Protest in Mashhad Against Peace Deal
Dozens of protesters gathered Saturday outside a foreign ministry office in Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad, chanting slogans against top diplomat Abbas Araghchi. The demonstration followed a televised interview in which Araghchi discussed signing a peace deal with the United States.
In a video shared by Fars news agency, women dressed in black chadors chanted “death to dishonorable Araghchi, the infiltrator” in front of the building while waving red and black flags.
Opposition from Hardliners
The protest comes as the peace deal, touted by US President Donald Trump and mediator Pakistan, faces opposition from hard-line Iranian figures. Critics argue that the agreement does not serve Iran’s interests and would deprive Tehran of leverage over the Strait of Hormuz. They also accuse Iranian negotiators of making too many concessions to secure the deal.
Araghchi’s Interview Remarks
In an interview with state television Friday, Araghchi stated that the proposed deal calls for the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, which was imposed in response to Iran’s own blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. He added, “The administration of Strait of Hormuz will no longer be the same as before,” calling the waterway one of Iran’s “main instruments of deterrence.”
Additional Protests in Tehran
Other videos on social media, which AFP could not independently verify, showed people in front of the foreign ministry building in Tehran chanting “Araghchi, resign” and “Ghalibaf, resign,” referring to parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
Timeline of the Deal
Trump and Pakistan on Saturday said the deal to end the war could be signed as early as Sunday, though Tehran was more circumspect regarding the timing.
