24 Iranian Lawmakers Criticize President’s Interview With Tucker Carlson.
24 Iranian parliament members criticized President Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent interview with American broadcaster Tucker Carlson, calling his statements “questionable” and accusing him of “conveying Iran’s weakness to America.”
In a letter addressed to the president, the lawmakers wrote that some of Pezeshkian’s remarks, including expressing hope for renewed negotiations with the United States and cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, were “disappointing and contrary to the unity achieved in the country.”
The letter’s authors claimed Pezeshkian’s statements “not only received poor reception domestically and disappointed many people, but also led to misunderstanding by the opposing side abroad.”
The lawmakers argued that the president’s comments gave “the enemy” the impression that “Iran continues to convey messages of weakness after America’s attack.”
They warned that such statements would prevent the United States from engaging in dialogue with Iran “from an equal position” and could provide “greater motivation for renewed military attacks.”
The letter was signed by hardline lawmakers including Hamid Rasaei, Morteza Agha-Tehrani, Manouchehr Mottaki, Amir-Hossein Sabeti, Mehdi Kouchakzadeh, Esmail Kowsari, and Abolfazl Zohrehvand.
Iran’s president said in the interview that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei believes “American investors can come to Iran and there are no obstacles to their activities.”
He added: “We have been and remain ready for any kind of economic, industrial, and commercial cooperation with Americans, but it is these sanctions that have prevented their presence in our country.”
Pezeshkian said Iran’s “Death to America” slogan does not target “the American people and officials.”
The lawmakers referred to the United States as the “Great Satan” and Israel as “its contractor,” adding that Pezeshkian failed to “firmly and decisively” defend religious fatwas issued by some Shia clerics against Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iran wire