Clerics loyal to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have condemned talks with the U.S., calling them beneath Iran’s dignity.
As preparations intensify for nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Oman, divisions within Iran’s political and religious leadership have resurfaced.
While Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reluctantly approved the negotiations, hardline clerics loyal to him are speaking out forcefully against the decision.
Newsweek has reached out to Iran’s foreign ministry for comment.
The upcoming talks are unfolding amid intensifying U.S.-Iran tensions, driven by Tehran’s expanding nuclear program and Washington’s warnings of potential military action. While the negotiations could open a path toward de-escalation, they have also revealed sharp divisions within Iran’s leadership. If hardline opposition stalls diplomacy, the risk of confrontation may only grow.
Despite Khamenei’s apparent sanctioning of indirect negotiations, senior clerics have condemned any engagement with Washington. In Friday sermons across Iran, hardline clerics—appointed directly by the Supreme Leader—issued stern warnings against compromising with what they regard as an inherently untrustworthy adversary.
