Mediators: Hardline Iranian Elements Seeking to Sabotage Any Agreement with Washington

SadaNews - A report by the American newspaper "The Wall Street Journal" quoted "mediators" saying that "hardline elements" in Iran are attempting to sabotage any agreement with the United States.

According to the newspaper, mediators expressed concern that these hardline elements "are carrying out covert operations against maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to halt negotiations between the United States and Iran."

It noted the monitoring of Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats in the southern part of the strait on Tuesday, according to satellite images, and the exposure of an oil tanker to an explosion in the Gulf of Oman on the same day, in an area where Iran has a history of attacking commercial vessels.

Hardliners in the Iranian regime renewed their criticism of diplomatic efforts, with the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard responsible for the drone and missile program, Majid Mousavi, stating that "negotiating with the enemy is a guaranteed loss."

Nevertheless, Iranian government spokesperson Fatima Mohajerani indicated on Tuesday that "diplomacy is likely to continue," even as she criticized the "contradictions from the U.S. side."

In response to a question about U.S. attacks on Iranian boats and missile launch sites on Monday night, Mohajerani considered the combination of Iranian military action on the ground and the role of the Parliament Speaker, chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, as "benefitting the Iranian people."

Previous reports indicated a divergence in positions between two Iranian factions, one hardline refusing any agreement with the U.S., and another more inclined toward ending the war through diplomatic means.

Mediators are working to help both parties narrow the gap between Washington and Tehran, with the main point of contention during Qalibaf's visit to Qatar being the release of $24 billion, equivalent to about a quarter of Iran's frozen funds abroad, according to officials from Iran and the mediating countries.

Sources indicated that Iran is "approaching a compromise that allows for the release of half of these funds soon."

The war and American sanctions have exacerbated the pressure on Iran's already deep economic crisis, as declining living standards and rising inflation led to popular protests that shook the country last January.