Iran International
President Masoud Pezeshkian’s strategic deputy, Mohammad-Javad Zarif, has come under heavy criticism by Iranians following his remarks at the Davos Summit, where he said the government has relaxed hijab enforcement in Iran.
Zarif's interview with CNN host Fareed Zakaria on Wednesday failed to satisfy both the public and the government’s hardliner opposition, according to the Rouydad24 news website in Tehran.
"In addressing the hijab situation, he angered the public, especially women, while his comments about radical factions’ confrontations with him provoked the ire of the government’s critics,” the outlet reported.
During his conversation with Zakaria on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, Zarif stated: "If you go to the streets of Tehran, you will find women not covering their hair. It's against the law, but the government has decided not to put women under pressure … We are moving in the right direction … It’s not enough, but it is a step in the right direction.”
He also told Zakaria that the decision not to enforce a new strict hijab law was adopted by the “leadership” of the country, that is, the heads of the three government powers and the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), because Pezeshkian had promised it to voters. He added that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was not involved in the alleged decision.
Addressing Zakaria's assertion that ultra-hardliners dominate Iran’s security policies, Zarif denied the claim and argued that he would not have been able to walk freely in Tehran if they had such influence.
However, he admitted that ultra-hardliners have been attempting to remove him from office by invoking a law that prohibits individuals with family members holding foreign citizenship from serving in senior government positions.
Criticism on social media
Zarif’s remarks on the hijab issue sparked backlash on social media, with critics accusing him of misrepresenting the Islamic Republic's stance. Many argue that the enforcement of the new and more restrictive hijab law has merely been suspended temporarily, leaving the possibility of its reimplementation at any time.
Hossein Selahvarzi, the former head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, criticized Zarif on social media, writing: “As the most recognized Iranian figure in international circles, Mr. Zarif, in addition to all his merits and capabilities, possesses two other remarkable talents: the ability to say things in Davos while fully knowing they are untrue, and the ability to return to Iran and look his compatriots in the eye [without feeling ashamed].”
The hijab law enforces extensive surveillance of public spaces to identify women who violate its regulations, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment. Businesses are required to deny service to unveiled women or report them to authorities to avoid facing sanctions themselves. Additionally, daily reports from Iran highlight that hijab police and clerics continue to harass women in streets and shopping centers for failing to cover their heads.
Ultra-hardliners react
Ultra-hardliners have doubled down on their criticism of Zarif’s remarks. They emphasize Supreme Leader Khamenei’s clear stance on the hijab, citing an April 2023 speech in which he declared that flouting the hijab was both "religiously and politically haram (forbidden)."
In the same speech, Khamenei accused "the enemy" of orchestrating plans to undermine the hijab and urged authorities to formulate a counter-strategy.
Notably, Khamenei has refrained from mentioning the hijab issue in recent speeches, sparking speculation that he might be concerned about the possibility of a strong backlash from the public.
Ultra-hardline publications also criticized Zarif’s comments on other topics, including his complaint about pressure from radicals.
In an editorial published Thursday titled “From whitewashing Trump to attacking domestic rivals,” Kayhan newspaper accused Zarif of making “out-of-norm remarks” and giving foreign adversaries ammunition to criticize the Islamic Republic.
The Revolutionary Guards-linked Javan newspaper similarly condemned Zarif for taking “his quarrels and grudges against domestic rivals to Davos” and singing “the ugly song of factional disputes,” for the enemies.
“These remarks undermine Iran's national security and authority,” Javan declared.
However, none of these "supreme" authorities have officially confirmed that they have authorized negotiations with the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program or other contentious issues, such as Tehran's interventions in regional countries.
In recent days, Pezeshkian has conveyed Tehran's willingness to engage in talks with the U.S., but Khamenei’s hardline allies have strongly criticized both his remarks and those of other officials. This has raised an important question: Does the President have Khamenei’s approval to pursue negotiations with the Trump administration?
It is widely acknowledged in Iranian politics that Khamenei holds ultimate authority over military and foreign policy, meaning his full approval would be necessary for the President to initiate significant negotiations with major powers.
Foreign policy analyst Abdolreza Faraji-Rad told the Khabar Online website in Tehran, "When Iran's President or other senior officials express readiness to negotiate with the United States, it does not imply that they made that decision independently. Rather, it signals that the issue has already been discussed at the Supreme National Security Council," which is the country's highest-ranking decision-making body after Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Faraji-Rad noted that failing to negotiate with Trump would likely lead the United States to increase pressure on Iran and further sanctions would be imposed on Iran's oil exports. He argued that initiating negotiations would be the right course of action. He also suggested that the Iranian Foreign Ministry would likely be assigned the responsibility of advancing these talks.
Meanwhile, he criticized the government's political rivals for hindering its initiative. However, the Iranian government has yet to take any practical steps in this direction, even though hardliners in Iran remained largely silent on the issue during the first two days following Trump’s inauguration.
Former lawmaker Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh expressed pessimism on Tuesday, suggesting that Pezeshkian might not yet have the necessary approval. However, by Wednesday, Falahatpisheh appeared to soften his stance, writing about Europe’s potential role as a mediator in talks with Washington.
Meanwhile, while the ultraconservatives were generally silent during the past two days, some other elements such as Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib fueled doubts about whether Pezeshkian has the go-ahead for negotiations. Khatib warned against yielding to calls for negotiations with the Trump administration, saying "it could leave Tehran at a disadvantage."
Reformist politician and commentator Fayyaz Zahed also shared with the press in Tehran that, based on his assessment of the relationship between the President and the Supreme Leader, "Pezeshkian has received the green light to initiate negotiations." He added that "Pezeshkian is now seeking a dignified way to carry out this task."
Under growing regional and economic pressure over the past six months, the Islamic Republic has been mocked by opposition groups and many Iranians on social media for wasting decades and hundreds of billions of dollars on its controversial nuclear program and meddling in regional countries. These policies, they argue, have resulted in years of devastating sanctions. Now, with Donald Trump at the helm, critics highlight that the authorities are forced to appeal for talks with Washington.
Zahed added, "All politicians in Iran have reached the conclusion that the country's foreign policy strategy needs to be revised." He continued, "There is currently no obstacle to the decision to negotiate." Additionally, Zahed described Pezeshkian's ultraconservative political rivals as "cartoon characters inflated like balloons."
Former Labor Minister Mohammad Salamati told the press, "Pezeshkian has the backing of the entire political system in his call to start negotiations with America." Highlighting that Trump is also open to dialogue with Iran, Salamati added, "It is now up to us to take the initiative, start direct negotiations with Washington, and strive for favorable outcomes."
He also noted, "Pezeshkian's political rivals cannot prevent this as long as the President has the nation's support." Additionally, Salamati remarked, "Even the Vietnamese secured concessions through negotiations with the United States after the Vietnam War."
Pro-reform Arman Melli Daily suggested that Europe could play a key mediation role in the talks between Tehran and Washington, while the centrist Daily cautioned that Pezeshkian's domestic political rivals pose a greater threat than Trump. Meanwhile, Ham Mihan noted that with Trump’s return, Iran’s foreign policy has entered one of its most complex periods. The report emphasized, however, that Iran must engage in serious negotiations with the United States, as the country faces one of its most severe economic crises.