Iran's Foreign Ministry Denies Claims of Zarif's Correspondence with Tillerson

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has denied the claims made by Javad Karimi Qoddusi, a conservative member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, regarding correspondence between the Iranian Foreign Minister and his American counterpart. In a statement published on Tuesday, March 1, by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), the ministry described Mr. Karimi Qoddusi's remarks, which accused Mohammad Javad Zarif of secret agreements with Europe and the U.S., as "baseless," "malicious," and "contrary to national security," warning of potential legal consequences. Mr. Karimi Qoddusi had recently alleged that Zarif requested a secret meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Istanbul and sought an emergency direct communication line between the two countries' foreign ministries. He also claimed that Zarif warned Tillerson against tearing up the nuclear deal (JCPOA), stating that Iran would complain to the UN Security Council if the U.S. violated the agreement. The Iranian Foreign Ministry expressed regret over these statements, attributing them to Mr. Karimi Qoddusi's "delusional thinking." The ministry's statement concluded with a warning to Karimi Qoddusi, labeling his remarks as a matter of public confusion and contrary to national security, which could be subject to oversight by judicial authorities. A few days prior, Karimi Qoddusi had stated that President Hassan Rouhani's government aimed to achieve several additional agreements similar to the JCPOA, including issues related to Iran's missile program, Hezbollah, recognition of Israel by Iran, human rights, and the establishment of an EU office in Iran.