The representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has defended the country's negotiators against accusations of treason from hardline conservatives over a recent memorandum of understanding with the United States.
Abdollah Hajji Sadeghi said accusing Iranian officials of betraying the country or acting against the wishes of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was incompatible with the leader’s own position.
In a message addressed to IRGC commanders and members of the Basij paramilitary force, Hajji Sadeghi said officials whom Khamenei had described as "sincere, hardworking and well-intentioned" should not be branded as traitors. He also rejected claims that the MoU, which Khamenei had authorised, was illegitimate.
"The Supreme Leader’s message should be the final reference for understanding our duties," Hajji Sadeghi said, stressing that differences of opinion should not divert the country from loyalty to the leadership.
Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed Iran’s highest authority following the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. His funeral was held on Saturday .
The intervention by Hajji Sadeghi follows weeks of criticism from hardline conservative circles over the MoU signed last month between Tehran and Washington. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led the negotiations, have faced accusations of making excessive concessions to the US.
Criticism intensified after Khamenei issued a public message on 18 June in which he revealed that he had held "a different view in principle" regarding the agreement, despite ultimately authorising it to proceed.
Hajji Sadeghi said the Supreme Leader’s ambitions extended beyond the memorandum itself and argued that questioning the basis of Khamenei's approval or accusing officials of disloyalty "is entirely inconsistent with the spirit and substance of the Supreme Leader’s message".
He added that Iran was currently in "a stage of war and sacred jihad against arrogance" and urged political factions to avoid disputes that could undermine national unity.
The representative also called on IRGC personnel to focus on implementing the Supreme Leader’s guidance while strengthening preparedness against what he described as an adversary that "does not honour its commitments", in reference to the United States.
He urged religious leaders, public speakers and political elites to refrain from rhetoric that could weaken Khamenei’s authority, saying there would be sufficient time in the future to assess any mistakes or shortcomings.
In his 18 June address, Khamenei said Iranian officials had worked diligently and in good faith to reach the MoU, while arguing that US President Donald Trump had pursued the agreement "out of desperation and weakness."
Although Khamenei said he had fundamental reservations about the agreement, he explained that he approved it after receiving assurances from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, acting as head of the Supreme National Security Council, that Iran's rights and the interests of the "Axis of Resistance" – a name given to Iran’s network of militant group allies in the region – would be protected and that Tehran would reject any excessive US demands.
He also stressed that any future direct negotiations with Washington "do not mean accepting the enemy's viewpoint." Small protests broke out in some Iranian cities after the US and Iran announced they would be signing a deal. Participants accused negotiators of being traitors and making too many concessions, calling for them to be sacked or imprisoned.
Since signing the MoU, Iran and the US have traded fire, but both sides have continued talks to try and reach a permanent settlement. Washington wants Iran to give up its enriched uranium and end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Israel has said it is not concerned by the US-Iran deal and has warned of another possible round of fighting with Iran.