PHOTO: President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif
Only three days after the announcement of a nuclear framework between Iran and the 5+1 Powers, divisions appeared within the regime over the deal on Sunday.
In a meeting with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iranian MPs set out a series of demands, notably the immediate termination of all sanctions against Tehran as soon as a comprehensive agreement is reached.
Mohammad Hassan Asafari, a senior member of Parliament’s National Security Commission, said, “The immediate annulment of sanctions, safeguarding the nuclear rights, and continued Research and Development activities in the nuclear field were among the issues emphasized by the MPs.”
The legislators also demanded that the Foreign Minister “help the opposite side understand that Iran has not sat to the negotiating table due to the pressures and sanctions”, proclaiming the vast increase of both centrifuges in use and advanced centrifuges that can be put on-line.
The US fact sheet on the framework said that sanctions will be lifted on Iran when the International Atomic Energy Agency verifies Iranian compliance with the terms of the comprehensive agreement, and that they can be reimposed if Iran violates the terms. In a televised interview on Saturday night, Zarif effectively confirmed the American summary, while criticizing the distribution of the fact sheet.
See Iran Daily, April 4: Rouhani — “We Will Fulfil Our Nuclear Promises If Other Side Does”
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the chairman of Parliament’s National Security Commission, warned that Parliament might block Iran’s accession to the Additional Protocol of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, another provision in the framework: “There are opposing views at the parliament over accepting and implementing the Additional Protocol and the path is not leveled for its approval.”
The growing dispute is also being played out in media attached to different parts of the regime. Press TV ignores the Parliamentary statement, preferring President Rouhani’s declaration after a meeting with senior Iranian officials, “We have never negotiated the suspension of sanctions and if it were the case, there would be no agreement.”
Fars News, the outlet of the Revolutionary Guards, features the warnings of the MPs on its English-language site while continuing to ignore Foreign Minister Zarif’s two-hour interview defending the framework and negotiations towards a comprehensive settlement.
See Iran Daily: Zarif Appeals to Iranians, “Give Us 3 Months to Negotiate Nuclear Deal”
The Supreme Leader, who will make the final decision on any agreement, maintained weeks of silence on Sunday. However, the head of the armed forces, General Hassan Firouzabadi, offered support by congratulating Ayatollah Khamenei on the “success of the team of Iranian negotiators” and thanking President Rouhani and the officials led by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
