Tehran's Friday prayer imam said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's message on the negotiations led to 'disappointment, frustration and despair' among pro-Western elements and regime opponents, according to a Telegram report. He added that 'today the enemies are the ones seeking negotiations,' and stressed that the Islamic Republic makes no distinction between different US administrations.
Tehran's Friday prayer imam, speaking at the main weekly sermon, weighed in on the ongoing nuclear negotiations, asserting that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's recent message on the talks has successfully demoralized domestic critics and pro-Western factions. The imam's remarks, carried by Iranian Telegram channels, reflect the regime's narrative that it is the US — not Iran — that is desperate for a deal. The statement comes amid reports of internal Iranian infighting over the talks and a widening gap between Khamenei's hardline stance and the pragmatic outreach pursued by some elements. As The Zioneer reported last week, an IRGC-affiliated lawmaker had accused the government of ignoring Khamenei's directive not to negotiate unless war compensation is paid for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Friday's sermon appears designed to close ranks and project unity behind the Supreme Leader's position, even as the diplomatic clock ticks toward a reported 60-day deadline.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake