Iranian regime President Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, aimed at deceiving the international community and breaking the regime’s increasing isolation, has sparked significant controversy within Tehran, escalating internal conflicts.
One of the strongest reactions came from Amir-Hossein Sabeti, an influential member of the regime’s parliament and a fierce opponent of Pezeshkian. Sabeti criticized Pezeshkian’s remarks about Israel, stating: “Mr. Pezeshkian said if Israel lays down its weapons, we will lay down ours. Dear Mr. Pezeshkian, we are different from Israel. We ask the president to be more careful with his words, reflecting his true beliefs.”
Another MP, Mohammad Motamedizadeh, targeted Pezeshkian’s advisors, warning against their influence: “Mr. Pezeshkian should not be lenient with individuals who have shown clear hostility to the state at certain points. Be cautious of domestic and foreign infiltrators, as we have suffered significant blows from them in recent years.”
Fact-Checking #Iranian Regime’s President Lies at #UNGA79 https://t.co/US3KpoBd6o
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 25, 2024
The newspaper Javan, linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also lambasted Pezeshkian’s speech in New York, stating that he “clearly lacks the necessary political oratory skills.” The outlet criticized the government’s nuclear team, claiming: “The nuclear team in New York performed very weakly. Those who have waited behind the Western wall, relying on the failed JCPOA, must take responsibility for this glaring weakness.”
Another state-run outlet, Mashregh News, highlighted Pezeshkian’s diplomatic shortcomings, stating: “While Pezeshkian, unlike the previous government, had no ill intentions in sending signals to the enemy, his flawed language and failure to use prepared diplomatic texts allow his remarks to be misinterpreted as signs of weakness.”
Following Pezeshkian’s controversial statements, his Deputy for Strategic Affairs Mohammad-Javad Zarif took to social media to defend Pezeshkian’s remarks domestically, writing: “Let us not fall into the traps of narrative makers who have been distorting the region’s reality for 70 years. Trust your own servants rather than Zionist media.”
Infighting Intensifies as Pezeshkian Laments Factional Obstruction in #Iran’s Regimehttps://t.co/vmcyGwu7uW pic.twitter.com/q3RWpmTz8q
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 10, 2024
In its report, the Kayhan Daily described Pezeshkian’s remarks in New York as a ‘slip of the tongue’ and wrote: ‘The repetition of ill-considered statements and positions, taken without much thought and largely influenced by arrogant and pro-Western advisors, has intensified concerns among the public and those loyal to the revolution, the regime, and the country.'”
The controversy surrounding Pezeshkian’s remarks primarily stemmed from his statement during a New York press conference, where he said, “We are ready to lay down all our weapons, provided that Israel does the same and that an international organization comes in to ensure regional security. We don’t even need them; we know how to ensure our own security.”
However, despite efforts to spin the comments by pro-Pezeshkian figures inside the regime, state media have confirmed Pezeshkian’s words were accurately captured, reporting that “the audio recording clearly shows Pezeshkian made this statement.”
Meanwhile, the newspaper Farhikhtegan, affiliated with Ali Akbar Velayati, a special aid to the regime’s Supreme Leader, partially defended Pezeshkian’s speech, claiming his remarks were misinterpreted: “Pezeshkian did not mean to diminish resistance or advocate for Iran’s disarmament. His harsh tone towards Israel’s crimes makes it clear his speech did not signal any shift towards normalization with Israel.”
Infighting Intensifies as #Iran’s Regime Forms New Governmenthttps://t.co/peLux8N6jc
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 18, 2024
Tehran’s state-run Donyaye Eghtesad also criticized Pezeshkian for his blunder, saying, “President Pezeshkian’s unfortunate remark about disarming for Israel, alongside earlier blunders like referring to America as ‘our brother,’ has provided new material for international media hostile to Iran.”
Amidst these internal critiques, former parliamentary National Security Committee head, Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, tried to offer a sympathetic interpretation of Pezeshkian’s speech, stating, “Pezeshkian is not a diplomat or an orator. He is someone who tries to share what’s in his heart, whether addressing a campaign rally or speaking to the American press.”
Pezeshkian’s visit to New York also attracted attention from lobbyists supporting the Iranian regime in the U.S. Before his departure to Tehran, Pezeshkian hosted a gathering of regime supporters at the Millennium Hotel. Though invited to dinner, Pezeshkian did not stay to eat and left shortly after delivering a brief speech. Among those present were well-known figures linked to regime-affiliated lobbying efforts, including Ali Vaez, the Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group, Trita Parsi, founder of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) and co-founder of the Quincy Institute, so-called Iranian-American journalists Hooman Majd and Negar Mortazavi, political analyst Daryoush Sajjadi, Yale University professor Abbas Amanat, and University of South Florida professor Mohsen Milani. Most of these individuals left the hotel before the official dinner began.
This internal backlash, combined with the controversial nature of Pezeshkian’s remarks abroad, has only heightened the existing tensions within the regime’s factions, highlighting the increasing pressure on the Iranian leadership both domestically and internationally.
