Arash Aramesh

Pro-government and opposition media have had diverse reactions to the deal that Iran would send 2,000 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey in return for receiving 120 kilograms of 20 percent of enriched nuclear fuel for its medial reaction.

Kayhan, a hardliner newspaper with close ties to the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said the deal showcased Iran’s “cleverness and power” to the world. In an editorial penned by Managing Editor Hossein Shariatmadari, Kayhan argued that while some people might interpret this as “Iran backing down from its previous position,” it is actually a victory for the Islamic Republic.

But Shariatmadari’s article contained a few alarming points. First, Shariatmadari, who is the representative of the Supreme Leader at Kayhan, says that the trio (Iran, Turkey, and Brazil) did not reach an “agreement” and simply made a “declaration.” According to Kayhan, such a declaration is not legally binding and no one is obligated to follow it. Claims that such a deal is “not binding” and is simply another “declaration” could mean that Iran is keeping its options open to walk away from this deal at its convenience.

Second, Shariatmadari expressed Iran’s concerns once again that the West cannot be trusted. He argues that it is “highly unlikely” that the West, in particular the United States, would accept Iran’s show of good faith. His prediction was proven correct when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discounted Iran’s efforts and said May 18 that China and Russia were on board with the new UN Security Council resolution against Iran, paving the way for further sanctions.

Jam-e-Jam, the official newspaper of Iran’s state-owned radio and television, called the deal “a great victory.” Although a conservative paper, Jam-e-Jam is not viewed as a pro-government publication for it has been critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on a variety of policy issues. Jam-e-Jam’s support for the deal is an indicator that many conservatives in opposition to President Ahmadinejad are willing to back him up on the nuclear deal.

Fars news, a pro-government website with intimate ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, dedicated much of its homepage to news relating to the nuclear deal. Fars’s wholehearted approval of this “great achievement” might be a signal that the IRGC, at least for now, has lent its support to the uranium swap deal.

Iran daily, the official newspaper of the administration, claimed that the deal was like a diplomatic “checkmate” in which the Americans were defeated by Iran’s wise diplomatic maneuvering.

The Iranian parliament joined the cheering crowds when 234 members signed a letter approving President Ahmadinejad’s efforts. Ali Larijani, the speaker of parliament, said that the country needed “unanimity” on the nuclear issue and everyone must speak with one voice on this issue. The Iranian parliament has 290 members. Any nuclear deal reached between Iran and foreigners must be approved by the parliament.

Surprisingly, a group of Iranian liberals traditionally at odds with Islamic Republic said the deal was a good step forward and would “help reduce the economic pressure on the Iranian people” by decreasing the possibility of back-breaking sanctions being imposed on Iran. A number of senior members of the liberal opposition wrote a letter today saying they “would support the nuclear fuel deal out of considerations for national interests” and expressed hope that this deal would put an end to “nuclear adventurism.”

But not everyone’s reaction to the nuclear deal was positive. Jomhuri Eslami, a conservative newspaper with ties to hardliners and moderates, ran an editorial today harshly criticizing the deal as “backing down” on the part of Iran. Jomhuri Eslami accuses the government of ignoring the specific guidelines of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei regarding any uranium exchange deal. According to Jomhuri Eslami, Ayatollah Khamenei had set out three rules for any uranium swap agreement: 1- The exchange of low enriched uranium for high enriched fuel must take place simultaneously; 2- Any exchange must take place on Iranian soil; and 3- The amount of uranium to be exchanged must be determined according to Iran’s needs. Jomhuri Eslami claims that all three rules were violated by the recent Ahmadinejad deal.

It seems that the nuclear issue has caused the widening of some old rifts and the creation of new ones while prompting some of the most ardent critics of the government to approve a controversial nuclear deal. The most important man to be heard in this discussion is Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has not spoken about this matter directly. It is believed, however, that Ahmadinejad had Khamenei’s blessing before meeting with President Lula da Silva of Brazil and Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey. It is not clear, however, whether Khamenei will continue to lend his support to Ahmadinejad’s deal if political opposition in the conservative camp intensifies against the deal.