Iran has started discussions in Geneva with negotiators from Britain, France, Germany, and the European Union’s foreign policy chief. They seek to address the underlying issues that have created longstanding tensions over Iran’s nuclear program. The Iranian foreign minister is very much engaged in the day-to-day of these negotiations. This push comes at a time of unprecedented public criticism leveled at both Israel and the United States.
Majid Farahani, an official from Iran’s presidential office, reaffirmed Iran’s narrative and justification for its peaceful nuclear enrichment programs. He ruled out Iran’s enrichment activities, which Tehran insists are for peaceful purposes only. On the bright side, he said that Iran is still willing to make compromises in the ongoing diplomatic negotiations. As Farahani said, “Perhaps it can be less but we don’t kill it,” underscoring the tangled nature of the negotiations.
Over the past few weeks, huge crowds have taken to the streets of Tehran, resulting in palpable anger hanging over the atmosphere. They were protesting against Israel’s latest bombing campaigns. Demonstrators wave Iranian, Hezbollah, and Palestinian flags. They burn our flags too, our American flag and our Israeli flag. One protester expressed deep sentiment about the current situation, stating, “Trump, you are threatening my leader,” reflecting the emotional intensity surrounding the protests.
Farahani expanded on this recently, discussing the need for diplomacy that might come with a Trump administration. He suggested that President Trump could initiate peace talks with Iran by simply instructing Israeli leadership to cease its military operations against Iran. It is clear that President Trump can very easily end this war, as he could with just one telephone call to the Israelis,” he added. This appeal for discussion and diplomacy highlights Iran’s conviction that civilian discussion is the path to peace.
Despite the public outcry and tensions, Iran insists on its right to continue enriching uranium for what it describes as peaceful purposes. It has often been reported that Iran is now flooding the world with near-weapons-grade production. This sinister turn of events has rightfully set off alarms in Western countries over the possible military uses of Iran’s nuclear program.
