Hassan Khomeini, a grandson of the first Iranian supreme leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, has hailed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran as a major “victory” for Tehran.
The “greater jihad” would now begin, he promised, according to a speech aired by Iranian state media earlier this week.
In order to maintain victory, Iranians “must stay away from pointless disputes, disputes that are the product of ego and self-centeredness,” Khomeini said.
The “greater jihad” is a term often used to refer to the internal, spiritual struggle, while the “lesser jihad” refers to armed conflict.
It was unclear which disputes he was referring to, but the regime has struggled to suppress growing domestic dissent, most visibly during the January demonstrations that erupted over worsening economic conditions.
Tens of thousands of protesters were killed, and tens of thousands were detained by security forces, according to human-rights organizations. During the crackdown, the regime imposed a nationwide Internet shutdown, preventing independent observers from documenting and investigating the repression.
The war with Israel and the US has also led many to witness seeming divides in the regime’s senior leadership. Criticism from Iranian parliamentary hardliners, disapproving of the MoU, has led to several street demonstrations by the regime’s supporters.
Terms favorable to the regime, though many Iranians condemn MoU
The hardline Paydari Front has vocally condemned the regime for engaging in the negotiations, despite many experts viewing the agreed-upon terms as largely favorable to the regime.
At some demonstrations, protesters have been recorded calling for the execution of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
“The kind of actions the Americans took could have brought many countries to their knees,” Khomeini said about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. “The capacity of the Islamic Republic and the people of Iran is extremely great. That is the lesson we take from all of this.”
The speech by Khomeini, who is widely considered to be a reformist voice, was a gentle push for the Islamic regime to refocus on the country rather than on war rhetoric, military historian Dr. Lynette Nusbacher told The Jerusalem Post.
Even though his speech came amid a larger power struggle in Iran, it was not a “big power move on his part,” but rather a natural transition to a public official after vetting by a different Guardian Council, she said.
With much of the regime killed off by Israel and the US, researchers may be tempted to find a familiar name to focus on, Nusbacher said.
“Hassan Khomeini has a name to conjure with,” she said. “Iran experts have known him well for years, and that makes it tempting to give him more focus than perhaps he earns. Maybe he’ll end up in a senior leadership position; maybe he’ll end up as supreme leader. But right now, we can’t let our knowledge of him as an individual turn him into more than he is.”