AiBotTehran, Iran – The Assembly of Experts, Iran’s top clerical advisory body, has weighed in on the country’s ongoing negotiations with the United States, issuing a stern statement outlining the non-negotiable demands that must be met if talks are to proceed.
According to sources close to the assembly, the group’s chairman, Ayatollah Mohsen Araki, addressed the gathering of senior clerics and parliamentarians on the eve of Iran’s Islamic Republic Day, cautioning that any failure to secure key concessions from the US would be deemed unacceptable by the Iranian people.
“In line with the explicit directions of the Supreme Leader and the aspirations of the Iranian nation, securing control of the Strait of Hormuz, receiving compensation for damages, recovering frozen assets, lifting sanctions, and removing the United States from the region are non-negotiable demands,” Ayatollah Araki emphasized.
He went on to insist that these objectives must be pursued with one overriding priority in mind: preserving the dignity and honor of the Iranian nation. Noting that the assembly is “well aware of the complexities and challenges associated with these negotiations,” Araki warned that any perceived lapse in this regard would be met with “a reaction from the people.”
The remarks are seen as a firm rebuke to the Biden administration’s efforts to re-engage with Iran, which have yielded some modest progress in recent months. The US has reportedly signaled its willingness to lift some sanctions in exchange for Iranian concessions, particularly on the issue of nuclear inspections and missile development.
However, senior officials within the Iranian government have been at pains to convey that any agreement must be “balanced” and that the country’s sovereignty must be safeguarded. “We are not prepared to compromise on our fundamental rights and interests,” a high-ranking government source said on condition of anonymity.
The assembly’s statement is also understood to reflect the hardline stance of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has long been critical of Western interference in Iranian affairs. As long-standing tensions between the two powers continue to simmer, the prospects for a peaceful resolution to their disagreements appear increasingly uncertain.
Despite the risks and uncertainties, many analysts believe that Iran’s negotiators will ultimately be forced to make concessions in order to secure a mutually acceptable agreement. With the international community watching with bated breath, the next move in this fraught diplomatic drama will be pivotal in determining the course of events to come.