Iran's hardliners warn US talks must focus only on nuclear program
People walk next to an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran, Iran, April 8, 2025.
Iran’s conservative factions are concerned upcoming talks with the United States could extend beyond the nuclear file and may involve additional demands such as disarming Tehran’s regional allies that remain deeply contentious.
Hardline publication Khorasan cautioned that Iranian negotiators must guard against what it called mission creep, particularly in the face of US efforts to shift the agenda toward direct talks.
Iran insists the Oman discussions will focus solely on its nuclear program and officials in Tehran have ruled out negotiations on regional issues or its ballistic missile capabilities.
However, US officials may press for a broader agenda. An executive order US President Donald Trump signed in February called for curbs on Iran’s ballistic missile program and an end to its support for allied groups across the region, such as the Houthis in Yemen.
The group, designated a terrorist organization by countries such as the US and UK, is currently engaged in a tit-for-tat battle with the US amid its blockade of shipping in the Red Sea region.
Khorsan also warned that the talks should not overtake national priorities, including the country's economic crisis, the worst since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Iran has been demanding the quick lifting of US sanctions that have devastated the economy.
The publication wrote that "diplomacy is not a solution to the country’s core problems".
On the eve of talks this week, President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking on National Nuclear Technology Day, reiterated Iran’s rejection of nuclear weapons.
“They [UN inspectors] have checked us a hundred times. Check again. We are not after the bomb,” he said. “We need nuclear science. They want us weak, but we will stand tall through knowledge.”
US President Donald Trump has warned of bombing Iran if Tehran fails to reach a new deal over its nuclear program, giving a two month deadline, without stating when that ends.
An Argentine prosecutor has requested the arrest of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in connection with the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people.
Prosecutor Sebastián Basso, who replaced the late Alberto Nisman, asked federal judge Daniel Rafecas to issue national and international arrest warrants for Khamenei, according to Argentine paper Clarin.
Basso also requested the application of trial in absentia for the remaining Iranian and Lebanese suspects named in the case.
Some of the high-level officials accused in the bombing case include former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who has since died, then-Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, and former Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahian.
Others include former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaee, former Quds Force commander Ahmad Vahidi, former Iranian diplomat Ahmad Reza Asghari, former cultural attaché Mohsen Rabbani, and Imad Mughniyeh, the late Hezbollah operations chief.
The move follows the passage of a law promoted by President Javier Milei last year, allowing trials in absentia in cases involving grave crimes.
The bombing remains Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack. On July 18, 1994, a truck loaded with explosives detonated outside the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people and injuring hundreds.
In April 2024, Argentina’s top criminal court found that the bombing was carried out by Hezbollah militants under “a political and strategic design” by Iran. Iranian officials have denied any role in the attack, and no suspects have stood trial to date.
In 2015, Alberto Nisman, the Argentine prosecutor who was later succeeded by Basso, was found dead days after accusing then-President Cristina Fernández of covering up Iran’s role in the AMIA bombing. A federal judge later ruled that Nisman had been murdered.
Last year, President Javier Milei announced the new legislation aimed at allowing the prosecution of those responsible. “Today we chose to speak out, not stay silent,” Milei said.
“We choose life, because anything else is making a game out of death ... While they may never be able to serve a sentence, they will not be able to escape the eternal condemnation of a free court proving their guilt to the entire world.”
Milei has blamed the “fanatical government of Iran” for the bombing and linked the 1994 attack to the October 7, 2023, assault by Hamas on Israel. “The terrorism of that tragic Oct. 7 is exactly the same terrorism that attacked us 30 years ago,” he said.
Speaking at a commemorative event last year organized by the World Jewish Congress and the Latin American Jewish Congress, Milei also criticized previous Argentine governments and the judiciary for “negligence, cover-up, and manipulation of evidence” in the case.
In the same week as his speech, Milei’s government declared Hamas a terrorist organization, a move which irked Tehran, and said that “in recent years, a link with the Islamic Republic of Iran has been revealed.”
A report last year by the INSS said the government of President Javier Milei is "an ardent ally of both the United States and Israel", and said the Argentine government still holds Iran accountable for the attacks in 1992 on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, in addition to the AMIA bombing.
"In total contrast to previous governments, the current [Argentinian] regime is willing to stand up to Iran and its axis of resistance. Argentina is no longer willing to sweep the problem under the rug," the report said.
Argentina is also trying to secure the extradition of Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, last year issuing a request to Interpol for his part in the AMIA bombing.
The main headline on the front page of a conservative Iranian newspaper captures the national mood ahead of the upcoming Iran-US talks in Oman: “The Saturday of Hope and Doubt.”
Across two dozen newspapers on Wednesday, the sentiment was echoed in varying language—hope for a breakthrough tempered by uncertainty over whether the two sides will meet face to face and make tangible progress.
Gholamhossein Karbaschi, a prominent politician and proprietor of the centrist daily Ham Mihan, told the press that “if Iran’s political system had no intention of negotiating with the United States, it would not have responded to Trump’s letter.” In Iranian political discourse, “the political system” is often used as a stand-in for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Karbaschi added, “Some believe a revolutionary stance means constant confrontation and chanting slogans. But the people want a peaceful life. Breaking the current deadlock requires self-sacrifice from the negotiators.”
He urged negotiators to ignore the hardline rhetoric, alluding to MP Amir Hossein Sabeti, who recently said negotiations are unlikely to change anything, as well as to vigilante groups threatening to rally outside the Foreign Ministry.
At the same time, Hadi Borhani, an expert in Israeli affairs, sought to reassure the public in an interview with Khabar Online, saying that Israel must now operate within the limits set by President Trump. He added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was likely caught off guard by Trump’s remarks about engaging in negotiations with Iran. Nonetheless, Borhani emphasized that Israel remains firmly opposed to the talks in Oman.
Meanwhile, reformist commentator and political analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi described the upcoming talks as a prelude to a potential reset in Tehran-Washington relations. He said the primary goal of this round of negotiations is to end the longstanding hostility between the two countries.
However, Zeidabadi cautioned that the Muscat talks cannot continue indefinitely. “There is a limited time frame for these negotiations, and their outcome—success or failure—could have far-reaching consequences,” he warned, calling the talks “extremely sensitive, critical, complicated, and fragile.”
Commenting on the fragility of the negotiations, the IRGC-affiliated daily Javan warned that “one word from Trump about Iran’s missile power will abruptly end the talks.” The paper argued that the most Iran can realistically offer is a reduction in uranium enrichment levels in exchange for the full lifting of sanctions.
Meanwhile, Hesamoddin Ashna, former deputy intelligence minister and adviser to President Hassan Rouhani, cautioned Iran’s leaders against “behaving like Qaddafi’s Libya” or entertaining illusions of leading the Arab and Muslim world. He also warned against overstating the strategic value of Iran’s outdated nuclear technology.
Elsewhere, the conservative newspaper Farhikhtegan predicted that internal divisions over how to approach negotiations with the US could reshape Iran’s political landscape—particularly within the conservative camp, where opposition to the talks remains strong.
Iran’s former security chief Ali Shamkhani emphasized the strategic value of the country’s nuclear program in a post on X, writing: “Iran’s peaceful nuclear capability is a complete chain from mine to final product—not just a scientific achievement, but a vital driver for medicine, energy, agriculture, and the environment. This national technology is stabilized, irreversible, and indestructible.”
Meanwhile, the debate over direct versus indirect negotiations continued. Vali Nasr, professor at Johns Hopkins SAIS and author of Iran’s Grand Strategy: How Sanctions Work, argued on X that while Trump created a bottleneck by insisting on direct talks, this approach could actually work in Iran’s favor. “Both sides will probably start the talks indirectly but eventually shift to direct negotiations,” Nasr wrote. Echoing Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, he added that “the form of the talks is less important than their content.”
Iran’s nuclear chief announced late Wednesday that Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is expected to visit Tehran around April 20, likely to address unresolved issues related to monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities.
Mohammad Eslami gave no details about the purpose of Grossi’s trip, but the visit comes as Iran continues to restrict the UN watchdog’s access to its nuclear facilities—a limitation in place since 2021. The timing suggests a possible link to the upcoming nuclear negotiations with the United States, set to begin Saturday.
Eslami also underscored what he described as Iran’s nuclear progress, claiming the country has achieved uranium enrichment without any foreign assistance and is the only nation with a fully indigenous nuclear program.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated his warning that military action remains on the table if Iran refuses to halt its nuclear activities, adding that Israel would play a leading role in any such operation.
“I’m not asking for much … but they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters during a press event at the White House, following the signing of several executive orders. He warned that if diplomacy fails, military measures could follow.
“If it requires military, we're going to have military,” he said. “Israel will, obviously, be … the leader of that. No one leads us. We do what we want.”
Trump declined to give a timeline or specific conditions for when military action might occur, saying only, “When you start talks, you know if they’re going along well or not. And I would say the conclusion would be when I think they’re not going along well.”
The comments come just days after Trump made a surprise announcement that direct talks between Washington and Tehran are set to begin Saturday. He warned on Monday that Iran would face “great danger” if negotiations fail to produce a breakthrough on its nuclear program.
The Biden-era nuclear negotiations collapsed in 2022, and since returning to office, Trump has taken a more aggressive stance, demanding that Iran completely abandon its uranium enrichment efforts that have reached an alarming stage, with high levels of uranium enrichment. Tehran has continued to insist on its right to peaceful nuclear development.
The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on five Iranian companies and one individual for their alleged support of Iran’s nuclear program, the Treasury Department said.
The action targets entities linked to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and its subsidiary, the Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA), both of which play key roles in Iran’s uranium enrichment and nuclear development efforts.
The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated the firms under Executive Order 13382, which aims to curb the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
"The Iranian regime’s reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons remains a grave threat to the United States and a menace to regional stability and global security," said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Treasury will continue to disrupt Iran’s nuclear advances and broader destabilizing agenda.”
Among those sanctioned is Atbin Ista Technical and Engineering Company (AIT), accused of aiding TESA’s acquisition of foreign components. AIT's managing director, Majid Mosallat, was also designated for acting on behalf of the company.
Also blacklisted are Pegah Aluminum Arak Company, which supplies aluminum products to TESA, and Thorium Power Company (TPC), established in 2023 to develop thorium-fueled reactor technologies under the guidance of AEOI.
The designations further include Pars Reactors Construction and Development Company (Satra Pars) and Azarab Industries Co., both of which are involved in AEOI-led nuclear projects, including reactor construction and equipment production.
As a result of the sanctions, all US-linked assets of the designated individuals and entities are frozen, and US persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions with them. Secondary sanctions may apply to non-US persons engaging in certain activities with the listed entities.
The sanctions come amid heightened nuclear tensions and just days before talks between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Oman on Saturday.
The upcoming negotiations, to be led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff, were announced on Monday by President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with military action if it does not agree to a deal since returning to the White House in January.
Frustrated ultra-hardliners are subtly warning Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that making major concessions to Washington could risk a fate similar to Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.
“Negotiation, whether direct or indirect, with [Qasem] Soleimani’s killers, those who murdered 50,000 people in Palestine, is not going to end well," warned Fatemeh Tashakori, an ultra-hardliner activist on X, referring to an Iranian commander assassinated in a US drone strike in President Donald Trump's first term.
"The reason: Gaddafi’s fate in Libya!” she added.
As US-Iran talks are set to begin on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and influential US Senator Tom Cotton in recent days both said Tehran ought to follow the example of Libya and renounce weapons of mass destruction.
Tripoli under veteran strongman Muammar Gaddafi made the move in 2003, only to be toppled in a Western-backed uprising and murdered by armed rebels in 2011.
Another popular ultra-hardliner activist with 22,000 followers, @Ya_Fatemeh, echoed similar sentiments, arguing that Gaddafi complied with US demands—scrapped Libya’s nuclear program, limited missile ranges—and it only brought years of civil war. “Yes, that’s what the Libyan model negotiations are like.”
The Libyan civil war was primarily rooted in internal grievances against Gaddafi’s authoritarian rule, including political repression and corruption.
While the United States and NATO intervened militarily in 2011 to prevent a massacre in Benghazi, they did not start the uprising. The conflict began as part of the broader Arab Spring uprisings, with Libyans taking to the streets demanding change well before any foreign involvement.
Ultra-hardliners who claim to be Khamenei’s most loyal—and only—true followers are well aware that the upcoming talks in Oman would not be happening without his tacit approval.
Though they stop short of naming him directly, the implication is unmistakable—and widely noted on social media. “Shame on you for comparing the Leader of the Revolution with these three people,” hardliner figure Mohammad-Ali Ahangaran, who has nearly 28,000 followers on X, wrote in response to a post that invoked the fates of Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and Iraq’s Saddam Hussein.
In their opposition to renewed nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, ultra-hardliners frequently cite Israel’s influence over the Trump administration, particularly its push for the total dismantling of Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
“America and Israel’s Main Strategy Against Iran: Libyazation of Iran,” read the headline of a Raja News article—the outlet affiliated with supporters of former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili an ultra-hardliner ideologue.
The piece referenced statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Senators Tom Cotton and Lindsey Graham advocating the use of the "Libyan model" in dealing with Iran’s nuclear program.
While Israeli media reported that Netanyahu discussed the Libyan model during his recent visit to Washington, the US stance remains ambiguous, as Trump gave no firm indication on whether he would adopt the model.
Ultra-hardliners recently warned that the Islamic Republic was risking alienation of its staunchest supporters, who they said make up the “solid core of the system”, if authorities continued suspending strict hijab enforcement.
Often referred to as “super-revolutionaries” by rival conservatives, most ultra-hardliners have strong links to the Paydari (Steadfastness) Party and a group known as MASAF. The two parties form the majority in the Parliament.
Last week, Iran’s Press Supervisory Board issued a rare warning to Kayhan newspaper, a leading ultra-hardline publication, after it published an article interpreted as a threat to assassinate Trump over the 2020 killing of Soleimani. The paper later claimed the piece was satirical.
Officials have made clear that tolerance for dissent against the talks, even from the far right, will depend on the outcome of negotiations—and the Supreme Leader’s position.
Some hardline publications appear to be adjusting their tone. An editorial by Gholamreza Sadeghian, chief editor of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) linked Javan newspaper, for instance, said on Wednesday that Iran may agree to reduce its enrichment levels but warned that this should not be viewed as a concession.
In return for reduced enrichment and increased inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog, IAEA, Iran should demand full sanctions relief and an end to Western support for the Islamic Republic’s opposition, the editorial argued.
