Iranian journalist castigates advocates of negotiations with US

In a recent editorial titled “They are either asleep, drunk, or insane!”, Shariatmadari argued that proponents of US negotiations are either “naive” and lack intelligence, “incompetent” and hiding their inability to solve problems, or have “colluded with the enemy” out of deceit or greed.

He criticized the current reformist officials in Iran for their unprecedented “alignment with American officials” and their insistence on negotiations as the only solution to Iran’s problems.

The journalist also referenced former president Hassan Rouhani’s remark, suggesting that such individuals might be “insane.”

Shariatmadari emphasized that over the past two decades, internal factions aligned with foreign media have promoted negotiations with the US while spreading despair and exaggerating problems at home to the public.

He warned that the tactic, which he called “Artificial Drowning,” is a psychological operation used by enemies to inject hopelessness and present their desired outcomes as solutions.

Drawing a historical parallel, Shariatmadari compared the situation to General Francisco Franco’s use of a “fifth column” during the Spanish Civil War to demoralize Madrid’s defenders.