Divisions inside Iran over a proposed framework agreement with the US are increasingly being aired publicly, as hardliners and street protesters reject the talks while senior officials project cautious optimism about a deal.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the agreement “has never been closer”, while urging media to avoid speculation about its content. His remarks, delivered amid visible disagreement in senior ranks, highlighted both progress and a growing internal rift, with critics inside Iran increasing attacks on both the substance of the draft and the negotiators leading it.
Public opposition has spilt into the streets. In the north-eastern city of Mashhad, demonstrators were reported chanting “death to the compromiser” and “compromiser, resign, resign”, in what appeared to be direct criticism of Mr Araghchi. In Tehran, videos circulating on social media showed crowds chanting slogans including “Araghchi have some shame, let go of America”, underscoring anger among hardliner constituencies over perceived concessions.
The public backlash highlights resistance from Iran's hardline camp – conservatives who oppose compromise with the US and distrust diplomatic engagement with Washington – even as negotiators edge towards a potential breakthrough.
Judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei sought to play down the discord, saying in a post on X that "unity" across "the battlefield, the streets, diplomacy and the media" would continue. He also said the "wicked Zionists" hoped Iranians would abandon the streets – a wish they would "take to their grave".
Iranian officials have simultaneously pushed back on expectations surrounding an imminent deal, with different branches of the regime offering cautious and at times divergent signals in public.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei rejected claims about imminent signing plans, saying that agreement “will not be tomorrow [Sunday]” while not excluding the possibility of further movement in the coming days.
A source quoted by the semi-official Fars news agency said no final decision had yet been taken on the proposed agreement. Tehran was still reviewing the political, legal and technical dimensions of the draft, with expert-level and higher-level consultations continuing across relevant institutions, the source said.
Hezbollah and Israel test process
The debate has also been sharpened by renewed regional tension.
On Sunday, the Israeli military said missiles and drones were fired towards Israel from Lebanon, in attacks it attributed to Iran-backed Hezbollah, leading to interceptions and air raid alerts in northern areas. Israel responded by striking Hezbollah targets in the Dahieh district of Beirut's southern suburbs. In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said the strikes were carried out in response to the rocket fire.
"Israel will not tolerate firing into its territory," they said. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.
The exchange has increased concerns that a wider regional escalation could complicate efforts to finalise an agreement with Washington and strengthen opponents of compromise on all sides. It also follows a warning weeks earlier from Mr Katz that "the status of the Dahieh in Beirut is the same as that of the northern communities in Israel" – a statement that now appears to have foreshadowed Sunday's strikes.
Mr Araghchi has also struck a more assertive tone in domestic messaging, saying on state television that Iran was "the winner of the war with the US", while acknowledging the draft agreement remained open to revision. His public balancing of defiance and flexibility reflects the competing pressures voiced within the leadership itself.
Hardline opposition has been especially vocal in influential media circles. Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of the conservative Kayhan newspaper, criticised the prospect of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, arguing it would remove one of Iran's key strategic pressures on its adversaries without securing adequate compensation.
He questioned why senior officials would consider easing influence that, in his view, had brought opponents close to economic strain.
Reported proposals to replace that influence with shipping service fees were dismissed as inadequate, with warnings that reducing pressure could embolden adversaries and weaken Iran's deterrent position.
Protests, official caution and hardline pushback highlight a deep split within Iran's political establishment, one that is now being openly articulated by officials as well as critics. While negotiators continue to signal progress with Washington, influential domestic factions are warning the price of compromise could outweigh any diplomatic gains, setting up an increasingly fraught internal debate alongside the external talks.
