‘Anyone can yell! It’s making a deal that needs courage’ Zarif calls out naysayers

According to The Iran Project, “To materialize national interests, having the courage to take risks is a necessity,” Zarif told IRNA on Tuesday. “To simply sit back would mean you don’t have the courage to take risks and make a deal.”

“The basis for consensus is national interests and the interests of the public,” he said, referring to the motto of the President Masoud Pezeshkian administration of national consensus building. “We all should agree to work for national interests and not expect ovation.”

Zarif has been the specific target of a group of Iranian politicians for his general endorsement of potential talks with the United States. He was Iran’s chief negotiator during talks that led to a landmark deal between Iran and originally six world powers, including the United States, in 2015.

His opponents, who often make animated speeches at Parliament, amplified their assaults after he spoke about the Pezeshkian administration’s foreign policy in an interview on a trip to Davos, Switzerland, late last month.

‘The foam on sea water’

Three protest gatherings were held in Tehran and two other cities during which small numbers of people chanted slogans and held banners with messages that called Zarif “coward,” “wimpy,” and “a traitor.”

In his Tuesday remarks, Zarif said taunts were like “the foam on sea water.” “It goes. What stays is that which is [carried out] in the interest of the people.”

The Iranian vice-president said working at critical junctures to materialize the public interest required courage.

“You need courage to make an agreement to resolve problems and conquer crises, you don’t need to [be able to] shout loudly,” he said, referring to the high-pitched criticism and scorn.

“Anyone can yell. It’s building consensus and having people’s and national interests in mind that needs courage.”

President Pezeshkian has been holding regular meetings with the heads of the two other branches of the Iranian government to potentially align policies.

Reporter : Editorial of The Iran Project