KTFA
FRANK26: "PHAGOCYTOSIS !!!".........F26
Division within Iran: Reformist pressure may prompt Khamenei to tip the scales
3/15/2025
In light of statements by Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, in which he emphasized his rejection of negotiations with the United States in a series of recent speeches, pressure is now mounting within the Iranian regime, particularly from the reformist movement, to change this position amid tense internal and external circumstances.
In an opinion piece published by Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani, head of the Central Council of the Kargozaran Sazandgi Party, he noted that the situation in the country has become extremely sensitive, and that the implementation of Donald Trump's maximum pressure orders, in addition to the Supreme Leader's refusal to negotiate, has made some elements of the regime feel that danger is imminent.
Rafsanjani explained that some reformists view the rejection of negotiations as a temporary decision that could be changed in the future, citing his father's memories of Khamenei being forced to halt his nuclear enrichment program in the 1980s after serious threats to nuclear facilities from Israel.
For his part, former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani counted his country's financial losses from the failure to implement the nuclear agreement. While describing the situation in his country as "dangerous," he suggested that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would likely change his position on negotiations with Washington "influenced by the circumstances."
During his meeting with former ministers, Rouhani said, "The Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei) does not oppose negotiations on the nuclear program, influenced by the current circumstances, but in a few months he may agree under different conditions."
He described the sanctions as a major problem for the Iranian economy, saying, "We have been losing at least $100 billion annually since the US withdrew from the nuclear agreement."
The division within the Iranian regime over the issue of negotiations is evident, with some analysts believing that Trump's conditions, including demands for the regime to accept "disarmament," are extremely difficult to implement. In this context, Jamal Abdi, head of the National Iranian Council in America, called for setting conditions that Khamenei could accept.
Ali Larijani, advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, also noted that Trump's message, which included a new peace offer, represented a "symbol of negotiation," which some observers viewed as an indication of the possibility of opening the door to dialogue. In the same context, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that indirect negotiations with the United States could be a practical option.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is under pressure from his reformist and moderate allies—chief among them former reformist President Mohammad Khatami and the relative moderate Hassan Rouhani—to push for negotiations with the United States.
On February 7, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that talks with the United States are "not prudent, wise, or honorable," in remarks interpreted in Iranian politics as an order to ban any direct talks with Trump.
The US Mission to the United Nations announced that Washington is committed to continuing to implement President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy. In a statement regarding a Security Council meeting on Iran, the mission added, "President Trump has made clear that Iran's nuclear program poses a threat to international peace and security."
No comments:
Post a Comment