Iran International
Two weeks after Iran’s Supreme Leader banned talks with the United States, voices in Tehran are calling for negotiations to address the country’s growing economic challenges.
The prominent newspaper Jomhuri Eslami on Saturday called for reconsidering Ali Khamenei ban, without directly naming him. In an editorial titled “Reconsideration is beneficial bravery,” the newspaper said, “Moves by several Arab countries to encourage the Islamic Republic of Iran to negotiate with the US, and the changes in the tone of statements from US officials, including Trump himself, indicate that the ground is ready for a new perspective from Iranian officials.”
Since Trump reinstated his “maximum pressure” policy earlier this month and indirectly warned Tehran of a possible Israeli attack if it refused to negotiate, Iranian officials have insisted that the US president adopt a different tone if he seeks negotiations with the Islamic Republic.
However, Khamenei’s ban on talks with the US has raised concerns among officials and citizens as Iran’s economic situation continues to worsen. The national currency has lost over 50% of its value in the past six months, leading many to warn that without diplomatic efforts to lift US sanctions, there is little hope of reversing the decline.
Jomhuri Eslami daily, known for advocating a more conciliatory approach to negotiations, argued that Tehran had previously resolved major conflicts through diplomacy. It cited the negotiations with Saddam Hussein that ended the bloody Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s as a clear example.
Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, former chairman of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee, expressed skepticism about the possibility of rapprochement between Tehran and Washington. Speaking to a local news website, he argued that the rift has become deeply ideological during Trump’s presidency, making it difficult to bridge differences. He also noted that regional countries attempting to mediate are primarily motivated by the need to prevent a regional conflict that could threaten their own security.
Gholamreza Kashi, a professor of political science in Tehran, openly advocated for a major review of Iran’s foreign policy, arguing that past policies have imposed a heavy burden on the country and the people.
“We have placed a heavy burden on ourselves, the people, and the country. The governing system must make a brave decision, and this is the only condition for reviving the true spirit of the revolution,” Kashi said.
He argued that ideological systems increasingly entrench themselves in their dogma, losing flexibility in governance. “These regimes view reality as a seven-headed dragon that constantly threatens their position. Ideological systems try to conceal the gap between situational logic and their ideals through propaganda, lies, or repression. The gap between what was intended and what actually took shape eventually becomes the greatest threat to the very existence of the system itself.”
“He had a performance at a café in western Tehran in Janatabad when plainclothes officers and the police arrived, arrested him and his composer, and detained several people there,” one source said, requesting to remain anonymous for security reasons.
A video obtained by Iran International shows the moment the officers storm the venue and detain the underground rapper. A masked man can be seen in the footage, who the source said was one of those who detained Eycin.
“They came with a van and took everyone away. The venue was also sealed off,” the source added, "Eycin had scheduled several performances in cafes, on a tour, in Qeshm in recent weeks."
The fans were later released but two sources told Iran International that Eycin and his composer remained in detention.
A source said that both Eysin and Sohrabi appeared in court on Friday morning, however the charges against them remain unknown.
“Lately, rappers have been organizing a lot of underground performances through various methods. It seems like they want to crack down before it spreads,” the source said.
International human rights organizations have condemned Iran's suppression of artistic expression in recent years.
In the aftermath of Iran's nationwide protests sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, at least two rappers - Toomaj Salehi and Saman Yasin - were sentenced to death in connection with their music. Following an international outcry, their death sentences were revoked.