A high-ranking official within Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has publicly criticized President Masoud Bouchakian following recent statements regarding negotiations with the United States. Aziz Hatfari, Deputy Assistant to Political Affairs of the Revolutionary Guard, cautioned that Bouchakian’s assertion that “dialogue does not mean defeat or surrender” was ill-advised and perhaps damaging to Iran’s national interests.

Hatfari argued that the realm of foreign policy demands careful consideration of every statement. He warned that repeating “verbal errors” by high-level officials could constrict Iran’s maneuvering room both domestically and internationally, as reported by the Iranian Observatory platform.The official suggested that Bouchakian’s reliance on prepared texts during his 2024 election campaign – a practice intended to avoid misstatements – is now even more crucial given his current position.

“Every word and sentence carries a specific weight and is subject to interpretation by the media and international actors according to their own agendas,” Hatfari stated. He urged the President and his advisors to implement safeguards to prevent similar incidents, emphasizing the potential for damaging national security.

President Bouchakian made the contested remarks during a meeting with media managers and owners, framing dialogue with the U.S. as not indicative of weakness. This occurred amidst speculation about a potential new round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington in early february.

Previous negotiations between Iran and the U.S., facilitated by the Sultanate of Oman, consisted of five rounds before being halted following the conflict between Iran and Israel in June. The United States reportedly participated in the conflict by targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. A key sticking point in the negotiations remains Washington’s demand that Iran cease domestic uranium enrichment, a demand that tehran has consistently rejected.