Iranian hardliners in vociferous push to reject proposed peace deal with US

64

Hardline Resistance in Tehran and Qom

The pushback against the proposed U.S. agreement has evolved from political rhetoric into street-level mobilization. Protesters have gathered outside the foreign ministry in Tehran and the offices of several prominent Grand Ayatollahs in Qom, including Asadollah Bayat-Zanjani, chanting slogans against the negotiation process. The opposition is led by a coalition including the Paydari Front, members of the national security committee, and senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. These critics argue that the administration is trading away national sovereignty for vague promises. “The fact that they say we won and America has retreated is a blatant lie,”Kamran Ghazanfari, Iranian MP The internal friction is deeply personal. Mohammad Mannan Raisi, an anti-deal member of parliament from Qom, urged officials to maintain their honor, specifically citing the timing of the deal. According to Al Jazeera, Raisi argued that signing a deal on the birthday of President Donald Trump—whom he called the “murderer of our supreme leader”—would be an act of dishonor.

The Struggle Over ‘Iranian Arrangements’ in Hormuz

A central point of contention involves the Strait of Hormuz and the specific language used in the draft text. Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to the negotiating team leader Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, defended the deal in an audio message, claiming that the inclusion of the phrase “Iranian arrangements” provides Tehran with significant leverage. Mohammadi asserts this phrasing allows Iran and Oman to charge passage fees and potentially block Israeli commercial vessels. He argues this puts Iran in a stronger position than it held during the 2015 nuclear pact. “This time, it is not like we will shut down the nuclear programme and wait for them to lift the sanctions. There is no such wishful thinking. The strait is in our hands, we can close it any time we want at an hour.”Mehdi Mohammadi, Adviser to Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, via The Guardian As The Guardian reported, the U.S. fought to exclude the phrase “Iranian arrangements” from the text, highlighting the gap between Washington’s objectives and Tehran’s perceived wins.

Araghchi’s 14-Point Framework and the 60-Day Window

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has clarified that the current discussions center on a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU). This is not a final treaty but a two-stage framework designed to consolidate strategic gains following recent American-Israeli aggression. The proposed timeline is structured as follows:

• Phase One: Signing of the initial memorandum to establish a framework for continuing negotiations.
• Phase Two: A 60-day negotiation window to address sanctions removal, nuclear enrichment, and economic reconstruction.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, who is leading the talks, has emphasized that the U.S. must adhere to these obligations without excuse. Writing on X, as reported by Tasnim News, Ghalibaf stated, “Commitments made must be commitments kept. No ifs, no buts, no excuses.” Despite the official optimism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, cautioned that the process is merely a framework and should not be viewed as a finalized agreement.

Market Volatility and the $12bn Frozen Fund Dispute

While political leaders clash, Iranian markets have reacted with cautious optimism. The national currency strengthened on Sunday, with the U.S. dollar fetching less than 1.68 million rials. The Tehran Stock Exchange also hit a new all-time high of nearly 4.82 million points. However, this market rally has not translated to confidence among the general public. Some residents in Tehran told reporters that short-term currency dips will not lower the cost of food and essential items that have already tripled in price. The most volatile financial detail remains the release of frozen assets. Mohammadi acknowledged that the text regarding the release of roughly $12bn in frozen money has not been finalized. He dismissed the idea that the U.S. would provide the funds directly, claiming instead that Arab nations have been forced to pledge the money as a concession to Iranian sovereignty. “The Arab countries have pledged this money and are forced to give it, because we are above them and they have seen our power in the region and have tasted our power.”Mehdi Mohammadi, Adviser to Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf The standoff now rests on whether the Ghalibaf-Araghchi team can satisfy the hardliners’ demands for guaranteed sanctions relief before the 60-day window expires, or if the internal pressure from the IRGC and the Paydari Front will force a collapse of the framework.