According to Tabnak News Agency, the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appeared before the Iranian parliament to address questions about Iran’s foreign policy last Sunday. Zarif said that the nuclear deal negotiations came under direct orders and directives of the Supreme Leader.
Javad Karimi Ghaddosi, a hardliner MP of the city of Mashhad posed three questions that triggered an outburst by Zarif. The questions were about Iran’s foreign policy in the aftermath of the nuclear deal, replacing Iran’s deputy for Arab and African affairs, and rejection of the exhibition on the Holocaust myth.
In response to Ghaddosi’s questions, Zarif said that changes in Foreign Ministry did not take place to please certain foreign powers, but in compliance with the directives of the Leader, asserting that this is not an insult to the ministry, but an insult to the regime itself. “I am proud of the fact that leaders of resistance Qassem Suleimani, Hassan Nasrallah, and Ramadan Abdullah contact me every day and thank me for Iran’s foreign policy that is based on the directives of the supreme leader and the legacy of the late Imam,” Zarif added.
In a strong statement to Ghaddosi, Zarif Said, “Mr. Ghaddosi, do not question our foreign policy,” accusing him of pursuing his own short-term agenda at the expense of Iran’s revolutionary image.
Zarif continued, “How dare you lie in a public session of the parliament? I will only respect my colleagues in the foreign ministry and keep silent, but will not allow questioning any of them in the parliament.” This furious response of Zarif was met with the displeasure of representatives that considered his statements as an insult to the parliament.
Zarif, side by side with President Hassan Rouhani are trying to show the moderate image of Iran in front of the West and sell the idea that the radical Iranian face has changed to a more temperate political establishment. Nevertheless, Zarif’s speech about his incessant contact with terrorist personalities like Qasim Suleimani, Hassan Nasrallah, and Ramadan Abdullah is an evidence of his contradiction, which confirms the likeness between hardliners and those promoted as moderates. In fact, Zarif’s statements confirm that one important mission of the Iranian Foreign Ministry is supporting Iran’s proxies and the armed groups that have Iranian loyalty. Finally, it’s well known that both revolutionary guards and Khamenei have control over all policies in Iran.
