Iran may be using MoU to reduce US leverage in future nuclear talks - Think Tank

The Embassy of Israel in the United States on Saturday shared a video on X addressed to the people of Lebanon, saying they deserve a future defined by opportunity, stability, and sovereignty rather than what it described as the ambitions of a foreign regime.

It said Hezbollah had dragged Lebanon into conflicts serving Iran’s agenda and argued that Lebanon’s future should be determined in Beirut, not Tehran.

Hardline figure Jalal Rashidikoochi on Saturday criticized Iranian lawmaker Seyed Mahmoud Nabavian over his comments on a potential Iran–US agreement, accusing him of fuelling division and undermining national unity.

Rashidikoochi also warned that Nabavian’s actions would “come back to haunt him,” saying they were causing what he described as serious harm to the country.

"Even if your intention was good, do not doubt that you have become the cause and instigator of a great evil in the country, which will also engulf you,' he posted on X.

Iranian reformist figure Seyed Mohammad Sohofi said on Saturday a potential agreement with the United States would, if reached, mark the first time since the 1979 revolution that Iran has acted before it is too late, invoking the Persian proverb “nushdaroo before Sohrab’s death”(nourishment before death) to describe past policy patterns amid ongoing crises.

A hardline influencer, Sarbaz Roohulla Rezvi, said on Saturday he takes his political position from the Supreme Leader, adding he would support any decision on ceasefire or military action if it is approved by him and act accordingly in practice.

"If the Leadership signs off on a ceasefire, I will defend the ceasefire, and if the Leadership signs off on a bomb, I will be the first to throw the bomb," he posted on X. "If I see the Leadership under pressure from a group, I will certainly take steps in a direction that reduces that pressure."

Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies on Saturday questioned whether additional negotiations with Tehran would benefit Iran, arguing that periods of ceasefire and diplomacy have given the country time to recover from damage inflicted during recent conflicts.

"A 38-day war and a 12-day war inflicted severe damage on Iran’s nuclear program, missile arsenal, military defenses, economy, leadership, and terror network. Then came three months of “ceasefire”—with mounting economic pressure on Iran, but also valuable time for the regime to recover, rebuild and leverage Hormuz and Hezbollah," Dubowitz posted on X.

"Now add 60 more days of negotiations — an arena where Iran always outmaneuvers American presidents. The question: who does this time favor? Will President Trump convert military successes into a real victory?" he added.