Hardliners at home have dealt a blow to the country

A member of the Expediency Council has taken a swipe at those who claim Iran’s negotiating team has not respected the red lines set by the Supreme Leader, saying what the country needs more than anything else at this juncture is unity.

Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri made the comments on Saturday and questioned the remarks some hardliners attribute to the Supreme Leader on the nuclear issue and Iran’s negotiating team. Ettela’at Newspaper published his remarks on November 1 and the following is the translation of part of what the former parliament speaker said:

The Expediency Council member said, “The Supreme Leader set the red lines and said that the nuclear negotiating team respected those red lines. But a number of hardliners claim – based on no solid evidence – that red lines have not been respected and the Leader’s remarks have been ignored and that these people [Iran’s nuclear negotiators] should be put on trial.

“What is this nonsense? The country has an establishment and a brave, vigilant leader. We are pursuing such [divisive] things instead of promoting unity in society and boosting like-mindedness at this [critical] juncture in the region.”

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Nategh Nouri, who is currently the head of the Inspection Office of the Supreme Leader, went on to say, “The Leader has said time and again ‘Nobody should speak on my behalf. Nobody should quote me as saying this and that. I will speak my mind if have something to say. I am alive [and can speak for myself].’

“But there are some who are, as they say, more Catholic than Pope; they call themselves the followers of Velayat-e Faqih [Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist], but they create tension in society. They say the Leader meant this or the Leader said that. The Supreme Leader’s Office has on occasion denied such remarks [they attribute to Ayatollah Khamenei].

“The Leader has explicitly said that he will express his views, but some in certain newspapers and websites make these remarks [claiming that they are the Leader’s views]”.

He then touched upon the nuclear issue and said, “The Supreme Leader has repeatedly said that he approves of the country’s nuclear negotiating team whose members are religiously devoted and that the foreign minister and his companions are fighting a battle on the political front. […]”

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Nategh Nouri also said that we will be blessed with divine power if we stand united and follow in the footsteps of the Supreme Leader, adding that Velayat [guardianship] is a blessing for the country. “Why can’t other countries get united? Because they lack such a blessing.

“We should know that Shiites are polite. They do not use foul language. They are not foul-mouthed and do not resort to offensive language. […]”