A powerful “ultra-hardline” faction in Iran has launched a fierce campaign against ongoing negotiations with the US, saying Tehran should only secure a deal by “defeating” Washington.
The group known as “Jebhe-ye Paydari” and described as “Super Revolutionaries,” has emerged as one of the loudest opponents of any agreement with Washington. The faction has intensified pressure through media campaigns, speeches, parliament interventions and large street rallies in Tehran, according to a report.
“They view resistance against the United States and Israel as an eternal fight,” Hamidreza Azizi at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told CNN.
“They believe in a Shia state that needs to continue until the end of times and are quite fanatic when it comes to that religious ideology,” Azizi added.
The faction’s rise has become more visible after the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei earlier this year. While Iran’s current leadership has tried to project unity during negotiations, the group has consistently attacked the country’s negotiators and accused them of crossing the regime’s “red lines.”
One article published by Raja News, a media outlet linked to the faction, criticised those involved in the talks and alleged they were willing to “shake hands” with American officials despite the killings of Iranian leaders.
Members of the faction have also accused Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf of “collusion” and called negotiators “cowardly.” They have warned that the talks could cause “immense damage” to Iran.
The Endurance Front is considered highly radical even within Iran’s conservative political system but it holds influence in politics, religious institutions and state media. Former national security chief Saeed Jalili, one of the group’s most prominent faces, received around 13 million votes in Iran’s 2021 presidential election. His brother, Vahid Jalili, is a senior official at state broadcaster IRIB.
Seven lawmakers linked to the group reportedly refused to sign a parliamentary statement supporting the negotiating team, the report mentioned citing Iranian media.
Mahmoud Nabavian, a lawmaker associated with the faction who also took part in recent talks in Islamabad, later called negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme a “strategic mistake”. He also demanded the removal of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi from the negotiating team.
Over recent weeks, the group has organised large rallies in Tehran attended by thousands of supporters.
Political divisions are not new in Iran where leaders have often disagreed over domestic policies and ties with the West. But Jebhe-ye Paydari’s aggressive stand has now triggered criticism even from rival conservative leaders, media voices and sections of the public.