Emerging US-Iran deal criticized in Israel, Iran by opponents of countries’ leaderships

Dozens protest deal with US outside Iran foreign ministry office — local media

Dozens protested Saturday outside a foreign ministry office in Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad, chanting slogans against top diplomat Abbas Araghchi after a televised interview in which he discussed signing a deal with the US to end the war.

In a video shared by Fars news agency, women in black chadors chant “death to dishonorable Araghchi, the infiltrator” in front of the building, while waving red and black flags.

A Mashhad resident tells Reuters in Dubai that some protesters chanted: “Death to the compromiser,” in an apparent reference to Araghchi. “Compromiser, resign, resign.”

The protest comes as the deal touted by US President Donald Trump and mediator Pakistan faces opposition from hardline Iranian figures.

They argue that it does not serve Iran’s interests and would deprive Tehran of leverage over the Strait of Hormuz. They also accuse Iranian negotiators of having made too many concessions to secure the deal.

In an interview with state television Friday, Araghchi said the deal on the table calls for the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, imposed in response to Iran’s own blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The administration of Strait of Hormuz will no longer be the same as before,” he added, calling the waterway one of Iran’s “main instruments of deterrence.”

Other videos on social media that AFP cannot independently verify show people in front of the foreign ministry building in Tehran chanting “Araghchi, resign” and “Ghalibaf, resign,” in reference to parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Trump and Pakistan have said the deal to end the war may be signed as early as Sunday, though Tehran is more circumspect regarding the timing.