Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf are seeking Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s removal, accusing him of following Revolutionary Guard commander Ahmad Vahidi’s direction in nuclear talks without informing the president, Iran International reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
The sources told Iran International that Pezeshkian and Ghalibaf believe Araghchi has acted in recent weeks less like a cabinet minister carrying out government policy and more like an aide to Vahidi.
According to the report, Araghchi acted over the past two weeks without informing Pezeshkian, while coordinating fully with Vahidi and following his directives.
The sources said the situation has frustrated Pezeshkian, who has told people close to him that he would dismiss Araghchi if it continues.
Iran International said the reported dispute follows earlier reports of division inside Iran’s leadership. On March 28, the outlet reported serious disagreements between Pezeshkian and Vahidi over what sources described as the handling of the war and its impact on people’s livelihoods and Iran’s economy.
Three days later, Iran International reported that Pezeshkian had grown frustrated after being placed in what sources called a “complete political deadlock.” The outlet said he had also been stripped of authority to appoint replacements for government officials killed during the war.
According to that earlier report, Vahidi was said to have declared that, because of the wartime situation, all key and sensitive management posts should be directly selected and run by the Revolutionary Guards until further notice.
The latest report also describes tension over Iran’s negotiating team.
On April 27, several lawmakers aligned with hardline politician Saeed Jalili declined to sign a parliamentary statement backing a negotiating delegation led by Ghalibaf, despite support from 261 other members of parliament.
Iran International reported that several prominent hardline figures, including Mahmoud Nabavian, Mohammad Taghi Naqadali, Morteza Aghatehrani, Amirhossein Sabeti, Hamid Rasaei, Ruhollah Izadkhah and Meysam Zohourian, did not sign the statement.
Nabavian was among the Iranian delegates led by Ghalibaf who attended the first round of Islamabad talks with the United States, according to the report.
Three days before the parliamentary statement was published, Iran International reported, citing informed sources in Iran, that Ghalibaf had resigned as head of Iran’s negotiating team after being reprimanded over efforts to include the nuclear energy issue in talks.
The outlet said Araghchi later sought to take over leadership of the negotiations after Ghalibaf’s reported departure.
Araghchi visited Islamabad alone on April 24 and delivered Tehran’s proposal to Pakistani officials, Iran International reported. The proposal was later rejected by the U.S. president, according to media reports cited by the outlet.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
