Tehran more ready than ever for US talks, media reports

Infighting persisted among rival factions in Tehran's fractured political scene over possible US talks after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei gave an implicit green light earlier this week, though with caveats reflecting his recurrent distrust of America.

At the same time, some of the key politicians who opposed the idea of negotiations with the United States have been realigning their stances and shifting their loyalties.

The conservative Jomhouri Eslami newspaper described the past week as marked by an intensifying war of words between supporters and opponents of negotiations aimed at addressing Iran's economic and foreign policy impasse.

The daily wrote: “Supporters of negotiations argue Iran cannot permanently cut ties with one of the world's major powers. They point to China and Russia, which have long-standing rivalries and conflicting interests with the US yet maintain relations. Likewise, they contend, Iran can engage with the United States and other nations—except those with illegitimate governments—without being vulnerable to coercion.”

"This group of politicians believes Iran must reconsider its foreign policy to better serve its own interests. On the other hand, opponents of negotiations, who are at the center of the recent infighting, argue that Iran should have no relations with the United States, as nothing justifies talks with Washington," the Jomhouri Eslami wrote, adding, "The opponents of negotiations with America insist that the United States is not trustworthy and that its officials do not honor their commitments."

The daily noted that this group organized rallies in Tehran over the past week to protest negotiations and their supporters. However, it added that statements from Iranian officials throughout the week suggest the country is more inclined than ever to pursue talks with the United States.

The daily added, "If this is the case, there is hope for a breakthrough in Iran's foreign relations that could lead to an improvement in Iranians' livelihood."

The commentary was part of the daily's weekly roundup in a tumultuous week of infighting and shifting alliances, including divisions within the conservative camp.

The conservative Nameh News website described an ongoing and unresolved rivalry between Majles Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and former Supreme National Security Council secretary Saeed Jalili.

The reformist, pro-government daily Etemad linked the disputes between the two politicians to their rivalry in past and recent presidential elections. In the June 2024 election, Ghalibaf withdrew his candidacy in favor of Masoud Pezeshkian, ultimately helping pave the way for Pezeshkian's victory in the runoff. According to Nameh News, the two politicians maintain opposing views about negotiations with the United States.

The website noted that, unlike Jalili, Ghalibaf does not oppose negotiations but believes Iranian negotiators should first align on their definitions and demands. However, it observed that Jalili and his supporters, particularly in the ultraconservative Paydari Party, oppose any form of talks between Iran and the United States.

"Jalili believes that Iran and the United States are fundamentally at odds, positioned as opposing forces by nature. He argues that escalating tensions between the two can serve as a means to restrain the other side," the website wrote.

As a result of the dispute, Ghalibaf—who has repeatedly shifted his loyalties over the past six months, moving between the Paydari camp and Pezeshkian's supporters—has once again aligned himself with the latter, Nameh News concluded.

Widening divisions are also emerging between pro-Pezeshkian reformists and the conservative faction. Ayatollah Mohsen Gharavian, a former ultraconservative who has joined the Reformists, insisted in an interview with Khabar Online that "the only way to end the sanctions is negotiating with global powers." He accused Jalili of mobilizing vigilantes in the streets against negotiations and argued that "he should distance himself from the radicals if he was not behind the rallies."

Meanwhile, Mohammad Karbasi, a hardline cleric in Qom, the center of the Shiite Seminary, accused reformist cleric Mohammad Ali Abtahi of "having a plan to instigate riots in the streets" after Abtahi recently stated in a post on X that "Iran's economy is affected by the impact of the sanctions" and that "negotiations can have a positive impact on Iran's economy if we have competent diplomats."