Proposal to 'Suspend Nuclear Negotiations Until U.S. Threats Cease' in Iranian Parliament

Javad Karimi Qodousi, a representative from Mashhad in the parliament, announced the preparation of an urgent three-article proposal that, if approved, would suspend negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program until the end of U.S. 'threats' and a formal apology from the U.S. 'in a statement.' Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Bahonar, the Deputy Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, emphasized that 'negotiation under the shadow of threats is ineffective, and we also have various options on the table.' However, several members of the 'Followers of the Wilayat' faction, referred to as the parliamentary majority faction, reported on Sunday, May 20, their opposition to the three-article proposal to suspend nuclear negotiations, along with Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament. Mehdi Davatgari, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament, also noted that the initiation or suspension of nuclear negotiations is solely at the 'permission' of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, predicting that the three-article proposal to suspend nuclear negotiations would be rejected by the Guardian Council if approved by the Parliament. According to Javad Karimi Qodousi, this proposal was prepared following the Supreme Leader's remarks regarding the threats from U.S. officials and will be submitted to the Parliament's presiding board on Sunday. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, emphasized on Wednesday, May 16, that he does not agree with negotiations that occur 'under the shadow of threats' and has asked Iran's nuclear negotiating team not to yield to any imposition, coercion, humiliation, or threats. Prior to Khamenei's remarks, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden described an attack on Iran as a 'risky' option that 'might still be accepted' by the U.S. Hours after the Supreme Leader's statements, Hossein Salami, the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, advised Iran's nuclear negotiating team to abandon negotiations in the face of U.S. 'excessive demands' and 'political superiority' and to leave the field to the country's military forces to 'settle matters in a threatening atmosphere.' Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Bahonar reiterated on Saturday, May 19, that 'continuing negotiations under the shadow of threats is no longer called negotiation,' adding, 'If we are to be threatened with military issues, we will no longer send our diplomatic generals to the field and will utilize others and our other capabilities.' According to IRNA news agency, Bahonar also stated, 'However, we are not going to make emotional decisions.' He also mentioned that the Iranian Parliament is monitoring the impact of 'events' in the U.S. Congress on Iran's nuclear negotiations with the 1+5 group, asserting that 'we do not intend to engage in childish confrontations without emotional roots against the U.S. Congress.' Bahonar's statements come as an Iranian parliament member reported severe opposition from Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament, to the three-article proposal to suspend nuclear negotiations. According to Baqer Hosseini, Larijani emphasized serious support for Iran's nuclear negotiating team and avoidance of quick and thoughtless reactions during a meeting on Sunday morning with the conservative faction of the Followers of the Wilayat. Meanwhile, Gholamali Jafarzadeh, a representative from Rasht, also pointed out the opposition of the Followers of the Wilayat faction to the three-article proposal, stating, 'The national interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran require us not to take imitative actions in response to the U.S. Congress and Senate.' On Thursday, May 17, the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of a proposal that allows Congress to review any nuclear agreement with Iran within 30 days and reject it if necessary. The U.S. Congress is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Concurrently with the passage of this proposal, 150 members of the House of Representatives expressed their support for the nuclear negotiations of the Obama administration and its allies with Iran in a letter. In response to the U.S. Senate's resolution, more than 200 Iranian parliament members issued a statement on Sunday, describing the Senate's resolution as 'excessive demands' and called on the Iranian Foreign Ministry to present the results of the nuclear negotiations with the 1+5 group to the Parliament so that 'the status of this file can be clarified based on the national interests of the country with the opinions of the representatives.' In their statement, these representatives emphasized that 'the use of the language of threats in diplomacy amounts to nothing more than a scream born of fear' and added, 'The negotiators... should give a worthy response to them and demonstrate that the realm of negotiations is not a playground for such foolish antics, and negotiations accompanied by threats should be made bitter for them.' Previously, Hossein Naqavi, the spokesman for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament, reported on Friday, May 18, the preparation of a two-article proposal that would require the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 countries to be approved by the Parliament and that the Islamic Consultative Assembly would oversee the implementation of the agreement. He also mentioned that the management of the nuclear file in Iran is 'specific management,' and all aspects of the work must be considered so that after 'necessary consultations' this proposal can be placed on the agenda.