Iranian president heckled in poor oil-rich province

Raising wages would be fraught with challenges. The heavily dominant government sector lacks the funds to pay higher wages, while quasi-governmental and private enterprises could face bankruptcy if they attempt to double workers’ pay.

But why is doubling wages even being considered? Ordinary workers currently earn less than $150 a month, while official estimates indicate that a family of three needs at least $450 a month to cover basic necessities.

This disparity stems from persistent inflation, averaging 40% annually over the past five years. Since early 2018, Iran's current has plummeted twentyfold, while wages have increased less than eightfold.

Economists warn, however, that doubling wages is not a viable solution. The government cannot afford the increases, and if it resorts to printing money to meet the demand, inflation will only worsen.

Morteza Afqah, an economics professor, told the conservative Nameh News website in Tehran that Iran’s economic crisis cannot be solved through purely economic measures because the root cause lies in its foreign policy. He argued that the only path forward is to reach agreements with the United States and Europe on nuclear and other contentious issues. According to Afqah, sanctions relief is essential before Iran can even consider sustainable economic solutions.

Top decision-makers have acknowledged the severity of the economic crisis in public, emboldening some media outlets and commentators to be increasingly vocal about the urgent need to strike deals with the West.

Ahmad Zeidabadi, a prominent writer and commentator in Tehran, expressed the frustration of many in a tweet on Thursday. Referring to insiders who suggest they are willing to “negotiate with the devil” to save the Islamic Republic but remain opposed to talks aimed at rescuing the economy, Zeidabadi warned that this mindset could further anger a public already bearing the brunt of inflation and hardship.

Similarly, Sadeq Zibakalam, another well-known commentator, reminded his followers in a post on X that over a decade ago, the head of Iran’s nuclear program had promised to build five nuclear reactors for energy production. “

Where are the reactors?” he asked, noting that nothing materialized while Iran has lost hundreds of billions of dollars to sanctions imposed for its nuclear activities. “It’s time to negotiate,” he urged the government.

Despite these calls for action, Iran’s Supreme Leader has yet to signal any willingness to allow direct talks with the United States or to compromise on key issues. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has not officially outlined his policy toward Tehran, though his aides have indicated a tough stance on enforcing sanctions.

With the economy in crisis and public discontent rising, Iran’s leadership faces mounting pressure to make difficult decisions that could reshape the country’s trajectory. Whether they choose to engage with the West or continue their current path remains to be seen, but the stakes could not be higher for the Iranian people.

“Anti-coup forces must arrest Zarif upon his return to the country and subject him to interrogation," the secretary of Tehran’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Council, Momeni-Nasab, wrote on X Thursday. "Otherwise, the country will soon face more complex and highly dangerous crises.”

The criticism arose after Zarif signaled a softer line on hijab enforcement in a CNN interview on the sidelines of the Davos Forum in Switzerland.

“The Islamic Republic has decided not to pressure women regarding the hijab,” Zarif said. “If you walk on the streets of Tehran, you will see some women without hijab. Although this is illegal, the government has chosen not to put women under pressure.”

Tehran’s Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Council is a governmental body tasked with enforcing Islamic behavioral codes, including mandatory hijab laws. It plays a significant role in shaping and implementing the Islamic Republic’s social policies.

In November 2024, the council announced plans to establish a "hijab clinic" aimed at providing "scientific and psychological treatment" for women who defy compulsory hijab regulations.

In addition to Momeni-Nasab, 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 and it could be revived at any time.

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)."

"The US has a long history of using such baseless, arbitrary listings and defaming independent countries as a tool to advance its foreign policy," Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted as saying by IRNA, Iran's state news agency, on Thursday.

On Monday, newly sworn-in President Donald Trump reversed the Biden administration's last-minute decision to remove Cuba from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, the White House said.

The Cuban president responded late on Monday by calling Trump's decision to revoke Biden's measures an "act of mockery and abuse."

"Trump's goal is to continue to escalate the cruel economic war against Cuba with the aim of domination," Miguel Diaz-Canel said.

Cuba announced it would release 553 prisoners in a deal brokered by the Catholic Church after Biden's administration removed Cuba from the list.

Both Iran and Cuba are currently experiencing significant economic crises. Cuba is in its most severe economic crisis since the Soviet era, facing critical shortages of essential goods such as food, medicine and fuel.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to battle severe currency depreciation and hyperinflation in the worst depression since the founding of the Islamic Republic.

Iran has cultivated alliances with Latin American nations like Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, strategically positioning itself to challenge Western influence in the region through diplomatic and ideological channels.

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.