Iran slams G7 statement on nuclear program, support of militant groups

Iran's former ambassador to Doha Hamid Dehghani on Sunday described the emir's visit as "very important".

"The visit of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Tehran at this stage, and his discussions with our country's officials regarding bilateral relations, regional and global developments, especially consultations on the issue of Palestine, are considered highly significant," Dehghani said in a post on his X account.

On February 5, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesman told Fox News the Arab country was prepared to serve as a mediator between Tehran and Washington in settling the crisis over Iran's disputed nuclear program, as it did in the past.

“It is through mediation and through the negotiations that we have done this in the past,” Majed Al-Ansari said. “And we had been even during the first Trump administration working with the administration over getting an arrangement with Iran."

“We are hopeful that we can be instrumental for the United States with this,” the diplomat added.

On Sunday, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump is willing to engage in talks with Iran only on condition that Tehran fully abandon its nuclear program.

"The President has also expressed a willingness to take whatever action is necessary. All options are on the table," Waltz told Fox News on Sunday, leaving the option of diplomatic channels open.

Trump's state secretary Marco Rubio told CBS later in the day that the US administration does not "have any outreach from Iran."

"Ideally, yeah, I would love to wake up one day and hear the news that Iran has decided not to pursue a nuclear weapon, not to sponsor terrorism, and re-engage in the world as a normal government. We've had no indication of any of that, not just now, but for 30 years," he said.

The protests began Friday evening at Tehran University’s campus after Amir-Mohammad Khaleghi, an undergraduate business management student, was fatally stabbed by two men who stole his laptop just outside the campus.

On Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of students gathered again at Tehran University and Tarbiat Modares University to protest. They submitted a list of demands to authorities, warning of further demonstrations if their concerns—including the removal of “plainclothes forces” from university campuses—were not addressed.

Students accuse authorities of neglecting their safety amid a rise in robberies near campus in recent years. Meanwhile, they criticize officials for prioritizing the surveillance of student activists and suppressing dissent instead of addressing security concerns.

During Friday’s peaceful protest, four students were arrested, and a female student was injured by one of the unidentified agents who stormed the campus. The detained students were later released.

The presidential administration took an unusually conciliatory approach, a departure from the Iranian government’s typical response. Rather than escalating force against the students, officials appeared willing to defuse tensions. This tactic can be related to current public anger at the deteriorating economic situation and the danger of widespread protests.

University official Hossein Hosseini met with the protesters and blamed the violence on vigilantes and plainclothes security agents who entered the campus without authorization.

Higher Education Minister Hossein Simaei Sarraf cut short an official visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to Iran after Friday’s protests. He later apologized to the students and pledged decisive action against unauthorized interference in university affairs.

“Certain individuals and groups are more focused on creating turmoil rather than resolving crises. These irresponsible actions, whose instigators and masterminds remain unknown, have placed a significant burden on the country,” Deputy Higher Education Minister Gholamreza Zarifian told the reformist Etemad Online, referring to the unrest triggered by Friday’s violence against students.

A law passed by Parliament in 2000, during the presidency of reformist Mohammad Khatami, prohibits police and other security forces from entering higher education institutions except under “extraordinary circumstances” and only with the university dean’s request and the Higher Education Minister’s approval.

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This legislation followed the 1999 student protests, which began on July 7 at Tehran University. Students had initially gathered peacefully outside their dormitories to protest the closure of Salam, a reformist newspaper. Some later moved their protest outside the campus before returning to their dormitories without any incidents.

That night, riot police, the Revolutionary Guards’ Basij militia, and vigilante groups raided the student dormitories, attacking sleeping students indiscriminately. They destroyed rooms and personal belongings, and in a tragic incident, one student was thrown to his death from an upper floor. A similarly violent raid occurred at Tabriz University dormitories two days later.

Known as the Kuy-e Daneshgah Disaster, these events sparked days of protests and unrest in Tehran and other major cities. Demonstrators marched toward Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s office in Tehran, chanting slogans against him.

Security forces responded with a brutal crackdown, killing at least three people, injuring over 200, and arresting hundreds more. Many detainees spent years in prison as a result of the protests.

The 1999 university unrest set a precedent for future anti-government protests in 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022. This history may partly explain the Iranian authorities' apparent reluctance to use force against university students.

"Here in Germany, they have 51 Islamic centers...You think Islamic centers here are trying to educate you about peace, security? No," she said.

"All the Islamic centers here are appointed by Ali Khamenei, the dictator from my country, they're trying to expand Islamic laws, Sharia laws to Germany," she added.

Alinejad said that Iran-backed networks in Europe are indoctrinating youth, warning that they are "brainwashing your children to say that they are Hamas, they are Hezbollah."

She expressed concern that radical ideologies are being spread online, citing TikTok videos where users glorify Osama Bin Laden and extremist groups like the Taliban and ISIS.

She also criticized European governments for suppressing voices that speak out against Islamist extremism, arguing that this enables the spread of radical ideologies.

In spite of her attendance, organizers of the conference confirmed to Iran International that the informal invitation to Iran's exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi had been withdrawn after discussions with the German government.

The German Foreign Ministry acknowledged communication with the MSC but said that decisions on invitations were made independently. A source familiar with the matter told Iran International that Berlin feared Pahlavi’s attendance might jeopardize German dual-national prisoners in Iran.

"At the Munich Security Conference, I warned that freedom of speech is under threat. Silencing voices in the name of political correctness or islamophobia won’t stop terrorism, it will only empower it," Alinejad wrote a in a post on X Sunday, addressing the retraction.

Alinejad also called attention to human rights abuses in Iran, mentioning women on death row and the mother of Pouya Bakhtiari, a protester killed by security forces during Iran's 2019 protests who recently attempted suicide in prison. "Stand on the right side of history," she urged.

“Our goal today is solely to save Iran, and in the future, our mission is to enable free elections,” Pahlavi said, emphasizing pluralism and the rejection of divisive behavior.

“Escalation, radicalization, and reactionary leadership will not help this movement—in fact, they could even contribute to its polarization.”

His remarks followed the cancellation of his planned speech at the Munich Security Conference, a decision confirmed by conference organizers after consultations with the German government.

The German Foreign Ministry said it had communicated with the MSC but maintained that the decision was made independently.

A source told Iran International that Berlin feared Pahlavi’s presence could jeopardize German dual-national prisoners held in Iran.

The cancellation sparked protests outside the conference venue on Saturday. Demonstrators chanted slogans in support of Pahlavi and condemned the MSC’s decision.

Addressing his supporters, Pahlavi called for calm. “We must disavow divisive elements. Profanity, threats, and any form of undemocratic behavior have no place in this struggle,” he said.

“Chanting the slogan King Reza Pahlavi contradicts the idea of having the right to choose the type of government in the future."

The paper argued in an article on Sunday that Iran's "clichéd diplomacy" has left it weak as Turkey and Saudi Arabia gain ground.

"If our country doesn't take immediate action to disrupt Turkey's plan in Syria, Iran's name will be removed from the list of influential actors in Syria's developments, and Saudi Arabia will turn itself into another Turkey in this arena," the newspaper wrote.

The paper lambasted the Foreign Ministry's approach, describing it as disappointing and lacking any urgent action plan to secure Iran's national interests.

"In the midst of this heavy diplomatic battle...the approach that the Iranian diplomatic apparatus has taken seems disappointing," the article stated.

Farhikhtegan pointed to what it sees as a key miscalculation. "Iran is waiting to see how the new Syrian side will behave," the paper said, referring to an earlier statement from a government official.

The article further highlighted Turkey's proactive engagement with the new Syrian government, contrasting it with what it called Iran's passivity. It also highlighted the growing influence of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the region, suggesting they are capitalizing on Iran's inaction.

The paper concluded with a stark warning: "It seems that the procrastination of Iranian diplomacy...is closing this window [of opportunity]."

It urged a strategic shift, including engagement with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to counter Turkish influence and reclaim Iran's stake in Syria's future after years of building itself in the country alongside ousted President Bashar Al Assad.

On Saturday, a foreign ministry official said Tehran was in indirect talks with Syria’s new government. “We are monitoring the developments in Syria with deliberation and patience and will make our specific decision when the time is right,” Mohammadreza Raouf Sheibani, Iran’s special representative for West Asia, said in an interview.

He confirmed recent remarks of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani about an exchange of positive messages between Tehran and Damascus following the overthrow of Assad’s government in December.

Iran and Russia, Assad’s main backers during the brutal conflict that began in 2011, played key roles in maintaining his grip on power until a rapid rebel offensive last December forced him into exile in Moscow. Since then, both countries have sought to maintain influence in Syria while navigating the new political landscape.

Iran, which invested heavily in Assad’s survival—reportedly spending at least $30-$50 billion—now faces the challenge of recalibrating its strategy. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has vowed on multiple occasions to reclaim Iran’s influence in Syria.