Iran International
The immediate reaction on social media to President Masoud Pezeshkian’s belated press conference on Monday was mixed, highlighting the deep divide within Iranian society.
Some netizens have viewed the two-and-a-half-hour press conference as a breath of fresh air in Iranian politics. They found Pezeshkian to be more honest and straightforward compared to his predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi, and Saeed Jalili, who narrowly lost to Pezeshkian in the July elections.
Others have noted that when confronted with challenging questions, such as the future of Iran’s relations with the West, Pezeshkian seemed evasive and spoke in vague terms. He often toned down his more assertive statements to avoid controversy or offending critics.
For example, his lengthy response on whether he was open to meeting with the current or a future US president did not offer a clear rejection or acceptance.
Nevertheless, Pezeshkian did go into the offensive mode in a few instances including when he came under attack by the reporter of the ultra-hardline Kayhan newspaper for employing “seditionists” in his government.
Ahmad, a 52-year-old resident of Ekbatan, a middle-class neighborhood in west Tehran, watched the press conference like many other Iranians. “Overall, I was quite pleased,” he said.
“He doesn’t seem to like stirring up trouble with the rest of the world. This alone is enough for those who voted for him to be content even if that doesn’t make their lives any easier now,” Ahmad told Iran International.
“All they would be hearing today if Jalili had been elected would be ‘the enemy’ and ‘enemies’,” he added.
To those who actively boycotted the elections, and refer to themselves as ‘barandaz’ (proponents of regime change), Pezeshkian’s press conference was only another “regime circus”.
His answers, they argued, only reinforced the view that he is merely a puppet of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. They suggested that his statements were dictated, indicating that no significant change should be expected in Iran's troubled society.
“All Pezeshkian says is that ‘the system should not be messed with”! In other words, one must be a servant and obedient to Khamenei and move forward when he agrees,” expatriate political commentator Ali Afshari who called Pezeshkian a “nobody” tweeted.
“He has come to say that society should forget about transforming the system and resisting tyranny, and be content with uncertain economic promises,” he wrote.
Hardliners and ultra-hardliners were also displeased with several of Pezeshkian’s statements, including his remarks that “We have no enmity with the US,” and “We don’t intend to export our Revolution.” His insistence on resolving issues with the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) and pursuing peace with all non-hostile nations also provoked criticism.
They were also infuriated when a female journalist openly told Pezeshkian that she had to make several detours on her way to the press conference to avoid detention by the morality police for not adhering to hijab regulations.
“Do they still harass [women]?” Pezeshkian asked her. “They weren’t supposed to do it anymore. We will follow up on this so they won’t harass you anymore,” he said good-humoredly when he received an affirmative response. His remarks drew applause from some of those present.
As he often does, Pezeshkian spoke in a modest tone throughout the press conference, often disregarding standard protocols. He made a few gaffes, such as referring to Russia as the Soviet Union while discussing the Ukraine War, and included several jokes to elicit laughter from the audience.
As usual, he also recited verses from the Quran and sections from the sermons of the first Shia imam, Imam Ali, in Arabic when responding to some questions. This practice has been criticized by some Iranians as being overly performative and not suited to presidential discourse.
The stage for the press conference to which around 300 domestic and international media representatives and photojournalists had been invited was very different from similar events in the past.
The president sat at a desk in front of a large background banner with the image of the iconic, snow-clad Mount Damavand and the sun rising from behind it in its center and the images of the current Supreme Leader and the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on either side at the top.
“I pledge my life to make my promises come true,” it read on one side of the banner. This is a quotation from Imam Ali whose shrine in Iraq Pezeshkian visited last week. Under it, two slogans were printed in large letters: “Reforming Governance” and “Returning to the People”.
His comments come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation, accusing the Houthis of escalating their attacks beyond Yemen’s borders. Western countries have also strongly condemned Iran's reported delivery of ballistic missiles to Russia to be used against Ukraine.
Pezeshkian rejected allegations that Tehran had provided hypersonic missiles to Yemen’s Houthi rebels. A day earlier, the Houthis claimed responsibility for firing a missile at Israel, which they described as hypersonic. Netanyahu responded by warning that Israel would impose a "heavy price" on the Houthis, who have controlled northern Yemen for years but are now expanding their operations far beyond the country's borders.
"It takes a person a week to travel to Yemen from Iran. How could this missile have gotten there? We don't have such missiles to provide to Yemen," Pezeshkian told reporters.
Despite Pezeshkian's denial, Iran last year showcased what it said was its first domestically made hypersonic missile, the Fattah. The growing influence of the Houthis, fueled by Iranian backing, has been a cornerstone of Tehran's regional strategy, as the group has continued to disrupt global trade routes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait under the pretext of blockading Israel.
Iran’s support for the Houthis, alongside other proxy groups across the region, aligns with its long-standing foreign policy goals of opposing Israel and destabilizing Western-aligned governments. Yemen’s strategic location has given Iran a foothold in a region critical to international shipping, amplifying its leverage in the conflict.
Pezeshkian, in response to a question from a Japanese media outlet regarding the Islamic Republic's missile deliveries to Russia, stated, "As for the relationship between the Islamic Republic and Russia, I can say with certainty that since we took office, we have not provided them with anything."
He claimed ignorance about missile deliveries to Russia during Ebrahim Raisi's administration and prior governments. However he said, "We have and will continue to have relations with Russia."
Pezeshkian added, "However, our stance in all wars is that no country should invade another country’s territory."
Regarding his visit to Moscow, attendance at the BRICS summit, and relations with Russia, he said that the Islamic Republic’s ties with Russia and China have been "very good" and that this trajectory would continue.
He remarked, "It’s not the case that if we negotiate, trade, and make peace with the world, we will forget our friends."
He added, "Russia is our neighbor, and we have strong economic relations, which these meetings can help implement the vision that Ebrahim Raisi had."
Ties with China
In response to a question from a Chinese reporter about relations between Beijing and Tehran, he said, "Our strongest ties are with China and Russia." He also praised China’s efforts to mediate between the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia.
The president promised, "We will have a fully aligned and strategic partnership with China, and we will work to implement the agreements and increase cooperation in future relations."
Responding to a question from an Associated Press reporter about the Islamic Republic's production of 60% enriched uranium and his government’s plan to address the International Atomic Energy Agency’s concerns, Pezeshkian stated, "We are addressing our technical and scientific needs and are not pursuing nuclear weapons."
He continued, "We adhered to the framework of the JCPOA; they [the US] tore it apart. If they don't resume compliance, neither will we."
"We will continue within the framework of nuclear energy laws and agreements. If they uphold their commitments, we will do the same."
In response to another question, Pezeshkian said, "We don't seek conflict; we are not pursuing nuclear weapons, but we won't allow anyone to bully us."
Regarding recent efforts to resume and expand relations with Arab countries, particularly in the Persian Gulf region, such as Saudi Arabia, Pezeshkian stated: “I believe we are brothers, so why shouldn’t we visit each other? There should be no disagreements between us. I personally welcome any initiative that brings us closer together.”
He added, “We aim to strengthen our relations with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and all Islamic countries. We have invited the Saudi Crown Prince to visit us, and we are eager to meet.”
Foreign policy remains largely out of Pezeshkian's hands, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) maintaining firm control. Though Abbas Araghchi, a former diplomat, has been appointed as foreign minister, Tehran’s reliance on military proxies signals a continuation of its hardline stance.
In his remarks, Pezeshkian also discussed potential solutions for the country’s economic crisis. He suggested that resolving the nuclear issue and adhering to standards set by the international financial watchdog, FATF, could yield significant results. He also announced plans to send a letter to the Islamic Republic’s Expediency Council addressing nuclear sanctions and FATF compliance.
Turki al-Faisal, a former Saudi intelligence chief, said the West must also do more to deter the Iran-backed Houthi terror group in Yemen amidst the Red Sea blockade as the group holds the world "hostage".
Houthis began attacking international shipping in the Red Sea region last fall after Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called for blockading Israel. They have expanded their reach far beyond Yemen disrupting a key global trade route.
Speaking at Chatham House in London, al-Faisal said on Friday: “The Houthis now hold the world as hostage in the Bab al-Mandab entrance to the Red Sea, and yet Iran is not showing that it can do something there if it wanted to, and the kingdom would have expected Iran to be more forthcoming in showing not just to us but to others that it can be a positive factor in securing stability and removing differences not just with Saudi Arabia but the rest of us.”
Dozens of projectiles have been fired at commercial vessels and dozens of hostages taken amid the blockade initially aimed at forcing an Israeli ceasefire in Gaza.
Iran also continues to destabilize countries including Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, which al-Faisal said had broken the terms of the 2023 agreement.
However, according to the UK's The Guardian, al-Faisal has said that the West's "pinprick bombings" carried out by the UK and US on Houthi infrastructure, is not enough to quash the group, armed, funded and trained by Iran.
In a frank admission, al-Faisal said the kingdom is disappointed in Iran's having broken its promise to limit the influence of its terror groups in the region, agreed upon last year when the two countries resumed diplomatic relations after several years' hiatus.
During the session at Chatham House, he said more must be done by the global community to combat the Red Sea blockade which began in November.
“We have seen the deployment of European and US fleets along the Red Sea coast and more can be done there to interdict the supply of weaponry that comes to the Houthis from Iran,” he said.
“Putting pressure on Iran by the world community can have a positive impact on what the Houthis can do in launching these missiles and drones to hit international commerce.”
On Sunday, a missile penetrated Israel's air defence systems, threatening once again, to inflame tensions amidst the war in Gaza which has seen Iran's proxies in the region surround Israel since the Hamas invasion of the Jewish state on October 7.
A former Royal Navy Commander told Iran International’s podcast Eye for Iran that Iran is winning against the Americans in the Red Sea, through their proxy the Houthis.
Tom Sharpe, who worked alongside the Americans in the Red Sea for two decades, witnessed their might as the most powerful navy in the world but in spite of that, under the tutelage of Iran, the Houthis have not been deterred by the limited US defensive and allied retaliatory actions.
“They're achieving their ends, all of them, and we're achieving none of ours. We're spending millions and millions of dollars on not winning. It's a real problem," he warned.
Critics say the US's risk aversion has meant that just like its kid gloves approach to Iran, the deterrence to its terror groups such as the Houthis is failing.
Rear Adm. Marc Miguez, a US Navy commander from the Dwight D Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, told Ward Carroll's YouTube episode that more aggressive strikes on the Houthis were necessary.
"There are definite strategies that were put forward, but our National Command Authority decided that those - I would call more aggressive postures and more aggressive strikes - was not something we wanted to challenge," Miguez said last month.
Jason Brodsky, the policy director for United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), agreed that the Biden administration's inability to deter Iran has led to an emboldened stance not only from the Islamic Republic but also, its proxies.
“We have a deterrence deficit with Iran. They have been attacking our forces. They have been attacking commercial vessels, with impunity since October 2023,” he said.
