The funeral ceremony for Ali Khamenei, which was scheduled to be held Wednesday night at Mosalla of Tehran, was canceled. Regime’s media stated that the reason for canceling the funeral was the lack of adequate infrastructure to accommodate the anticipated millions of attendees. Various rumors and speculations are circulating, even among supporters of the government. Some attribute the cancellation to security considerations (ironically, given that many victims of the regime were not even permitted to bury their children for “security reasons”). However, observers point to the chaos at the top of a regime whose central pillar has collapsed (Khamenei’s death) as the reason for the leadership’s inability to make decisions even on the most essential matters of governance.

While the entire regime is being struck daily by military forces of the United States and Israel, and Islamic Republic leaders are constantly expecting missiles to land at their residences, deciding on a new leader, amid rivalry among those claiming to be qualified for the position, appears extremely difficult for a system on the verge of collapse. The rumor about the possible leadership of Mojtaba Khamenei, which emerged from within the regime and was circulated on the fourth day of the war through an exclusive report by Iran International TV, appears to be an attempt by one faction of the ruling establishment to defeat its rivals and test public opinion among the regime’s base. The struggle among the regime’s leaders is not only over claiming the title of Supreme Leader. Taking control of the leadership of the war itself (without formally announcing it, out of fear of becoming a target) is another issue of dispute at the top. It is said that Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf now sees himself as the best option to stand at the helm of a sinking ship.

The daily arrival of bombs and missiles has multiplied the economic and livelihood difficulties for the majority of people, whose lives had already become unbearable even before the war began. The migration of many residents who were able to leave major cities—mostly toward northern regions of the country—has disrupted everyday life. Shortages of food, particularly in host cities receiving displaced populations, have already become noticeable within the first week of the war. Amid environmental destruction caused by the conflict, the likelihood of serious shortages of food, medicine, and healthcare in the coming weeks represents a major factor in a looming humanitarian crisis, with no clear way out of this dreadful situation. A wounded and leaderless government has deployed its thugs to squares and streets so that ground forces of the IRGC can secure Kurdish cities in preparation for possible occupation scenarios. Standing at the edge of collapse, the regime appears unconcerned with maintaining the cycle of daily life—even at the previously deteriorated standards that existed under the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Another development on the fifth day was the circulation of a false report by Fox News claiming that a major movement of military forces had begun from Iraqi Kurdistan Region toward Iranian cities. This report was quickly denied by news sources affiliated with Iranian Kurdish parties. It is said that the spread of such false reports, especially by some reputable American media outlets, is intended to fuel a narrative of fear about a potential civil war and to neutralize efforts that are placing Iranian Kurdish parties at the center of attention in confronting the remnants of the government.