Fox News' Jesse Watters says it appears that there has already been somewhat of a soft military coup in Iran

03:53, Wed, Apr 22, 2026 Updated: 03:55, Wed, Apr 22, 2026

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Women walk past a billboard featuring the portraits of Iran's new supreme leader (file image) (Image: Getty)

Fox News has reported a power struggle has broken out within Iranian leadership and a potential coup could be taking place against the new supreme leader.

"Tonight there could be a coup, no-one knows who's calling the shots," Fox News' political commentator and host Jesse Watters said.

Watters said that the US delegation, comprising of Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Special Envoy for Peace Jared Kushner, were supposed to leave for Islamabad, Pakistan for negotiations with Iran.

Watters claimed the Iranian delegation never left Iran. He went on to say that Trump confimed Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei authorised the deal.

The US has been at war with Iran since February 28 when joint US-Israeli forces carried out strikes on several key Iranian sites. Iran retaliated by striking sites across the Middle East and closing the critial Strait of Hormuz trade route.

The US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports within the strait, through which 20% of global oil traded passes, in an effort to choke Iran's economy, lift the closure and pressure negotiations.

Trump on Tuesday said the short-term ceasefire has been extended.

Trump announced in a post on Truth Social: "I have... directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other."

No long-term peace deal has been achieved.

Negotiations were scheduled for Wednesday, but plans have seemingly crumbled after both sides reportedly called off travel plans to Islamabad, Pakistan where the talks were set to take place.

Watters said on air: "Ayatollah told his ministers 'Wheels up,' but the military said 'Not so fast.' We're basically looking at another Iranian hostage crisis, this time they've taken themselves hostage and therefore the negotiations."

"The IRGC won't agree to sign over the strait and the uranium and they're the only votes that matter because they're the ones with the guns."

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"(It is) hard to know exactly what's happening inside the ranks, but sources tell prime time (that) the military sidelined the mullahs and are keeping... Ayatollah alive as a figurehead while they assert control over negotiations."

"It appears that there has already been somewhat of a soft military coup and as the blockade keeps breaking the country's bank, there could be a coup within the military."