Iran International
A day after Iran’s Supreme Leader urged officials to dismiss US demands, a conservative newspaper in Tehran advocated for negotiations, describing them as the only viable path to addressing the country’s economic crisis.
Jomhuriyeh Eslami (Islamic Republic) daily wrote on Thursday, “Officials must acknowledge that negotiation is the most effective solution for addressing the country’s challenges, a path that enjoys strong public support. Any hesitation in pursuing this approach would be unwarranted.”
Following the consecutive defeats of Iran’s proxies and allies in the region last year, coupled with a severe economic crisis exacerbated by a 33% drop in the value of the rial, many Iranian officials and media outlets have been urging for negotiations with the incoming Trump administration to ease sanctions.
However, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his staunchest supporters, primarily within the military and hardline factions, have downplayed the setbacks, maintaining that the Islamic Republic remains strong and capable of overcoming all challenges.
In his speech on Wednesday, Khamenei warned officials against heeding any American demands, claiming that Washington is still bitter over losing Iran as an ally 46 years ago. "The United States has failed in Iran and is now seeking to compensate for this defeat," he said in a meeting with a group of his supporters from the city of Qom.
“The people have voted for officials to serve their interests, not those of the United States. Therefore, decision-makers…must focus solely on the interests of the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic. They should not, under any circumstances, consider the interests of the United States or Zionists, as they are fundamentally hostile to our nation and the Islamic Republic, with their ultimate goal being the destruction of Iran,” Khamenei said.
Jomhuriyeh Eslami daily, however, made the opposite argument on Thursday, saying there should be no hesitation about negotiations, “nor should attention be given to the propaganda of extremist elements seeking to reject negotiations for their own specific agendas. Iran needs to resolve its economic crisis, which can only be achieved through reforms, and negotiations to lift sanctions remain the best path to reach this goal.”
As Khamenei called for steadfast opposition to the United States, three Revolutionary Guard officials said publicly that Tehran cannot respond to Israel’s October airstrike at this time.
Current member of parliament and IRGC General Esmail Kowsari, addressing why Iran has not retaliated against Israel, said this week that "If we were in a better financial position, we would have launched Operation True Promise-3 and even Operation 4." Highlighting the $921 billion US military budget, Kowsari acknowledged Iran’s financial and military limitations.
An Iranian activist based in the US, with 23,000 followers on X, responded to Kowsari’s remarks in a tweet, questioning why it took 45 years for the Islamic Republic to realize it is not capable of confronting the United States.
"After driving Iran into bankruptcy across economic, military, diplomatic, and geopolitical dimensions, leaving people without access to water, electricity, and gas, is it only now that you realize the importance of a strong military budget and economic capability? Have you just figured out that two plus two equals four and that taking on superpowers alone is not feasible?"
