Supporters and Opponents of the Lausanne Agreement in Tehran Newspapers

Many Iranian newspapers, including Etemad, Iran, Shargh, Shahrvand, Jahan San'at, Arman, Ebtekar, Qanoon, Etemad, Donya-e-Eqtesad, Jomhouri-e-Eslami, Khorasan, Rouzan, Tejarat, Farhikhtegan, Kar va Kargar, Kasb o Kar, Jam-e-Jam, Hamshahri, Bani Film, and Mardomsalari, welcomed the "Lausanne nuclear agreement" in their Saturday, April 15 editions. However, Kayhan, Resalat, Javan, Vatan-e-Emruz, and Hemayat, affiliated with the prison organization, criticized this agreement on their front pages and in their editorials and reports. The Javan newspaper, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, described part of this agreement as "dangerous" and stated that this part "targets the political independence and national humiliation of Iranians." Etemad published a photo of Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister of the eleventh government, and Abbas Araqchi, the senior negotiator of the Islamic Republic, on the front page of its April 15 edition, in a report titled "Diplomacy Smiled," stating: "Iran and the 5+1 reached an agreement on solutions after 18 months of negotiations." The newspaper pointed out that "what should be examined in the review of the draft text is that Iran has achieved its initial demands," mentioning "continuation of enrichment in Iran and recognition of Iran's nuclear program," "research and development of IR6 and IR8 machines," "retaining Fordow with at least 1,000 centrifuges," "maintaining the heavy water reactor in Arak," "immediate lifting of economic sanctions," and "cancellation of UN Security Council resolutions" as Iran's main demands in the nuclear negotiations. Etemad also reported that "Tehran witnessed 'popular gatherings' on Friday night, where people celebrated in the streets for two consecutive nights after the publication of the Lausanne statement and supported the government's nuclear policy." The newspaper emphasized that "the final agreement will be in June, and judgments regarding the data and concessions of Iran and the other side should be postponed until that time." Shargh, in its front-page headline, quoted Hassan Rouhani, the President of the Islamic Republic, as saying: "Negotiations are the first step; we want the end of hostilities." The newspaper dedicated its front-page photo to a smiling image of Mohammad Javad Zarif and Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, and published statements from several political figures and Friday prayer leaders in support of the "Lausanne nuclear agreement" in a report titled "Crossing the Crisis of Tir; Comprehensive Agreement." Ahmad Gholami, in an editorial for Shargh titled "Enrichment - Trust Building," wrote: "If the government was, in Ahmadinejad's view, a tool for exerting influence at the levels of state institutions and achieving the goals of a small group, Hassan Rouhani has brought the government one step back to its modern position," and thus "no matter how instrumental Ahmadinejad was and sought 'enrichment,' Hassan Rouhani understood that the government's duty is conceptualization and sought 'trust-building.'" Ali Khorram, an international affairs expert, also emphasized in a note in Shargh that "what has been achieved in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ensures Iran's national security and national interests." The columnist for Shargh wrote: "Let us not forget that some simplists easily directed the nuclear file towards the Security Council in the fall and winter of 1384 (2005) and thought nothing would happen and that resolutions were merely pieces of paper. Therefore, in such conditions, what has been agreed upon between Iran and the 1+5 is the most dignified and honorable type of agreement that preserves Iran's nuclear industry and allows the country to emerge from the crisis of resolutions without sanctions or military confrontation and to engage in international cooperation with other countries." Hossein Marashi, a senior member of the Construction Workers Party, also told Shargh: "The actions of the Rouhani and Zarif government can be historically compared to the actions of the Mossadegh government in nationalizing the oil industry or even the actions of Shah Abbas in saving Bandar Abbas," and Gholamhossein Karbaschi, the former mayor of Tehran, emphasized that "the recent negotiations managed to present a reasonable and political image of Iran to the world," telling Shargh: "If the continuation of nuclear negotiations proceeds in this manner and its benefits are useful for the people, it could be a prelude to Iran's exit from a difficult period created during the eight years of the previous government." Kayhan criticized the Lausanne nuclear agreement on its front page, stating: "Nuclear goes, sanctions remain." This newspaper described the Lausanne nuclear agreement as a "two-stage agreement," stating: "The negotiations in Lausanne concluded after nine days with the reading of a joint text, while many ambiguities, concerns, and questions about the nature and outcome of these negotiations remain, and it seems that many red lines have been crossed in this regard." Hossein Shariatmadari, Ali Khamenei's representative in Kayhan, in an editorial titled "Achievements or Losses?!" emphasized that "the nuclear negotiations in Lausanne soured the people's taste," writing: "The opponent imposed its illegitimate demands, which had been left unaddressed for 12 years, on Islamic Iran through deception, placing the oversized hat of the Geneva agreement over our nuclear activities." Vatan-e-Emruz also opposed the "Lausanne agreement" in its front page and in its reports and notes, stating: "The appendices of this agreement regarding six issues: Arak, Fordow, enrichment, inspections, research and development, and sanctions indicate a gross imbalance of concessions and demands in the Lausanne agreement." This newspaper wrote: "Two highly criticized matters occurred in the Lausanne negotiations, the first being that the negotiating team created a set of international commitments for Iran that are binding, while it had no authorization to do so." According to Vatan-e-Emruz, the second "highly criticized" matter is that "the process of drafting the JCPOA has undoubtedly turned into a two-stage process. One stage, which is the agreement on the principles of solutions along with a lot of details, occurred in Lausanne, while the other stage, which is the agreement on the details that would make the agreement signable and executable, remains. This is exactly what the negotiating team was prohibited from doing." This newspaper, close to the Steadfast Front, emphasized that "the negotiating team cannot escape the fact that a significant international commitment was created for Iran in Lausanne." The Javan newspaper, close to the IRGC, emphasized in its Saturday edition that "the agreement has dragged into summer," stating: "Some observers say that the U.S. interpretive statement regarding the manner of lifting sanctions may jeopardize reaching a final agreement by July 10." Abdullah Ghanji, the editor-in-chief of this newspaper, in an editorial titled "Battle of Interpretations," criticized the Lausanne nuclear agreement, writing: "Let us assume we have accepted how Natanz, Fordow, and Arak should be, but the fact that for decades, and according to Kerry until 'forever,' we should not be subjected to the NPT is a dangerous interpretation and agreement that targets the political independence and national humiliation of Iranians." The Jam-e-Jam and Hamshahri newspapers, which are managed by factions close to the principlists, had a different perspective on the "Lausanne nuclear agreement" compared to other newspapers close to this faction. Jam-e-Jam reported on the "global reception of the Lausanne agreement" and emphasized that the 5+1 countries "accepted Iran's demand for the lifting of sanctions and Iran's right to enrich uranium." Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the mayor of Tehran and one of the principlist rivals of Hassan Rouhani in the 2013 presidential election, also wrote in a note in Hamshahri titled "About Lausanne": "Concerns about the agreed details are acceptable, but having unreasonable expectations from a negotiation at this level is illogical and irrational. Logically, negotiation is a matter of give and take, and of course, the balance of this give and take is important, but some express opinions as if only our words should prevail in the negotiation," although "we should not express joy and delight merely upon announcing the agreement until its details are fully and transparently presented." Jahan San'at, in its front page, quoted Ali Taebnia, the Minister of Economy, regarding "Iran's economy after the end of nuclear negotiations," stating: "General prosperity in the economy will become evident." Jahan San'at, in a report titled "End of Hard Livelihood?!" wrote: "The news of the nuclear agreement has created a wave of hope among the people and economic activists in the country. From the reactions of market players, it can be inferred that the economic and livelihood situation will improve, not rapidly but gradually." The Etemad newspaper, while publishing a report on what it described as "six unprecedented achievements of Iran from 18 months of negotiations," wrote: "Eight days of negotiations in Lausanne ended with the agreement of both sides on technical and legal solutions to draw a line under a fabricated crisis. The Iranian negotiating team, led by Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, returned to Tehran on Friday morning to a warm welcome from the public," and thus "the Iranian and 1+5 negotiators successfully passed the first phase of negotiations promised in November 2014 and entered the final stage." Sara Masoumi, a reporter for Etemad, pointed out that "what was agreed upon on Friday evening in Lausanne between Iran and the six opposing countries is neither a binding legal document nor, based on its provisions, will the parties begin to implement its details from today," writing: "The text that was published after the final meeting of the foreign ministers of Iran and 1+5 in Lausanne as the result of eight days of negotiations in this round and 18 months of negotiations in the government of prudence and hope is, in fact, an incomplete and unfinished draft text for reaching a comprehensive joint action plan by the end of June." Etemad emphasized that "what should be examined in reviewing the provisions of the draft text is that Iran has achieved its initial demands," mentioning "continuation of enrichment in Iran and recognition of Iran's nuclear program," "research and development of IR6 and IR8 machines," "retaining Fordow with at least 1,000 centrifuges," "maintaining the heavy water reactor in Arak," "immediate lifting of economic sanctions," and "cancellation of UN Security Council resolutions" as the six main demands of Iran in the nuclear negotiations. According to this newspaper, "another important factor in the negotiations between Iran and 1+5 was the issue of reversibility. Both the Iranian side and the other side insisted that all commitments made should be reversible," and in the Lausanne negotiations, "a system was considered for Iran that, in the event of a breach of commitments by the other side, it could resume its nuclear activities normally and without restrictions, and for the other side, this system will exist regarding the imposition of sanctions." Etemad wrote: "Regarding the decision-making authority for commitment or breach of commitments, a multi-layered mechanism has been considered, so if a country claims that there has been a gross violation of commitments by Iran, it must refer its claim to a joint commission that will be formed between Iran and 1+5. The European Union, Iran, and 1+5 will be members of this joint commission that will judge violations of commitments. The details in this regard have not yet been finalized, and the existing parentheses in future negotiation rounds will be filled." This newspaper particularly emphasized that "one of the main achievements of Iran's negotiations in the past 18 months, which is also mentioned in the prepared draft, is the preservation of Fordow. The Western side insisted from the beginning that the Fordow facility should be shut down and all nuclear activities there should cease," and "the second achievement," according to this newspaper, "which is very important and was achieved during the 18-month negotiations, is the preservation of the nature of the heavy water reactor in Arak," as "the American side had placed the Arak heavy water reactor among its red lines from the beginning of the negotiations." Etemad also wrote: "Regarding Iran's nuclear reserves, it should be noted that Iran currently has eight tons of material reserves, which, according to the West, is equivalent to eight atomic bombs." Sara Masoumi, a reporter for Etemad, emphasized that "two points regarding this round of nuclear negotiations between Iran and 1+5 should be noted, the first being the emphasis on the fact that negotiations will continue until June, and in this path, details can pose a serious risk of failure at any moment," and therefore "the final agreement will be in June, and judgments regarding the data and concessions of Iran and the other side should also be postponed until that time." "The important second point," according to the reporter of Etemad, is that "the most significant achievement of these negotiations for the Islamic Republic of Iran is the victory of diplomatic language over the language of force in the global puzzle." Etemad wrote: "What happened in Lausanne can at best be considered a successful passage for both sides from the semi-final stage and entry into the final stage. The first text agreed upon by the parties in the nuclear file was signed in November 2013 in Geneva under the title of the Geneva interim agreement and was extended twice in July and November 2014; extensions that reinforced the suspicion of the parties' inability to reach a final agreement." According to this newspaper, in the Lausanne nuclear agreement, "the details of the text are subject to change, and of course, in some details of the clauses contained therein, a complete agreement has not yet been reached, and consultations in this regard between the parties continue."