Iran's Parliament Speaker Criticizes Domestic Opponents of Nuclear Negotiations

Ali Larijani, the Speaker of Iran's Islamic Consultative Assembly, accused domestic opponents of the nuclear negotiations between Iran and world powers of spreading 'false statements' about the talks and 'distorting public opinion.' According to the Mehr News Agency, Mr. Larijani stated on Thursday evening, July 2: 'The country's officials and the nuclear negotiating team are adhering to red lines to ensure national interests, but unfortunately, some individuals are making incorrect statements about the nuclear negotiations and are undermining public opinion with their ill-considered remarks.' He noted that 'there are currently issues regarding nuclear matters that the Iranian negotiating team is working to resolve.' Mr. Larijani's remarks come at a time when some hardliners have launched fierce attacks against the nuclear negotiations, to the extent that Mahdi Koochakzadeh, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, called Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is responsible for the nuclear talks, a 'traitor' in a closed meeting. The distribution of anti-nuclear negotiation pamphlets at Jamkaran Mosque has also been attributed to the student mobilization. However, Ali Larijani criticized these attacks, stating that 'one cannot maintain unity in the country by making harsh and destructive statements.' He mentioned, 'Someone in a speech said that after the Geneva agreement, all of the country's nuclear facilities were shut down, and another person claimed that with this agreement, we have lost our nuclear technology and handed it over to the Americans. Another individual incites the public by saying that the leadership is alone on nuclear issues, while he has repeatedly supported the negotiating team and described them as brave, devoted, and committed individuals.' Mr. Larijani views these actions as part of a 'campaign to undermine the government' and emphasized that the Islamic Consultative Assembly, based on the Supreme Leader's statements, must 'support the government with all its might.' Iran and world powers have extended nuclear negotiations until Tuesday, July 7. Meanwhile, some diplomats present at the negotiations, including the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, have predicted that the talks will lead to a comprehensive nuclear agreement in the coming days. In this context, the government spokesperson stated that the parliamentary nuclear plan is contrary to the constitution, the Deputy Foreign Minister asserted that sanctions should be lifted on the first day of the agreement's implementation, and Rouhani mentioned that the remaining issues between Iran and the Agency can be resolved in a short time.