Tensions within Iran's top government circles have been brought to light following claims by Mahmoud Nabavian, a former member of the country's negotiating team. Nabavian alleged he had seen secret correspondence from Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's supreme leader, suggesting a more assertive stance on nuclear negotiations and demands for tolls from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Nabavian, who is also the deputy chair of Iran’s national security council, made these claims during an interview on state broadcaster IRIB, which was eventually cut off. He stated that Khamenei had allegedly ordered the negotiating team not to compromise on key issues, including the nuclear file and the immediate payment of fees by vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Nabavian further claimed that Khamenei had set 11 conditions for continuing negotiations, such as receiving compensation from the US and maintaining the right to uranium enrichment.
The episode has led to repercussions, with the archive of Nabavian's interview being removed and a senior official at the broadcaster resigning. A spokesperson for the negotiating team dismissed Nabavian's statements as old and distorted, while the state broadcaster deemed them a legal violation warranting prosecution. Members aligned with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is leading current talks in Switzerland, called for Nabavian's identification. Centrists and reformists have pointed to the incident as evidence of the state broadcaster acting as a mouthpiece for hardliners.
Reports suggest that the supreme leader has been taking a more direct role in the talks than previously understood, operating through written statements. Nabavian specifically cited a message where Khamenei allegedly stated that the agreement reached in Pakistan talks was different from what was intended and ordered the negotiations to cease. He also questioned whether preconditions, such as the end of occupation in Lebanon and the release of frozen assets, had been met before talks proceeded.