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The West’s hostility assists repression in Iran
Iran’s clerical hardliners are jostling for position ahead of presidential elections in 2021 and the succession to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Jane Green assesses the situation
Ebrahim Raisi and Nasrin Sotoudeh [Raisi pic: Mehr News Agency/Creative Commons]

THE resignation of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif three weeks ago has once again highlighted the tensions within the ruling clergy in Iran.

Hard-line clerics have never been happy with President Hassan Rouhani or with Zarif as foreign minister, the latter having been the architect of the nuclear deal with the United States, China and the EU in 2015. 

President Rouhani did not accept his tried and tested Foreign Minister’s resignation as he is well aware that the theocratic regime still needs to deploy the skills of Zarif in the difficult negotiations with the EU to secure sanctions relief.  

Under threats from the US and Israel Iran is seeking to position itself as the defender against external threats by suppressing any internal dissent

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