Latest news with #JavadZarif
The Guardian
31-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Former Iranian foreign minister proposes regional nuclear pact
Javad Zarif, the former Iranian foreign minister, is proposing a new UN-endorsed forum for civil nuclear cooperation across the Middle East and north Africa, dedicated to sharing enriched uranium and the fruits of civil nuclear power, as part of a drive to end the threat of nuclear weapons in the region. The proposal is made in a Guardian article written jointly by Zarif, until recently a close adviser to the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and Mohsen Baharvand, a former Iranian ambassador to the UK. It represents the most positive if long-term Iranian proposal to resolve the impasse over the west's concerns that Iran's nuclear programme aims to create nuclear weapons, a charge Zarif denies. The US and Israel conducted a 12-day bombing campaign in June in an attempt to destroy Iran's nuclear sites, and since then Iran has refused to resume negotiations with the US, but it has held talks with Britain, France and Germany, the three European countries (E3) that were party to the original nuclear agreement signed in 2015 and which expires in October. The European countries have said they will start a process next month to reimpose sweeping UN sanctions on Iran unless it agrees to allow UN inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) back into Iran. Zarif in his proposal says the Middle East is one of the few regions of the globe without a nuclear weapons-free agreement. He proposes a new 'Middle East Network for Atomic Research and Advancement' (Menara) open to countries that 'reject the development or deployment of nuclear weapons and commit to mutual verification of their compliance'. In return, Menara would help participant countries 'benefit from peaceful nuclear technology including energy production, medicine, agriculture and scientific research'. Iran's critics will accuse Zarif of seeking to divert attention from Tehran's alleged covert plan to develop nuclear weapons, or of trying to throw the spotlight on Israel's undeclared nuclear programme. Others will claim his proposal is a ploy in advance of continued talks between the E3 and Iran in which fresh pressure will be placed on Iran urgently to readmit IAEA inspectors. But his proposal does provide a new long-term context in which countries' civilian nuclear programmes in the regions could be developed, inspected and controlled. It could also provide a new more acceptable international context in which Iran could pursue its determination to enrich uranium. Iran's demand that it still be entitled to enrich uranium domestically has been a red line in negotiations with the US. Zarif claims the proposal would help reframe the debate in the region about nuclear power. 'For too long, nuclear issues have been cast solely in terms of risk and threat. But nuclear science also offers solutions – to climate change, water scarcity, food security, and energy diversification,' he writes. 'As oil and gas reserves dwindle, nuclear energy will be vital for regional growth and sustainability. Menara can make this future a shared, secure reality.'
The Hill
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Radical pro‑Tehran groups orchestrated the ‘No War on Iran' protests
In late June, when the U.S. executed its Operation Midnight Hammer strikes to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, the widespread outcry in support of Tehran wasn't organic. It was stoked by three radical organizations deeply connected to foreign regimes: the National Iranian-American Council or NIAC, the ANSWER Coalition, and — in the case of the protest in Washington, D.C. — the Manassas Mosque. These groups provided logistical, financial, and messaging support for protests that echoed the ideological lines of Iran's regime. Sadly, this is part of a broader trend where our adversaries use our processes and freedoms against us to recruit advocates and make their governments' propaganda seem like organic and homegrown outrage among Americans. NIAC bills itself as a bridge between Iranian Americans and U.S. policymakers. But its record tells a different story. The Hoover Institution has labeled it 'the Iranian regime's (de facto) lobby in the West,' noting that NIAC was allegedly created with input from Iran's then-Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, with an agenda of normalizing U.S.-Iran ties under the guise of business and diplomacy, while ignoring human rights abuses. In 2020, Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) demanded a Department of Justice probe into NIAC and its affiliate NIAC Action for potential Foreign Agents Registration Act violations, citing its consistent echoing of Tehran's propaganda. NIAC has long evaded serious scrutiny, but during Operation Midnight Hammer, its priorities became evident. On June 28 it helped promote the 'National March on Washington' by partnering with the ANSWER Coalition and others in a nationwide call for protests to 'Stop the War on Iran.' These weren't spontaneous expressions of American public opinion — they followed a script drafted in Tehran. NIAC's half-century of coordinated messaging with regime interests suggests these protests were orchestrated, not organic. The ANSWER Coalition has also proven itself a stunning vector for foreign interference in U.S. protest culture. Although it once focused on anti-war messaging going back as far as 9/11, ANSWER has since become a conduit for authoritarian propaganda, pushing pro-China, anti-Israel, and pro-Iran narratives. The group is funded by tech millionaire Neville Singham, a self-described Maoist. According to recently declassified House Oversight findings and the New York Times, Singham channeled at least $1.8 million into media outlets and activism aligned with Chinese Communist Party talking points. ANSWER has also worked on large anti-Israel demonstrations in sync with American Muslims for Palestine and Students for Justice in Palestine, organizations that Congress has connected to Hamas and Iran. When Operation Midnight Hammer kicked off, ANSWER activists spread signs, hired transport, and amplified calls to end U.S. actions 'against Iran,' all in perfect alignment with Tehran's strategic narrative. This is not civil dissent; it is foreign-backed ideological warfare being waged on American soil. Meanwhile, in Northern Virginia, the Manassas Mosque, under Imam Abolfazl Bahram Nahidian, has operated as a domestic hub for extremist ideology. The mosque has Iranian financing, having received almost $200,000 from the Alavi Foundation, a known regime front, in the early 2000s. The inside of the mosque itself is adorned with the 'martyrs' of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, life‑sized cutouts of Ayatollah Khomeini, and flags of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Daoud Salahuddin, who assassinated an anti-regime former Iranian diplomat in 1980, lived with and worked for Imam Nahidian, had been recruited by Nahidian into pro-Khomeini activism, and had spent time at an Iranian student center run by Nahidian, which was used as a staging ground for pro-Khomeini demonstrations. In the run-up to Operation Midnight Hammer, the mosque collaborated on flyers for 'Hands Off Iran' protests in the Washington, D.C. area, including events outside the White House. These weren't fringe events; they were extensions of the Iranian regime's ideological apparatus, staged under the banner of religious assembly and disguised as grassroots activism. The pro-Iran crowd may wear the language of civil outrage, but foreign connections tell the real story. It's time for Congress, watchdog agencies, and civil society to reclassify such demonstrations as orchestrated foreign interference operations and respond accordingly. National security isn't just about missile sites and uranium centrifuges; it's also about protecting our democratic process from the enemies who would hijack it. The American people, who are influenced by media figures such as Tucker Carlson (who recently gave a friendly interview to Iran's president), deserve to know how much foreign money is being spread around to change Americans' minds. When groups like NIAC, ANSWER, and the Manassas Mosque claim the mantle of pro-democracy advocacy, it's a betrayal not only of truth but of national security. The American people deserve honest discourse, not manufactured consent. In this moment, when Iran looms as a genocidal menace vowing to 'wipe Israel off the map,' we must call out these campaigns for what they are: foreign-controlled influence efforts seeping into our policymaking and streets. Dr. Sheila Nazarian, an Iranian refugee, is an Emmy-nominated, board certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills.
The National
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
UN nuclear chief Grossi denies Iranian blame for war
The UN's nuclear inspections chief has denied blame over the Middle East air war, after Iran accused him of giving Israel an excuse to attack. Rafael Grossi said his warnings about Iran's secretive activities "could never be conceived as a justification" for war. Mr Grossi has repeatedly said he cannot be sure that the Iranian nuclear programme is peaceful. Israel attacked Iran last Friday in an air barrage that has killed hundreds and raised fears of a wider war. The Israeli military says it is acting to stop Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon. The Iranian leadership denies it is developing one. Mr Grossi's International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has built up a stockpile of enriched uranium at near-weapons grade levels, which European diplomats say can have no civilian use. The IAEA says Iran has also blocked inspections. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Thursday that Mr Grossi's reports were "absolutely biased". Mr Baqaei said the allegations made against Iran at the IAEA "were utilised, as a final pretext ... to wage a war of aggression on Iran and to launch an unlawful attack on our peaceful nuclear facilities". "Misleading narratives have dire consequences, Mr Grossi, and demand accountability," he said. Former Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif accused Mr Grossi of making "irresponsible and fallacious" claims against Iran. "He must be held accountable for his complicity in the death of innocents in Iran caused by Israeli aggression using his report as a pretext," Mr Zarif said. Mr Grossi rejected Iran's criticism. "The role of a report by the director general of the IAEA could never be conceived as a justification for any military activity by Israel," he told Al Jazeera. "To pretend in any way that a report by the IAEA is a green light or enabler of an attack is absolutely absurd," he said. The IAEA has not directly accused Iran of developing a nuclear weapon. Addressing its board of governors days before Israel's attack, Mr Grossi said the agency could not determine whether Iran's activities were peaceful or not. He called on the US and Iran to reach a nuclear deal. A pact reached in 2015 to limit Iranian uranium enrichment in return for sanctions relief fell apart after US President Donald Trump pulled out during his first term. Mr Trump had offered a new deal after returning to the White House but warned of military action if no agreement was reached.
MTV Lebanon
03-03-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Iran's deputy president Javad Zarif resigns over long-running legal row
After a long-running legal row over his appointment, Iran's deputy president for strategic affairs, Javad Zarif, announced his resignation on Monday. In a detailed post on X, the former top diplomat said he had worked with dedication in President Masoud Pezeshkian's government over the past nine months but endured "the most vile insults, slanders, and threats directed at myself and my family" over the past six months. He described this period as "the most bitter" of his 40-year political career, referencing the controversy surrounding his appointment as the country's vice president. Many of his critics argued that his appointment violated the Constitution, as his children — born in the US — are natural-born citizens of the US. "Over the past four decades, I have endured countless insults and accusations for my small role in advancing national interests, from ending the imposed war to bringing the nuclear case to completion, and I have remained silent in the face of a flood of lies and distortions to protect the country's interests," he wrote in his resignation letter. Zarif, who served as foreign minister for eight years under President Hassan Rouhani and played a key role in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, said he was invited by the judiciary chief, who pointed to the country's current state and advised him to return to academia "to prevent further pressure on the government." "I hope that with my departure, obstacles to the people's will and the government's success will be removed," Zarif said. The former top diplomat had been under intense pressure from conservative political circles, which urged parliament to remove him from his government post. Notably, Zarif, who had campaigned for Pezeshkian during the elections, also led the committee responsible for selecting candidates for various ministries and government departments. There had been speculation about his resignation in the past too but he always dismissed them. There has been no word so far from the president's office on whether he will accept the resignation. But sources say the resignation will be accepted to prevent further pressure on the government. On Sunday, Economy Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati was impeached by the parliament over mounting economic woes and depreciating national currency rial.
Al Bawaba
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Iran's Mohammad Javad Zarif submits his second resignation
ALBAWABA - Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's vice president for strategic affairs, resigned from his position in the Iranian government, IRNA reported on Sunday night. Iranian media revealed that this is Javad Zarif's second resignation request since taking office last autumn. According to some sources, both resignations were after pressure from hardliners. It is worth noting that Mohammad Javad Zarif was the former foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator. Amwaj reported that the controversy surrounding Zarif started over his American-born children allegedly being dual Iranian-US citizens. In addition, according to an Iranian 2022 law, people with ties with the west shouldn't have high-key positions in the Iranian government, critics said. سلام بر هم میهنان بزرگوار خداوند بزرگ را سپاسگزارم که در نه ماه گذشته این فرصت را به این خدمتگزار کوچک ارزانی داشت که در جهت تحقق اراده ملت و خدمت به مردم آنچه را در توان داشتم پیشکش کنم. گرچه در شش ماه گذشته با سخیفترین توهینها، افتراها و تهدیدها نسبت به خود و خانوادهام روبرو… March 3, 2025 In August 2024, the vice president also submitted his resignation as a vice president right after the formation of the Masoud Pezeshkian cabinet, but the Iranian president rejected it. On his X account, Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote: "Although I faced the most ridiculous insults, slanders, and threats against myself and my family in the past six months, and even within the government, I spent the most bitter forty years of service, I persevered in the hope of serving." He further noted that the resignation came after a meeting with the head of the judiciary, who advised him to quit to "prevent further pressure on the government". He added: " I am still proud of my support for the esteemed Dr. Pezzekian and I wish him and other true servants of the people the best. I apologize to the Most Merciful God and to you, the good, patient, and grateful people of Iran, for all my shortcomings."
