Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is reported to oversee critical matters in Iran. However, a small elite network of current and former commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) significantly influences decision-making. This group, often referred to as a 'band of brothers,' is shaped by their experiences during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), which instilled a belief that Iran must chart its own course despite external pressures. The IRGC, established in 1979 to safeguard the Islamic Republic, has evolved into a formidable political and military force, with many of its leaders transitioning into powerful roles in Iran's intelligence and security sectors. Key figures in this network include Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran's Parliament; Ahmad Vahidi, a senior security official; and Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the judiciary chief, all of whom have substantial military backgrounds and have been involved in significant political events. Despite ongoing internal debates about potential negotiations, many of these leaders prefer to operate covertly due to fears of being targeted amid the current conflict, which has already claimed numerous senior political and military figures.