Iran's Chief Negotiator Criticizes Opponents With Rare Realism

Al-Ansari stressed Doha's openness to hosting any direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran on the Iranian nuclear file, in the next few weeks.

He elaborated that “After the recent agreement between the two countries, which was concluded with Qatari mediation (the release of American prisoners and the lifting of the freeze on Iranian funds in South Korea), international interest in the Iranian file increased, and the possibility of reaching new understandings about it that would ease tension in the region."

Western and Iranian media have been reporting secret indirect talks in recent months that aim to de-escalate tensions, with Iran slowing down its nuclear program in return for financial rewards by Washington, including lax sanctions enforcement.

Qatar is among the nations to step forward and offer to be the intermediary in talks to revive the nuclear deal known as the JCPOA, including Oman and according to Iran, also Japan.

However, the US has denied the claims, even suggesting that Iran is far from ready to come to the diplomatic table. During Tuesday's State Department press briefing, spokesman Matthew Miller said Iran must take de-escalatory steps if it wants to reduce tensions and create a space for diplomacy.

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“We have not yet seen indications, despite some of these public comments, that Iran is serious about addressing the concerns that we have, the concerns that other countries have about its nuclear program,” Miller told reporters.

Referring to the decision this month to ban one third of the Atomic Energy Agency Inspectors from Iran, Miller said the regime is only undermining the IAEA’s ability to do its work.

“If Iran really is serious about taking de-escalatory steps, the first thing it could do would be to cooperate with the IAEA. We have not seen them fully do that,” he said.

On the topic of direct talks, Miller remained tight-lipped, saying that while the US is open to diplomacy, he was unwilling to talk about how that would transpire. It would first of all, be conditional on Iran’s taking de-escalatory steps such as allowing all necessary access to the IAEA’s team.

“I could give you a long list of things we would like Iran to take in terms of changed behavior, but I’m speaking specifically with respect to the nuclear program right now,” he said on Tuesday in Washington.

Iran's foreign ministry Tuesday dismissed reports suggesting direct negotiations with the United States over sanctions relief have been given the green light by the Supreme Leader.

A website in the UK had earlier claimed that Iran was planning to engage in direct talks with the US in Oman concerning its nuclear program, given the go-ahead by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

The Qatari foreign minister’s statement is questionable at best, not backed up by anything substantial from either the US or even Iran, which is always only too happy to portray itself as the pillar of diplomacy, as was seen most recently at the UN where President Ebrahim Raisi even denied the country’s nuclear ambitions in spite of plentiful evidence otherwise.

It perhaps suggests the nation which is now managing Iran’s $6bn freed up from South Korea as a result of a prisoner swap deal this month which saw five wrongfully imprisoned American-Iranians exchanged for five regime agents, is once again trying to position itself as the region’s ‘peacemaker’.

Qatar has a history of engaging with terror groups in the name of diplomacy, hosting both the Taliban and Hamas, while claiming to be acting as mediator. During the four-year blockade of Qatar by the Persian Gulf states, Qatar grew closer to Iran, and the two nations share the world’s largest gas field. During the recent World Cup 2022, dissidents were harassed in Qatar by regime agents openly operating on Qatari soil.

Meanwhile, as the expiration of the United Nations’ sanctions on Iran approaches next month, a bipartisan group of senators have written a joint letter asking the governments of the UK, France and Germany, known as the E3, to prevent the sanctions on Iran’s drone and missile program’s expiration.

The letter, addressed to the ambassadors of the three nations, signed by 31 lawmakers including members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, thanked them for deciding to maintain their own sanctions beyond the deal’s expiry in October, but calling on them to help prevent the collapse of the sanctions.

The report, published in two versions simultaneously by Iran International and Semafor on Tuesday, depicts a close yet lopsided relationship between the Islamic Republic and three associates of Robert Malley, Biden’s special envoy on Iran, who’s been suspended and is under investigation by the FBI for his handling of classified documents.

Within hours of the report’s publication, several prominent members of the Congress had weighed in on the subject.

Ted Cruz, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the revelations ‘indescribably troubling’ and asked for a “halt in secret Iran negotiations.”

“Americans have rightly been asking why the current administration is so friendly with the Iranian regime,” he said in a press release, “and why Biden administration officials have so single-mindedly enabled Iranian nuclear progress and terrorism. These reports and emails suggest a vast Iranian influence operation that goes to the very top of the administration.”

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Jim Banks, the Republican congressman whose Iran-related MAHSA Act passed the House earlier this month, reposted the report on X: “When Republicans warned that the Biden admin’s desperate attempt to revive Obama’s failed nuclear deal was a gift for the Iranian regime we weren’t exaggerating…”

A series of emails by Iranian diplomats cited in the report reveal close cooperation and coordination between IR Foreign Ministry officials and individuals of Iranian origin who seem more than willing to be the regime’s eyes, ears and mouth on the international stage.

Senator Lindsey Graham also expressed his concern. "If the allegations in this story are remotely accurate, it would be stunning on so many levels."

Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote on X, "Senior officials in both the Biden and Obama administrations were likely party to an Iranian-backed PR campaign."

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“As an Iranian, based on my national and patriotic duty, I have not hesitated to help you in any way,” reads an email from Ali Vaez of the Crisis Group to Javad Zarif, the then Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, “from proposing to Your Excellency a public campaign against the notion of breakout, to assisting your team in preparing reports on practical needs of Iran.”

Vaez challenged on Tuesday the evidence that Iran’s Foreign Ministry oversaw the initiative.

“The Iranian correspondence on the IEI is a one-sided and self-congratulatory load of nonsense,” he said in a long thread on X, formerly called Twitter. He added that he shared a draft of one of his opinion pieces with Iranian officials before publication, as a courtesy. He also said Tehran had accused him of being too harsh to their position.

Another ‘expert’, Ariane Tabatabaei, reports on two invitations from Israel and Saudi Arabia and seeks advice from IR Foreign Ministry officials whether she should accept those.

Tabatabaei was another close associate of Malley, who served on his Iran nuclear negotiating team in 2021. She is currently the chief of staff for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, a position that requires a US government security clearance.

Sen. Cruz referred to Tabatabai without mentioning her name, calling for those linked to these emails to “have their security clearances pulled until these allegations are fully resolved and accountability is imposed.”

Perhaps more worrying for Tabatabaei, the chairmen of the House Armed Services Committee and House Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, jointly wrote Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, asking for her security clearance to be reviewed.

“Was the Department aware of Ms. Tabatabai’s participation in Iranian government-sponsored influence networks, such as the Iran Experts Initiative?” Reps. Mike Rogers and Jack Bergman asked. They gave the Pentagon one week to answer this and six other questions.

Another question reads: “Are you aware of any instances of Ms. Tabatabai communicating with the Iranian regime, either in her official capacity or unofficially? Are you aware of any communications Ms. Tabatabai had with the Iranian regime prior to her employment?”

As a high-ranking official in the Pentagon, Tabatabai’s case seems to be the most serious of all names mentioned in the exposé. The letter to the Defense Secretary all but guarantees more headache for the Biden administration –already under pressure to provide clarity on Robert Mally’s suspension.

President Biden’s Iran policy has been heavily criticized in recent months, especially after he agreed to unblock $6 billion of Iran’s frozen oil revenues to bring back five Iranian-Americans held hostage by the Islamic Republic.

Many have berated his administration’s approach towards the regime in Iran, which now seems more emboldened than ever.

The revelations seem to have shed some light on the hows and whys of the decision-making in the Biden’s administration. The whole saga is “unbelievable. And yet, totally believable,” as Ilan Berman, Senior VP of the American Foreign Policy Council, says.

The revelations appear to provide insight into the decision-making process within the Biden administration that has led to so much criticism. The entire saga is described as "unbelievable, yet entirely plausible," according to Ilan Berman, Senior VP of the American Foreign Policy Council.

In a post on social media platform X in Persian, Tugendhat addressed Iran International saying, "Welcome back."

Following security threats emanating from Iranian agents against Iran International last year, Tugendhat was among British officials who provided extensive support to the network.

After the closure of Iran International's London office, Tugendhat strongly condemned the Iranian government's threats against the network in a parliamentary session, stating that the UK would continue to support the network and provide a secure space for its activities.

The Deputy Security Minister of the United Kingdom, in another response to threats against Iran International's staff, addressed Persian-language journalists on Twitter in February, saying, "Welcome to Britain; we will keep you safe."

Iran International resumed its broadcasts from its new studio in London on Monday after moving all broadcast operation to Washington DC.

Mahmoud Enayat, the General Manager of Iran International TV, stated in a message celebrating the resumption of the network's activities from its new building in London: "Britain is the home of free speech. The resumption of our programs from this country is evidence that we will not abandon independent and uncensored journalism to the people of Iran."

Previously, when Iran International reported credible threats against its journalists by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in November, James Cleverly, the UK's Foreign Secretary, summoned Mehdi Hosseini Matin, Iran's Charge d'Affaires in London.

Amid their political calculations, all are more or less aware that the true course of events leading to the election depends solely on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's decision. The aging ruler can prevent anyone’s candidacy through a no0n-democratic and opaque screening process that disqualified hundreds in the 2020 and 2021 elections.

A prominent conservative figure in Iran suggested that former President Hassan Rouhani and former Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani are likely to present a joint list of candidates for the upcoming Majles election. 

Expediency Council member Mohammad-Reza Bahonar made this statement during an interview with the IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency on Saturday. However, Bahonar added that Larijani is no godfather for any political group in Iran. 

According to Tasnim, Bahonar who has been absent from the parliament for eight years, has decided to run in the March election. Bahonar has been a member of the parliament for several terms and was the deputy speaker three times. He leads his own political group, “The Followers of the Imam [Rouhollah Khomeini].” 

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Bahonar denied that he had been disqualified in the previous round of Majles election, and criticized those who would run in every election until death prevents them from running. He emphasized that in this round of the election, a high turnout is far more important than the election itself. 

He mentioned that he had encouraged many reformist figures to participate in the early registration and announce their candidacy. However, he clarified that he contacted only the reformists who do not believe in regime change. Nonetheless Bahonar said that to the best of his knowledge no prominent reformist figures have registered their candidacy, but he mentioned that several moderate conservative figures, such as former Vice President Mohammad Bagher Nobakht have already registered their candidacy at the Interior Ministry. 

In the interview, he expressed concerns about discord among conservatives ahead of the election. Bahonar pointed out that the ultraconservative Paydari Party does not believe in an accord among conservatives and will present its own separate list of candidates.

Bahonar also suggested that the Islamic Republic should allow lawful gatherings to prevent protests. He further mentioned that the nationwide protests in 2022 would have occurred anyway, but Mahsa Amini's death in Morality Police custody triggered an early protest. However, he characterized the protests as "riots."

In another development, reformist figure Mohammad Reza Khabbaz said in an interview with Khabar Online that Iran's reformists can send at least 30 reformist figures to the next parliament. However, he said that this will be best feasible if reformists form an alliance with moderate conservatives close to Rouhani and Larijani. 

Khabbaz added that reformists are unlikely to secure parliamentary seats if only 8 to 10 percent of voters turn out at the polls in Tehran. Khabbaz, a member of the reformist National Trust Party and a former Governor General of Khorasan Province, has already registered his candidacy with the Interior Ministry.

Addressing rumors of reformists boycotting the elections, Khabbaz stated that five reformist political parties—the National Trust Party, the Executives of Construction Party, Neda-ye Iranian Party, the Labor Party, and the Workers House—have encouraged their members to register their candidacy if they believe they have the potential to serve in the next parliament. However, 25 other reformist parties have announced that they will not field any candidates in the upcoming election.

Khabbaz noted that there are currently four or five reformist members in the parliament, including Masoud Pezeshkian, a lawmaker from Tabriz.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, US Department of State Spokesman Matthew Miller tried to reduce the problem to only one of the aides of Robert Malley, President Joe Biden's former special envoy for Iran. Malley has been put on unpaid leave since June and his security credentials suspended in an investigation not yet fully explained. 

"From my reading of it (the report), it looked like an account of things that happened almost a decade ago, most of which involve people that are not currently working for the government,” he said, tacitly acknowledging the existence of an Iranian lobby in US policy centers. 

“The one current US government official that I did see mentioned in that story has written critically of Iran on a number of occasions before joining the government," Miller said without naming her. Ariane Tabatabai is a senior policy advisor to the Department of Defense. 

In a joint investigative project with Semafor, Iran International’s Bozorgmehr Sharafedin combed through thousands of emails from Iranian diplomats revealing an Islamic Republic network of academics and journalists – under the aegis of the Iran Experts Initiative (IEI) -- established by the Iranian foreign ministry in 2014 to extend Tehran's soft power. The IEI members simultaneously worked for top Western think tanks and gave advice to the US and Europe. At least three aides of Robert Malley were part of the esoteric clan. 

Miller added that she “underwent a thorough background investigation to attain a security clearance before joining the State Department. She now works at the defense department.” 

Asked if the revelations in the report were related to the current FBI investigation of Malley, Miller said, “I am reluctant to say anything at all about the investigation.” 

In response to a question about how he would explain that these individuals were seeking directions and advice directly from Tehran to influence the US government, Miller said he does not know the context and repeated the same line that “This happened almost a decade ago.”

Daniel Roth from the United Against Nuclear Iran group said on X that “Miller doesn't 'know the entire context' but is confident there's nothing to see here,” pointing to revelations in the detailed report. 

Another UANI fellow Jason Brodsky said that “dismissing the story due to the time period in question and the fact that some do not work in the US government is an inadequate response.” “Some who do not hold USG jobs and don't have security clearances are regularly quoted in media as being briefed on ongoing negotiations with Iran's regime," he underlined. 

Andrew Ghalili, with the National Union for Democracy in Iran, called Miller’s response “irresponsible,” and called for clarification after some investigations. 

Just hours after the publication of the report, the Chairs of the House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers (R-AL) and its Subcommittee on Intelligence (R-MI) wrote to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding answers on why DoD’s Chief of Staff for Special Operations was a part of the Iranian FM’s “Iran Experts Initiative”. 

Later on Tuesday, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) released a statement, calling for a halt to secret negotiations with Iran seeing the investigative report. “These reports and the emails they expose are indescribably troubling,” adding that “They have agreed to secret nuclear side deals that are being kept from Congress, including ransom deals worth additional billions of dollars,” he said.