Criticism of 'Traffic' of European Officials Traveling to Iran at Friday Prayer

Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, described the 'traffic' of European officials traveling to Iran as 'very dangerous' and aimed at undermining 'anti-imperialism' in the country, stating that 'this issue causes us anxiety.' Another Friday prayer leader also accused the U.S. of trying to infiltrate Iran. According to Mehr News Agency, Ahmad Alamolhoda emphasized in his Friday prayer sermon on September 20 that 'for two centuries, we have seen nothing but theft and plunder from Europeans, and for this reason, these visits frighten the people.' He also noted, as reported by ISNA, that 'the approach of the country's officials was that we will not turn the country into a market for Western junk goods, but this issue causes us anxiety.' While Hassan Rouhani's government welcomed the visits of European delegations to Iran following the Vienna nuclear agreement, several principlist figures have protested some of these visits, including that of Laurent Fabius, the French Foreign Minister, and the reopening of the British embassy in Tehran. Meanwhile, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, in another part of his speech, referred to the statements of the Iranian Foreign Minister, adding: 'Is it appropriate for a minister to laugh and say they have come to apologize for bothering us during the sanctions? Are you giving a toy to a three-year-old child?' Mr. Alamolhoda stressed: 'This is taking the system out of the line of the revolution; therefore, the Supreme Leader has said that from now on, relations with America are forbidden.' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, emphasized on Wednesday, September 18, that for 'specific reasons,' he only agreed to negotiate with the U.S. on the 'nuclear issue,' but did not allow negotiations 'in other areas.' He had previously stated in a meeting with the eleventh cabinet members that the U.S. is seeking 'a way to infiltrate the country through the nuclear agreement, and the Islamic Republic will not allow this infiltration.' Meanwhile, Mohammad Ali Mohammadi Kermani, the Friday prayer leader of Tehran, stated that the U.S. wants to 'infiltrate' the country and region 'under the guise of normalizing relations' with Iran, and according to him, 'its desired culture is corruption, the spread of prostitution, promiscuity, low-quality satellite films, and inappropriate internet scenes to turn Iran into the second Andalusia.' Mr. Mohammadi Kermani emphasized: 'With God's will, America will bury this wish as well.' After the Vienna nuclear agreement, hardline principlists, Friday prayer leaders, and military figures have repeatedly criticized those who they say are trying to 'beautify America' and 'open the door for America' into Iran.