Iranian president criticised for “soft” position on US
Missiles fired from Iran are pictured in the night sky over Jerusalem
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian faced criticism on July 8th after expressing support for reviving negotiations with the US, with critics claiming he has been “too soft”, following the recent attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to The New Arab via AFP.
The backlash erupted after an interview with U.S. media personality Tucker Carlson, in which Pezeshkian stated that Iran had “no problem” returning to negotiations on the condition that trust between the two sides could be restored.
His remarks occurred under a month after Israel launched a bombing attack on June 13th, killing senior military commanders and nuclear scientists inside Iran.
The Israeli strikes occurred just two days before a scheduled meeting between Iran and the US, which intended to revive nuclear talks. These negotiations have since been suspended.
“Have you forgotten that these same Americans, together with the Zionists, used the negotiations to buy time and prepare for the attack?” according to an editorial in Iran’s Kayhan newspaper, a publication that has historically rejected diplomacy with the West.
The US, which had been engaged in dialogue with Iran since April 12th, collaborated with Israel in launching its own airstrikes on June 22nd, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz.
Maghrebi reported on June 22nd that, from the White House, Trump announced that U.S. strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities. As The Guardian also reported on June 22nd, Trump called the operation a “spectacular military success” aimed at ending the nuclear threat posed by what he called “the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.”
The conservative paper- Javan daily- criticized Pezeshkian, claiming his comments sounded “a little too soft.” “We believe the real meaning of a conversation with an American presenter is conveyed when the words reflect the public’s anger and total distrust of America,” the publication said.
In comparison, the reformist Ham Mihan newspaper welcomed Pezeshkian’s “positive approach.”
“This interview should have been conducted a long time ago,” the paper wrote, adding that “Iranian officials have unfortunately long been absent from the international and American media landscape.”
Iranian authorities report that the Israeli strikes killed at least 1,060 people. But Israel was struck by waves of retaliatory drone and missile attacks, which officials say killed at least 28 people.
Maghrebi reported on June 24th, that US President Donald Trump announced a phased ceasefire to formally end the conflict, stating both Israel and Iran agreed to a “Complete and Total CEASEFIRE.” However, Iran denied any formal agreement but indicated no intention to escalate, as reported by Al Jazeera on June 24th.
Hours before Trump’s announcement, Iran targeted the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which Trump dismissed as a “very weak” attack with prior warning, according to The Guardian on June 24th and Maghrebi.
This ceasefire between Iran and Israel has remained in effect since June 24th.
The New Arab via AFP, Maghrebi, Al Jazeera, The Guardian
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