Iran International
A recent speech by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has energized hardliners who see it as a mandate to silence reformists advocating direct talks with Washington and nuclear concessions.
Khamenei on Sunday appeared to dismiss a manifesto by reformist groups which called for direct talks with Washington and suspension of uranium enrichment.
Hardliners were quick to interpret his words as a rebuke to the authors of the recent Reform Front statement and figures such as former president Hassan Rouhani and his foreign minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif, who also urge direct talks and diplomacy.
“Those who say, ‘Why don’t you negotiate directly with the United States and solve the issues,’ are superficial, because the reality is different," Khamenei said in his speech.
Analysts are divided over the implications. Dissident commentator Reza Alijani told Iran International that Khamenei’s stance reveals “a backward Cold War mindset” hostile to compromise, warning he is “gambling with the fate of the country and the Iranian people.”
Others argue the speech was more rhetorical than absolute. Ruhollah Rahimpour noted in a post on X that Khamenei has made similar statements even while Iran’s diplomats were actively engaged in talks.
The timing of the remarks, however, is significant. Just a week earlier, the Reform Front called for direct US negotiations, suspension of enrichment, and acceptance of full IAEA monitoring in exchange for sanctions relief.
Hardliners hailed Khamenei’s speech as a rejection of that appeal.
“The Leader’s wise remarks struck like a resounding slap against submissive reformists—against Rouhani, Zarif, (Mohammad) Akhoundi, Azar Mansouria nd others,” wrote ultra-hardliner activist Alireza Aliyaninejad on X.
Ultra-hardliner defiance
Khamenei’s simultaneous expression of support for President Masoud Pezeshkian and emphasis on a united front against foreign enemies has complicated the picture.
Reformist-leaning figures and outlets highlighted the endorsement, while some ultra-hardliners such as lawmaker Hamid Rasaei insisted such support was merely pro forma.
Only hours after the speech, Rasaei suggested that parliament could oust Pezeshkian for incompetence, likening him to Iran’s first president Abolhassan Banisadr, who was impeached in 1981 despite Ayatollah Khomeini’s earlier backing.
The threat against Pezeshkian triggered backlash even within conservative circles.
Revolutionary Guards-affiliated media accused Rasaei of defying Khamenei’s call for unity. A Telegram channel believed close to the Guards warned: “This is a complete final warning—in the true sense of the word—to you and to all (ultra-hardliners) who, contrary to the explicit order of the Supreme Leader, engage in creating distractions and acting against national cohesion and unity.”
The Guards-affiliated Javan newspaper went further, calling for Rasaei to be prosecuted.
Green light for prosecution?
Judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei warned the Reform Front over its statement: “Those who, whether out of negligence or questionable motives, signed it should acknowledge their mistake and withdraw this disgraceful act. Naturally, the Tehran prosecutor will also carry out his legal duty."
Reformists rejected the accusation of betrayal.
“The Reformist Front’s statement is not an alignment with the enemy, but the voice of the voiceless who are worried about Iran. Judicial action against ‘opinions, criticism, and proposed solutions’ reflects a crisis in listening,” responded Azar Mansouri, the Front’s leader, on X.
