Govt's opponents, obliged to obey the Leader: Iran Daily

Tehran, Dec 3, IRNA - 'Iran Daily' on Wednesday urged opponents of the government, who claim to be obliged to obey the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, to realize that they are actually disregarding his support by harshly criticising the nuclear team. The English-language paper was referring to the high expectations that Iran and the P5+1 would strike a final deal on Tehran’s nuclear energy program in Vienna last week following a year of intense negotiations. However they failed to do so and only extended last year’s Geneva deal agreement for another seven months. What the opponents fail to realise is that it is indeed a considerable achievement in itself since it prevents the process from hitting a gridlock, underscored the paper in its Opinion column. Following the latest round of nuclear talks, senior Iranian officials, including the Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, hailed the negotiating team and once again extended support for it. The Leader has already said the Americans are not trustworthy but backed the government’s diplomacy aimed at easing tensions, recalled the daily. It must be borne in mind that the nuclear negotiators have never crossed any red lines, set by the Leader, to safeguard the country’s nuclear right and have always insisted that it will never make concessions on it, highlighted the paper. If they had budged on the country’s nuclear stance, the US would have achieved the deal it sought. But the negotiating team proved their goodwill and did not sign a deal that would trample on the nation’s nuclear right, which is why, the team should be praised, stressed the paper. Critiques definitely play a key role in the country’s political scene but they should be vigilant not to act in ways that would harm Iran’s interests. Domestic political atmosphere in both Iran and the US is highly expected to affect a final deal, underscored the daily. Instead of criticising and targeting the Iranian side, the radicals should channel their attacks toward Western powers and blame them for a possible collapse of the nuclear talks because of their unreasonable and excessive demands, suggested the paper. Any censure of the nuclear negotiators at a time when the whole establishment is supporting them seems to be politically motivated, decried the paper. Opponents, especially radical lawmakers, are advised to think twice, because they appear to be following those political circles that do not want the nuclear dispute to end and the people to see calm and stability in the country, it concluded.