Iran’s parliament speaker is publicly pushing back against internal opposition to negotiations with the United States, exposing deepening divisions within Tehran’s leadership as high-stakes diplomacy unfolds.
Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, who is involved in ongoing talks with Washington alongside Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, warned that efforts to block engagement with the U.S. could have severe consequences for Iran’s future.
According to reports published Monday by the London-based outlet Iran International, Ghalibaf criticized a faction of hardline figures he described as “extremists,” accusing them of attempting to derail negotiations and inflame public opposition. Among those identified were Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator, and Amir-Hossein Sabeti, a younger figure associated with the country’s hardline political camp.
The speaker reportedly argued that this faction is leveraging state media and ideological networks to mobilize resistance against talks, framing engagement with Washington as a threat rather than a strategic necessity.
The internal dispute highlights a broader struggle within Iran’s political establishment over how to approach negotiations at a moment of heightened regional tension. While some officials see diplomacy as a pathway to de-escalation, others remain deeply skeptical of U.S. intentions and oppose any concessions.
Ghalibaf has also privately raised concerns about his own political position, according to the report, amid suggestions that both he and Araghchi could face pressure or removal if talks proceed in a direction opposed by hardliners.
Jalili, a longtime figure in Iran’s conservative establishment, previously served as the country’s chief nuclear negotiator and has repeatedly run for president, most recently losing a runoff election in 2024 to Masoud Pezeshkian. Sabeti, meanwhile, represents a younger generation of post-revolution politicians who have aligned themselves with more uncompromising positions on foreign policy.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
