Hardline cleric warns negotiations may backfire on Iran
Prominent Iranian cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda warned Friday that relying on negotiations to solve Iran's problems would only encourage Iran's enemies to increase pressure.
Prominent Iranian cleric Ahmad Alamolhoda warned Friday that relying on negotiations to solve Iran's problems would only encourage Iran's enemies to increase pressure.
"Do not make the mistake of believing the country's problems can be resolved through negotiations. If the enemy senses that its pressure is effective, it will persist and intensify that pressure," Alamolhoda, the Supreme Leader's representative in northeast Khorasan Razavi province, said during Friday's sermon.
His comments come as some Iranian politicians have advocated for direct talks with incoming US President Donald Trump to ease sanctions which have wrought economic crisis.
On Tuesday, one of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's aides called for direct negotiations with Trump, emphasizing the need for a new foreign policy to strengthen international relations.
"We must negotiate with Mr. Trump. The country's issues cannot be left unresolved, and the entire establishment has also reached the conclusion that direct negotiations are necessary," state media quoted Ali Abdolalizadeh as saying.
In a separate interview with Etemad daily, prominent Reformist figure Ali Shakuri-Rad suggested that direct talks with the United States could help curb what he described as the outrageous behavior of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
