Iran's Foreign Minister Summoned to Parliament Again

Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, will appear before the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly on Tuesday, February 3, to answer questions from 25 members of this commission. Zarif was also summoned to Parliament last month. The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) did not mention the reason for the Foreign Minister's summons but noted that two days prior, the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission was reviewing 'the dimensions of the visit of the Vice President of the German Parliament to Tehran with the presence of relevant officials.' Claudia Roth, the Vice President of the German Parliament, visited Tehran last week and criticized the repression in Iran and the house arrest of Green Movement leaders during her meeting with Mohammad Reza Aref, a member of the Expediency Discernment Council. She remarked that officials of the Islamic Republic should first address human rights reforms at home before criticizing Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. These statements sparked anger among conservatives and some members of Parliament. Mohammad Javad Zarif defended his performance in nuclear negotiations during his previous appearance in Parliament on January 6, assuring that the Iranian negotiating team is not pursuing political or factional goals in these negotiations. Zarif and his team have been accused by some conservatives, their media, and members of Parliament of not being assertive enough against global powers in the nuclear negotiations with Iran.