Liberal icon Bruce Springsteen took center stage at the Minneapolis-St. Paul No Kings rally, part of a nationwide series of protests held this Saturday.

The rallies were organized to voice left-wing opposition to several Trump administration policies, focusing on issues like ICE raids and tensions with Iran.

Earlier this year, Minneapolis became a hub for anti-ICE protests, with public outrage escalating following the deaths of two demonstrators, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, during clashes with federal authorities.

Springsteen, a dedicated Democrat known for his vocal criticism of Donald Trump, released a song in January titled “Streets of Minneapolis,” inspired by these tragic events.

At the rally held at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, one of the ‘Twin Cities’ alongside Minneapolis, Springsteen performed the poignant track, resonating with the gathered crowd.

‘Well, this past winter, federal troops brought death and terror to the streets of Minneapolis. They picked the wrong city,’ Springsteen trumpeted onstage.

Liberal lion Bruce Springsteen led the lineup at the Minneapolis-St. Paul branch of the No Kings rallies taking place in cities across America on Saturday

The events were set up to express left-wing opposition to various Trump administration policies, including the ICE raids and the Iran War

Springsteen released a song on January called Streets of Minneapolis as a reaction to the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good earlier this year

‘The power and the solidarity of the people of Minneapolis and of Minnesota was an inspiration to the entire country. Your strength and your commitment told us that this is still America,’ Springsteen continued, as seen on the No Kings livestream.

Jane Fonda, 88, who has conducted a rollercoaster half-century career in leftist activism alongside her movie stardom, was also among those in attendance.

She explained that she was ‘not gonna make a speech ’cause we’re running late and there’s a bunch of people who have to catch planes.’

Instead, she read a statement from Renee Good’s girlfriend Becca Good, who is often referred to as her ‘wife’ but to whom she was not legally married.

During the encounter in which Renee was killed, Becca was sitting beside her in her Honda Pilot and yelled: ‘Drive, baby, drive!’ before Renee accelerated forwards while her SUIV was surrounded by ICE agents, one of whom fatally shot her.

‘The reality is I am so heartbroken,’ Becca said in the statement Fonda read aloud. ‘I miss my wife. The world now knows that my wife sparkled with sunshine and shone with kindness that is unmatched. We were robbed of an incredible human.’

Over the course of her remarks, Fonda also threw one of her hands up in the air in a power fist, and she then introduced songstress Maggie Rogers.

Rogers, 31, was accompanied onstage by none other than the folk music legend Joan Baez, 85, as well as guitarist Tom Morello, 64.

He performed the song this Saturday during the rally held the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, which is one of the ‘Twin Cities’ along with neighboring Minneapolis

Jane Fonda, 88, who has conducted a rollercoaster half-century career in leftist activism alongside her movie stardom, was also among those in attendance

She explained that she was ‘not gonna make a speech ’cause we’re running late and there’s a bunch of people who have to catch planes’

Instead, she read a statement from Renee Good’s girlfriend Becca Good, who is often referred to as her ‘wife’ but to whom she was not legally married

Over the course of her remarks, Fonda also threw one of her hands up in the air in a power fist, and she then introduced songstress Maggie Rogers

Rogers (center), 31, was accompanied onstage by none other than the folk music legend Joan Baez (left), 85, as well as guitarist Tom Morello (right), 64

At Saturday’s No Kings rally at the Minnesota State Capitol, the trio of Rogers, Baez and Morello performed Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’

Baez incorrectly recalled that she sang the number at Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington in 1963, where she had in fact performed We Shall Overcome

The New York City branch of the No Kings protests attracted such names as Padma Lakshmi, who gave a speech at a press conference during the event

Robert De Niro, a longstanding fierce critic of the Trump administration, could be glimpsed wearing an: ‘I [heart] NY’ pin amid a column of marchers in Manhattan

Los Angeles protestors included Kathy Griffin, who recently declared herself ‘un-canceled’ after the 2017 scandal over her video holding Trump’s severed head in effigy

The stand-up comic carried a sign that on one side denounced ICE as ‘Trump’s lawless militia’ and on the other demanded ‘Justice for Pretti and Good’

In the suburb of Studio City, Annette Bening joined the demonstrators on the sidewalk, holding up a sign with a drawing of Mary Poppins

‘Super Callous Fragile Nihilistic Extra Halitosis,’ the sign read, meant to be sung to the tune of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Another attendee of the Studio City was Edward James Olmos, one of the stars of Blade Runner and of classic shows like Miami Vice and Battlestar Gallactica

Over the course of his long career, Morello has toured in Springsteen’s E Street Band and played for such groups as Rage Against the Machine.

At Saturday’s No Kings rally at the Minnesota State Capitol, the trio of Rogers, Baez and Morello performed Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’. 

Baez incorrectly recalled that she sang the number at Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington in 1963, where she had in fact performed We Shall Overcome.

The New York City branch of the No Kings protests attracted such names as Padma Lakshmi, who gave a speech at a press conference during the event.

Robert De Niro, a longstanding fierce critic of the Trump administration, could be glimpsed wearing an: ‘I [heart] NY’ pin amid a column of marchers in Manhattan.

Across the country in Los Angeles, the protestors included Kathy Griffin, who recently declared herself ‘un-canceled’ after her career was torpedoed by a 2017 scandal over a video of her holding Trump’s severed head in effigy.

The stand-up comic carried a sign that on one side denounced ICE as ‘Trump’s lawless militia’ and on the other demanded ‘Justice for Pretti and Good.’ 

In the suburb of Studio City, Annette Bening joined the demonstrators on the sidewalk, holding up a sign with a drawing of Mary Poppins.

‘Super Callous Fragile Nihilistic Extra Halitosis,’ the sign read, meant to be sung to the tune of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Another attendee of the Studio City was Edward James Olmos, one of the stars of Blade Runner and of classic shows like Miami Vice and Battlestar Gallactica. 

“Nobody knows who to talk to,” President Donald Trump remarked at the White House on Tuesday, painting a picture of both disorder and opportunity within Iran’s leadership. “But we’re actually talking to the right people, and they want to make a deal so badly,” he asserted.

These comments arise amidst U.S. claims of engaging in discussions with a “top” Iranian official, despite Tehran’s public denials that any negotiations are taking place.

The pressing issue now is not only whether discussions are indeed occurring but also if anyone in Tehran holds the authority to broker a deal. With U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting senior figures in Iran and escalating internal divisions, the country seems to function less like a unified theocracy and more like a wartime entity governed by competing power centers, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at the helm.

So, who are the influential players in Iran today?

A State Department Rewards for Justice poster promises up to $10 million for information on significant figures linked to Iran’s IRGC. This includes Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Asghar Hejazi, Yahya Rahim Safavi, Ali Larijani, Eskandar Momeni, and Esmail Khatib.

The IRGC: The real power behind the state

Across intelligence assessments and recent reporting, one conclusion is consistent: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has emerged as the dominant force in Iran’s political system.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Washington, D.C., think tank, said the current moment is accelerating a long-standing trend. 

“No doubt both the 12-Day war and this current conflict have trimmed the commanding heights of the Islamic Republic’s political and military leadership,” he said.  “But it has also expedited the trend lines inherent in Iranian politics, which is the dominance of the security forces and the ascendance of the IRGC.”

“Yes, there is more IRGC control over the state than ever before, but the state is weaker than ever before and more of a national security rump state than ever before,” he said. 

“It shouldn’t particularly preoccupy Washington, who is and isn’t offering negotiations,” Ben Taleblu added. “The preeminent preoccupation of Washington has to be working toward a military win at a political win, and that does not come by working with the IRGC, but actually beating them on the battlefield and supporting the forces most arrayed against them in Iran, which are the Iranian people.”

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military personnel are walking along Enghelab (Revolution) Ave. as an Iranian Kheibar surface-to-surface missile is being unveiled during a military rally in Tehran, Iran, Nov. 24, 2023.  (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The command room: Supreme National Security Council

If the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is the power in Iran, the Supreme National Security Council appears to be the mechanism through which that power is exercised.

The Supreme National Security Council is Iran’s top forum for coordinating military and foreign policy, bringing together senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders and government officials under the authority of the supreme leader. It was established after the 1979 revolution and has played a central role in managing major crises, from nuclear negotiations to wartime operations.

Iran appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, as secretary of the council, reinforcing its central role in coordinating military and political decisions, Reuters reported Tuesday.

A Middle Eastern official source with knowledge of the system described the structure. 

“Right now, the power is in the hands of the IRGC,” the source said. “The Supreme National Security Council makes the decisions, of course, with the backing of the majority of IRGC commanders.”

A mourner holds a poster depicting Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, right, the successor to his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, as supreme leader, during the funeral procession for senior Iranian military officials and civilians killed during the campaign in Tehran, Iran, March 11, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/The Associated Press )

Mojtaba Khamenei: The supreme leader in name

Formally, Iran’s system centers on Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. But his actual grip on power remains uncertain.

Khamenei inherited the position’s sweeping authority following his father’s death, but “lacks the automatic authority enjoyed by his father,” the Middle Eastern official said.

Moreover, he has not appeared publicly since taking power and only has issued written statements, raising questions about both his health and his ability to govern, after reportedly being injured in the initial Feb. 28 U.S.–Israeli strikes that killed his father and other senior Iranian leaders.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser, head of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, suggested his role may currently be limited: “For the time being, since Mojtaba has been injured, it seems he’s a hologram and not holding power. However, if Mojtaba recovers, he will be involved in ruling Iran. He is not just a figurehead. But anyhow, for the time being, the control of Iran is in the hands of the revolutionary guards.”

Ghalibaf: The man at the center of Trump’s claim

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf speaks during a public event in Iran in 2024.  (Hossein Beris / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP)

Trump’s statement that he is speaking to a “top person” has focused attention on one name in particular: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

The White House is quietly exploring Ghalibaf as a potential interlocutor and even a possible future leader, Axios reported.

A former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander and current parliament speaker, Ghalibaf represents a hybrid figure inside the system, bridging military credentials and political authority.

He was one of the key security figures involved in the crackdown on student protests in July 1999 and has run for president four times since 2005.

Ghalibaf is expected to meet U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the capital of Pakistan as early as the end of the week. 

Ben Taleblu said: “Those who see the ascendants of someone like Ghalibaf, who is an IRGC veteran, having extended power outside his traditional civilian rule, have missed the decades of how personality, not profession, has been the driving force in Iranian politics for the past few decades. I would also say those who worry about the IRGC background of the Supreme National Security Council are all that in Iran today, may have missed the fact that the past few Supreme National Security Council Secretaries, Shamkhani, Larijani, Ahmadian, all also had IRGC backgrounds.”

At the same time, Ghalibaf has publicly denied engaging in talks with the United States, and no direct confirmation of negotiations has been provided by either side.

Araghchi: The diplomat carrying messages

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister following their talks in Moscow on April 18, 2025. (Getty Images)

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi remains one of the most visible figures internationally.

If talks were to take place, Araghchi likely would be part of the Iranian delegation alongside Ghalibaf, Reuters reported.

But analysts caution that his role is limited. He may act as a channel for communication, but does not set policy independently. 

Strategic decisions, particularly on war and negotiations, are still shaped by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the broader security establishment.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, the head of the judiciary and Alireza Arafi, deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts, attend the meeting of the interim leadership council of Iran in an unknown location, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, March 1, 2026.  (IRIB/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters)

The wider power circle: generals, clerics and enforcers

Beyond the headline figures, a broader group of officials who continue to shape Iran’s direction can be identified.

These include Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Ahmad Vahidi, Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, naval commander Alireza Tangsiri, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, President Masoud Pezeshkian and senior clerical and political figures such as Saeed Jalili and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi.

Each represents a different pillar of the system: military power, regional proxy operations, control of strategic waterways, internal repression and religious legitimacy.

Together, they form what analysts describe as a fragmented but resilient governing network.

A billboard depicting Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979: (left to right) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed above a highway in Tehran on March 10, 2026. (AFP/Via Getty Images)

Despite internal divisions, Iran’s leadership remains united on one core objective: survival of the regime.

Kuperwasser described the split: “There are the more pragmatic elites, like Araghchi, Rouhani, and Zarif. There are also the hardliners who have usually held the upper hand … But they are united in one issue — that the regime should survive and stay in power.”

Iran’s U.N. mission did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. 

SAN FRANCISCO — The Yankees’ bullpen additions from last year’s trade deadline have notably improved their performance this season, showing marked progress compared to their efforts in 2025.

Camilo Doval has impressed with his sharpness in the opening games, bouncing back from a challenging period in The Bronx. Meanwhile, Jake Bird has emerged as a transformed pitcher.

During Saturday’s 3-1 victory, Bird delivered five crucial outs, clinching a series sweep against the Giants at Oracle Park.

Prior to this game, Bird hadn’t contributed a scoreless inning in a win since June 29.

This was partly due to the Rockies’ struggles during his tenure there, compounded by his subpar performance in his final weeks with Colorado and a brief stint with the Yankees before being reassigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“It’s good to have a fresh start,’’ Bird said.

He needed one.

Aaron Boone said throughout the spring that if Bird had his command, he would be a weapon for the Yankees.

Against the Giants, he entered in the bottom of the sixth with the Yankees up by a pair of runs.

Brent Headrick had just allowed a leadoff double to Rafael Devers.

Bird gave up a single to Heliot Ramos to send Devers to third.

But Bird recovered to strike out Willy Adames and then got Harrison Bader to ground into an inning-ending double play to preserve the lead.

The right-hander came back out to start the seventh, getting Patrick Bailey to pop out to shortstop and striking out Casey Schmitt before Boone turned to Tim Hill to finish the inning.

Boone called Bird’s escape job “awesome.”

“He finished spring training strong and both of his outings [in the regular season] have been really sharp,’’ the manager said.

With Doval unavailable, Boone said the pen had to “piece it together” after Will Warren pitched well, but was done after 4 ¹/₃ innings.

The potential emergence of Bird in the bullpen would be huge for a team that lost Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in free agency — and is relying on Bird and Doval, among others, to pitch to their potential.

Doval clearly struggled to adjust to a new role when the closer was asked to pitch in lower-leverage innings last year.

Bird was in the midst of a horrific stretch to end his time with the Rockies when the Yankees acquired him.

He allowed 18 earned runs in 9 ²/₃ innings in his final 12 appearances and gave up six runs over two innings in three outings with the Yankees before he was optioned.

The Yankees were intrigued by Bird’s ability to strike out batters — if they could get him to reduce his walks.

His first two outings of 2026 have been promising, with three strikeouts and no walks — and with Boone not afraid to use Bird in an important spot.

“To get him going through a whole season would be electric,’’ Aaron Judge said.