A senior Iranian regime figure openly framed negotiations as a tactical tool, not a path to compromise.
Senior Iranian official Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi, a former minister of culture and Islamic guidance and a member of Iran’s Expediency Council, said in a recent interview that negotiations are a form of “attack and retreat.”
He said Iran must constantly develop new strategic plans, including using negotiations as a temporary tactic while preparing for future victories. Saffar-Harandi compared the approach to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, saying that what appeared at first to be a retreat by the Prophet Muhammad later served future gains.
He also said Iran cannot abandon the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a “God-given” natural advantage. According to him, charging passage fees in the strait would be “completely standard,” arguing that Iran provides “security services” there.