Distribution of Anti-Nuclear Negotiation Pamphlet at Largest Mid-Sha'ban Gathering in Jamkaran

Iran's official news agency, IRNA, reported on Wednesday, June 3, that at the largest Mid-Sha'ban ceremony held at the Jamkaran Mosque in Qom, a four-page pamphlet against Iran's nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 countries was distributed by the student Basij of one of Tehran's universities. The report indicates that the distribution of this pamphlet, which included questions such as 'Do you know that 24-hour cameras have been installed at our nuclear facilities?' and 'Do you know that the lifting of sanctions is contingent upon the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear activities?', faced 'protests from some participants' at the event. IRNA added that slogans against Iran's nuclear negotiations, such as 'Our eyes are on Jamkaran, not Lausanne', were broadcast from a loudspeaker near the Jamkaran Mosque, located at a site known as 'Salavati Station'. The news agency stated that 'the present crowd did not pay attention to the slogans and quietly recited and murmured, indicating their dissatisfaction with this issue'. Over the past two years, hardliners opposed to President Hassan Rouhani's government have been among the main critics of Iran's nuclear negotiations with six world powers, which aim to resolve ambiguities regarding this program in a comprehensive and final agreement, expected to be reached by July 1 this year. Meanwhile, hardliners opposing the Geneva and Lausanne agreements accuse Rouhani's government and Iran's negotiating team of 'retreating from nuclear achievements', 'betraying the interests of the Islamic Republic', and 'shutting down many nuclear sectors' of the country. Critics express their opposition through various platforms including Friday prayers, student roundtables, television programs, and 'holding unauthorized gatherings'. These criticisms escalated to the point where Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif's presence in the Majlis on June 3 led to a verbal altercation with MP Mehdi Kouchakzadeh, which received widespread coverage. In this context, Kazem Sedighi, the interim Friday prayer leader of Tehran, also commented on nuclear issues during the special Mid-Sha'ban ceremony at the Jamkaran Mosque on Tuesday evening, June 12. Mr. Sedighi stated that negotiations should not allow Iran's dignity and power to be questioned, saying, 'Americans are not trustworthy and do not spare their allies, and the negotiating officials should not lose in these negotiations'. However, the Minister of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic criticized 'the actions of some individuals and groups' that weaken 'the nuclear negotiating team'. Mahmoud Alavi said in Varamin, 'The leadership has named this year as the year of empathy and unity, and attacking the negotiating team contradicts the slogan of the year'. He pointed out that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has stated that he trusts the nuclear negotiating team, declaring, 'In these sensitive conditions, playing a negative role is not good; it is not right for some to undermine national unity.'