Iranian politicians clash over negotiations with the US

Iranian officials find themselves in a Shakespearian dilemma over whether to negotiate with the incoming Trump administration. Engaging would mean justifying or apologizing for past intransigence, while refusal risks confronting a deeper existential threat.

A fierce battle is unfolding between centrist politicians, such as President Masoud Pezeshkian, who favors dialogue with Trump in an effort to solve the country's economic problems as he told the NBC News channel, and hardliners who accuse the proponents of negotiations with the Trump Administration of selling out the country to the United States. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attempted to take a neutral stance, stating that the Ministry simply implements decisions made by the political system. "Decisions will be made by the authority that has to decide," Entekhab News quoted him as saying.

These conflicting views among Islamic Republic officials and politicians regarding negotiations take place against the backdrop of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's firm opposition to talks with Donald Trump, primarily due to Trump's role in the assassination of former IRGC Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani.

The positions of both men are well-documented and publicly accessible. Khamenei's opposition to negotiations with Trump is explicitly stated on his official website, while clips of Trump’s televised statement admitting to ordering Soleimani’s killing are widely circulated on social media. Neither can deny their past remarks.

A senior member of Khamenei's office, Mehdi Fazaeli, told the press in Tehran on Wednesday: "I say loud and clear, and with the highest degree of certainty that negotiations with the United States will not serve our national interests."

At the same time, Foreign Minister Araghchi has stated that "Iran might start negotiations if Washington returns to the 2015 nuclear deal." However, this scenario seems unlikely, given that it was Trump who unilaterally withdrew from the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in 2018.

Furthermore, it seems highly unlikely that Iran's nuclear program would be the sole focus of negotiations between Khamenei's Islamic Republic and Trump's America. The West has repeatedly emphasized its demand for Iran to cease harboring and supporting “terrorism” and armed proxy groups.

Although Israel’s attacks against Iran’s regional proxy groups have diminished their prominence on the negotiation agenda, the United States, Europe, and even China remain concerned about the Yemeni Houthis’ attacks on Israel and international navigation in the Red Sea.

The Didban Iran website quoted Fazaeli as saying: "Supporters of negotiations believe they can resolve Iran's economic problems, while opponents argue that not only will negotiations fail to address these issues, but they may also lead to new challenges."

Fazaeli, regarded as a voice reflecting Khamenei’s views, stated that "the Islamic Republic, rooted in its ideology, cannot engage in talks with oppressors and imperialists." He further argued that "America's positions on the Panama Canal and Greenland are clear evidence of its imperialist nature."

"Meanwhile, our experiences negotiating with the United States, whether over the release of US hostages in 1981 or the nuclear deal in 2015, have reinforced our distrust of America," he said, notably without expressing any regret over the 1979 hostage-taking of US diplomats.

Hardline daily Kayhan, close to Khamenei's office, characterized Pezeshkian's remarks in his NBC interview about the possibility of talks with the Trump Administration as "Begging America for negotiations," and added: "That is madness."

While Iranian hardliners are well-known for their staunch opposition to rapprochement with Washington, other Iranian politicians also frequently resort to anti-US rhetoric. Earlier this week, in an ironic twist, Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf repeatedly chanted "Death to America!" in an effort to pacify an outraged hardliner MP who was railing against the US in parliament.

The apparent divide among Iranian politicians over negotiations could be a calculated strategy to present a united front in disagreement, aimed at convincing US negotiators that significant concessions are needed from Washington to overcome internal opposition. At the same time, they may seek to reassure Russia during an upcoming meeting between President Pezeshkian and Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday that the prospects for Tehran-Washington relations remain uncertain.