Reformists warned that ignoring change will lead Iran towards collapse
Reformists warned that ignoring change will lead Iran towards collapse
According to Iran Gate, following the end of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, the political atmosphere in the country has entered a new phase of tensions and internal divisions
While the military, economic, and diplomatic consequences of this conflict are still unfolding, the Iranian Reform Front issued an unprecedented statement calling for the start of direct negotiations with the United States and the voluntary suspension of uranium enrichment, a proposal that immediately faced strong reactions from the conservative faction, with some of its prominent figures considering it aligned with the interests of Israel and the US
These developments occur as international analysts speak of deepening divisions at the top of the Islamic Republic’s leadership, and some observers assess the reformist proposals as a sign of recognizing the increasing threats against the regime’s existence
The recent statement by the Reform Front, along with the remarks of former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, indicates a clear effort to redefine Iran’s foreign policy path in the post-war era, an approach that seems to face serious resistance from the ruling body
Reformists’ request for direct negotiations with the US and voluntary suspension of enrichment faces strong reactions from conservatives
Following the 12-day Israeli attacks on Iran and rising regional tensions, the Iranian Reform Front issued a statement calling for the start of direct negotiations with the United States and announcing readiness for the voluntary suspension of uranium enrichment
This statement, issued to find a way out of the Islamic Republic’s crisis following the recent war, has faced strong and critical reactions from conservative factions
On Sunday, the Reform Front issued this statement warning that the continuation of the current situation and disregard for the necessity of change could gradually lead the country towards collapse
The statement emphasizes that the Islamic Republic must initiate comprehensive negotiations with the US to prevent the escalation of crises and voluntarily accept the suspension of uranium enrichment, also stressing the need for accepting international oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency
In another part of this statement, the Reform Front, referring to the country’s economic and political situation, called for the elimination of supervisory vetting and a change in the dominant discourse in the country, writing that establishing national reconciliation and changing the current governance approach is the demand of the majority of the Iranian people, who choose interaction with the international community, peaceful coexistence with neighbors, achieving development, and living in security and prosperity
The publication of this statement came just one day after former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called for a change in Iran’s foreign policy paradigm and the replacement of a threat-based perspective with an opportunity-based approach in an article in the American magazine Foreign Policy
In this article, he emphasized the need to resume talks with the US and Europe and strengthen regional relations
Conservatives’ reaction ranges from accusations of alignment with Israel to calls for a reset
The Reform Front’s statement faced widespread and, in some cases, strong reactions from conservatives
Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of Kayhan newspaper, referring to this statement and Zarif’s article, called the Reform Front the fifth column of Israel and claimed that the goal of this faction is to weaken the Islamic Republic from within, aligned with the announced goals of Netanyahu and Trump
Abdollah Ganji, another conservative media activist, also published a note describing the reformists’ statement as aligned with the positions of the Israeli Prime Minister and called it a return of this faction to factory settings
According to him, this statement is the result of the reformists’ inability to return to power even in governments close to them
Intensifying divisions at the top of the regime, analyses of a change in the Islamic Republic’s approach
A new report from The Economist states that although a kind of national cohesion and solidarity was formed between the leadership and the people at the beginning of the 12-day war, with the end of the conflicts and the announcement of a ceasefire on June 24, the divisions at the top of the regime have reappeared
According to this publication, the internal atmosphere of the government has become more polarized than ever, and the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy has been reduced from regional ambitions to preserving the regime’s survival
Ali Fathollah-Nejad, head of the Middle East and Global Order Center, told The Times of Britain that the Islamic Republic is facing an existential threat due to the accumulation of political, economic, and social crises
He added that the long-term economic crisis, which has turned into a socio-economic crisis, has pushed a significant portion of the country’s population below the poverty line, and recent shortages in water and electricity have exacerbated the situation
Warning about the return of Iran’s case to the Security Council
The Reform Front’s statement also refers to the economic consequences of the recent war, including increased inflation, production recession, devaluation of the national currency, and widespread capital outflow
This political faction has warned that under such circumstances, the threat of activating the snapback mechanism by European countries is very serious and may lead to the return of Iran’s case to Chapter VII of the UN Charter
According to the reformists, returning Iran under the Security Council sanctions will not only further cripple the country’s economy but also provide legitimacy for a future war against Iran, as the Islamic Republic might be introduced as a threat to global peace in such conditions
Fathollah-Nejad continued his analysis, adding that given the damage the recent war has inflicted on Iran’s nuclear program, the proposal for a temporary suspension of enrichment could be considered a way out of the crisis for the Islamic Republic
He said this option might seem like a realistic solution from the government’s perspective to pave the way for starting negotiations with the US
