Mowlavi Abdolhamid Ismailzahi, the Sunni Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, recommended the Islamic Republic officials to engage in 'direct and unmediated negotiations with the U.S.' On the same day that Ali Khamenei claimed that the Islamic Republic has no proxy forces in the region, Mowlavi Abdolhamid emphasized in his Friday sermon on the first of Farvardin that one of the issues that negotiations with the U.S. would resolve is the 'issue of proxy forces.' He stated: 'The world can resolve all these disputes, including the issue of Palestine and matters such as nuclear issues and proxy forces that are interconnected, at a negotiation table and reach an understanding.' The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, in a speech to his supporters on Friday, rejected the activities of groups known as the 'Axis of Resistance,' which are considered proxy groups of the Islamic Republic in the region, stating that the Islamic Republic 'does not need proxies.' He remarked: 'American and European politicians make a big mistake by considering the resistance centers in the region as proxies of Iran. They insult them. What does proxy mean?' This comes while some officials of the Islamic Republic have previously explicitly referred to these groups as Iran's proxies. Ali Khamenei's remarks on Friday seem to be a reaction not only to Donald Trump's statements, who had previously said that 'very, very soon things will happen regarding Iran,' but also to the part of Trump's letter that reportedly gave Iran two months' time. In contrast, the Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, without directly referencing the Supreme Leader and his stance against Donald Trump, said: 'My advice to the system's officials... is not to be offended by a harsh or threatening remark made by a person and to not reject negotiations.' He further reminded: 'The country's officials must keep in mind that they represent nearly 90 million people; they must think of these people and the segments that are crushed under economic and livelihood pressures.' Since Donald Trump regained power in the United States as President, he has revived the 'maximum pressure' policy on Iran, while simultaneously expressing a willingness to negotiate with the Islamic Republic to encourage its officials to reach a new nuclear agreement.
Mowlavi Abdolhamid: The Best Approach in Current Conditions is 'Direct Negotiation with the U.S.'
Mowlavi Abdolhamid Ismailzahi has called for direct negotiations between the Islamic Republic and the U.S. to address issues including proxy forces, contradicting Ali Khamenei's claims that Iran does not have proxies in the region. This highlights a significant divide within Iranian leadership regarding foreign policy and the approach to U.S. relations.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Mowlavi Abdolhamid Ismailzahi called for direct negotiations between Iran and the U.S. to resolve issues like proxy forces, contradicting Ali Khamenei's denial of such proxies. This highlights a divide in Iranian leadership on foreign policy towards the U.S.
- Mowlavi Abdolhamid advocates for direct talks with the U.S.
- Ali Khamenei denies Iran uses proxy forces in the region.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran's foreign policy, especially regarding the U.S., is a contentious issue with significant internal and external implications. The country's economic struggles add urgency to resolving these tensions.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%