The head of Iran’s military, General Hassan Firouzabadi, has endorsed the July 14 nuclear deal with the 5+1 Powers.

Firouzabadi, listing 16 advantages of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, said he was supporting implementation despite concerns about possible “misinterpretations” by US officials that could lead to non-nuclear-related sanctions.

Firouzabadi said that the agreement with the 5+1 (US, Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia) had recognized Iran’s right to enrich uranium, and praised the removal of sanctions on Tehran. He added that other advantages had been overlooked, such as the encouragement of non-military cooperation between Iran and other countries.

The General lauded members of the Iranian negotiating team for their “honesty and sustained efforts”.

Most members of the Iranian regime are supporting approval of the deal, but there has been resistance by some hardline MPs and clerics.

See Iran Daily, August 8: Leading Cleric — “Nuclear Deal Violates Supreme Leader’s Red Lines”

And in a sign of their criticism — if not open defiance — of the agreement, the Revolutionary Guards put a far different emphasis on Firouzabadi’s comments in their outlet Fars News: “Iran’s Military Chief Voices Concern about West’s Misuse of Vienna Deal”.

The article never refers to Firouzabadi’s statement of support for the deal.

By EA WorldView