports being underfunded and undervalued.

Season 4 is “Ted Lasso” at its best, offering team-building, sincerity, an emphasis on everyone trying their best, all undercut with enough dry British humor to keep the whole thing from feeling too cloyingly sweet. 

For those who liked Season 1 and found your attention stray, as Seasons 2 and 3 had diminishing returns, it’s worth giving it another shot. 

“Ted Lasso” Season 4 premieres Aug. 5 on Apple TV. 

Meghan Markle has delighted her fans with a charming new video, showcasing her playful side as she dances to a lively birthday tune, all while donning a whimsical tiara-like headband in celebration of her 45th birthday.

The Duchess of Sussex took to Instagram, sharing a heartwarming series of clips from her special day. In these videos, she is seen joyfully swaying to the music and bursting into laughter as she and Prince Harry adorn their beloved dogs, Pula and Mamma Mia, with paper hats.

In this rare, more casual glimpse of Meghan, she is seen sporting relaxed white pajama bottoms paired with a T-shirt emblazoned with the playful phrase, ‘It’s giving Mrs.’

As the birthday song reverberates in the background, you can hear Prince Harry chuckling, exclaiming a lighthearted “oh dear” from behind the lens.

The Instagram story transitions to another endearing clip, capturing the couple’s dogs, their heads adorned with paper hats. The Duke and Duchess can’t help but laugh as the pups seem less than thrilled by their festive headgear.

The hats slip on and off the dogs, before Harry repeats ‘oh dear’ and Meghan chuckles, adding: ‘Oh no, okay, let’s take it off. I’m sorry.’ 

The clips came hours after Meghan marked the occasion by sharing photos of herself jumping into an outdoor pool while holding balloons – as she thanked her followers for ‘the birthday love’ on social media. 

Her lifestyle brand As Ever also congratulated the mother-of-two with a snap of Meghan wearing a designer striped shirt from Céline and white Anine Bing ‘Brie’ jeans.

The company’s social media post also included a throwback photo of a young Meghan sporting pigtails and a white turtleneck, seated in what looks to be her childhood bedroom. 

To mark the duchess’s birthday, the brand wrote on social media: ‘Happy birthday to our founder, @meghan. Lighting No. 084 to celebrate!’ 

The caption referenced a candle sold by the brand, which appeared alongside other As Ever products in one of a quartet of photos posted to celebrate Meghan’s special day.  

Last weekend, Meghan showcased her jewellery collection during her latest promotional footage for As Ever. 

On Sunday, she shared the recipe for her ‘favourite ice cream sundae’, made by placing her raspberry spread into a glass before adding vanilla ice cream, crumbled shortbread and flower sprinkles. 

But royal fans couldn’t take their eyes off the former actress’ rings, which were on full display as she created the dessert. 

Prince Harry’s wife wore her wedding ring, as well as a giant diamond pear band, thought to be worth $250,000 and once dubbed ‘an engagement ring upgrade’ by jewellery experts.

She also wore a new, unidentified gold band on her right hand, and Princess Diana’s Cartier Tank Française watch, worth £17,800 ($24,020), which was given to her after she married the Duke of Sussex.

Meghan was also seen wearing her £2,370 ($3,197) Jennifer Meyer mini bezel tennis bracelet, which is handcrafted from polished 18-carat yellow gold and was designed by Tobey Maguire’s ex-wife.

However, despite the enviable jewellery collection on display, there was one item noticeably absent – the duchess’ £120,000 ($161,922) engagement ring.

The Suits star is believed to have not worn the sparkler in over four months; the last time she was pictured with the jewel was in February 2026 when she wore it to an NBA game in California. 

CHICAGO — A chasm emerged within the Democratic Party as Michigan voters hit the polls, showcasing a clash between longstanding party norms and a burgeoning progressive movement.

The primary showdown saw U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens face off against the insurgent Abdul El-Sayed for the Senate nod, challenging Michigan’s swing state dynamics and questioning the longevity of choosing centrist candidates in key elections.

Amid a crucial election year where reclaiming the U.S. Senate is on the line, Democrats reckon with limited opportunities for missteps against their Republican adversary, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers.

Republicans also met a significant moment in Michigan’s gubernatorial race as President Donald Trump’s favorite, U.S. Rep. John James, triumphed over Perry Johnson, a lavish, self-funding outsider.

While Michigan captured much attention, pivotal primaries unfolded in Kansas, Missouri, Virginia, and Washington. These elections will cement the face-offs for November, with notable attention on Virginia, where Democrats previously stumbled on redrawing the state’s congressional districts.

Here are some takeaways from Tuesday’s elections:

Test time for Democrats in Michigan’s Senate race

The choice between El-Sayed and Stevens has become a focal point for Democrats this year, and the race has become bitter. Whoever wins will need to bring splintered factions back into the fold to beat Rogers.

The seat is open because Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring, and Democrats are under pressure to defend it to preserve their chance of winning control of the chamber.

The campaigns have taken sharp aim at one another. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of El-Sayed’s most prominent supporters, called Stevens “nothing more than an employee” of billionaires. El-Sayed has been a pointed critic of Israel and called the military campaign in Gaza a “genocide,” an accusation rejected by the Israeli and U.S. governments.

Stevens has criticized El-Sayed’s style, comparing him unfavorably to a celebrity who is always “running at the first mic or camera.” She has also suggested he’s not electable in the fall, saying Republicans have been propping him up because they think El-Sayed will be easier to beat.

Trump’s endorsement overpowers self-funded candidate for governor

Republican voters picked their nominee for Michigan governor on Tuesday as well, going with Trump’s endorsed candidate, Rep. John James.

The president’s backing typically carries significant weight in Republican politics, but businessman Perry Johnson had lent his campaign more than $30 million, according to Michigan campaign finance records.

Trump’s endorsement hasn’t always overcome big spending. In Georgia’s race for governor, Rick Jackson spent $100 million, largely of his own money, to defeat Trump-backed Burt Jones in a runoff.

On the Democratic side in Michigan, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson defeated Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

AIPAC continues to be a lightning rod

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has long been an influential force in U.S. politics, but it’s been under pressure as Democratic support for Israel erodes over the war in Gaza.

The organization has suffered a series of losses in Democratic primaries that saw a surge of progressive candidates. Victors range from Rep. Analilia Mejia, who won a special election to Congress in suburban New Jersey, to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who captured the Democratic nomination for a U.S. House seat in Illinois.

AIPAC’s biggest investment has been in Michigan, where it and its affiliates have spent more than $30 million supporting Stevens, a stalwart backer of Israel. El-Sayed and his backers have seized on the group’s intervention as an example of the problems of big money in politics.

Although the outcome in Michigan remained uncertain, AIPAC had some success Tuesday. In Missouri, former Rep. Cori Bush fell short in her rematch against Rep. Wesley Bell, who defeated her two years ago.

Bush had blamed her previous loss on AIPAC, even vowing revenge on the organization in her concession speech. “AIPAC, I’m coming to tear your kingdom down!” she pledged.

However, she was quickly defeated as voters in the St. Louis-area district decided to stick with Bell.

Virginia is on Democrats’ minds

One of Democrats’ most bitter defeats this cycle took place in Virginia, where that state’s supreme court in May overturned a voter-approved initiative to redraw the state’s House map to make four more seats easier for the party to win.

The failed effort was part of Democrats’ attempt to match Republicans’ own redistricting campaign, which was spurred by Trump last year in hopes of making it easier for his party to hold control of the House.

Democrats are optimistic they can recover at least a couple of those Virginia seats the old-fashioned way. On Tuesday, they got what they wanted in the state’s two swing seats, with former Rep. Elaine Luria winning the nomination to compete for the 1st District in Virginia Beach and prosecutor Shannon Taylor getting the nod to run in the Richmond-area 2nd District.

The longer shot comes in the heavily rural 5th District in central Virginia, where Tom Perriello, who briefly represented the region in President Barack Obama’s first term, won the Democratic nomination to try to win a now even more conservative-leaning seat.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

In an unexpected twist to their usual proceedings, Brazilian lawmakers at a state legislature found themselves in the company of some unexpected visitors.

On July 30, a cohort of capybaras wandered into the Mato Grosso Legislative Assembly located in Cuiabá, momentarily diverting attention from a planned vote as they roamed the facility.

Captured on video by legislative employee Nayara Bueno, the footage shows these large rodents tranquilly strolling through the building’s entrance, as staff members gently attempted to guide them back outside.

“These capybaras are no strangers to us; we’ve grown accustomed to their visits,” Bueno shared with The Associated Press.

The rodents’ guest appearance did not cause any damage to the Mato Grosso state legislature, according to officials.

The legislature borders a park that is home to wildlife, giving the animals easy access to the surrounding government complex. 

Native to South America, capybaras are semiaquatic mammals commonly found around wetlands and other bodies of water. They are highly social, generally travel in groups and can reach weights of about 175 pounds.

The world’s largest living rodents have also become internet favorites, with social media users frequently highlighting their laid-back behavior around other animals and people.