TEHRAN: Former Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and other political figures are calling for an Iran-US agreement, arguing that reduced tensions could ease economic pressure and help development resume.
Former Tehran mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi and Hossein Marashi, secretary-general of the centrist Executives of Construction party, have made similar appeals. They favour breaking the diplomatic impasse with Washington.
Meanwhile, former diplomat Hamid Aboutalebi has criticised Tehran’s approach to negotiations. In comments carried by Khabar Online this week, he argued that officials need clearer diplomatic goals.
Aboutalebi’s criticism extends beyond whether Iran should negotiate. He contends that Tehran must define the scope of talks and the outcome it wants. Without those decisions, he argued, Iran struggles to turn battlefield developments into political gains.
His proposed approach includes stronger regional ties, a structured response to the nuclear dispute and economic partnerships that could reduce isolation.
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However, hardline political figures and military commanders oppose an Iran-US agreement. Those figures portray resistance to Washington and Israel as essential to national security and oppose concessions under pressure.
Read: Iran-US Talks Will Continue Despite Attacks, Pezeshkian Says
Separately, economic weekly Tejarat-e Farda warned in 2022 about the costs of delaying diplomatic decisions. It argued that prolonged hesitation could sustain economic pressure without securing strategic gains.
