Leaked recording of Iran's foreign minister stirs debate
The recording of Iran’s foreign minister has led to speculation as to motivations and meanings.
Ever since a recording of Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was leaked yesterday, Iranians have been discussing not only the contents but also the possible motivations behind releasing the audio.
The audio itself does not reveal anything scandalous or unknown. Zarif, however, does offer his own interpretation of specific events. Zarif accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of running their own regional foreign policy and ignoring the advice of the Foreign Ministry. In the recording, Zarif also said that former Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani had traveled to Moscow in 2015 to undermine the nuclear negotiations. Zarif also expressed frustration with certain IRGC decisions, such as sending ground forces to Syria and using Iranian airlines without the knowledge or consent of the Foreign Ministry.
The fact that the IRGC — which answers to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters — does not answer to the administration is not particularly revelatory or damning. It is odd that Zarif would accuse Soleimani specifically of trying to undermine the nuclear negotiations during his Moscow trip when at the time it was understood that his trip was to enlist Russian support in the Syrian war.
It is not yet clear if the audio will hurt Zarif’s standing in the Islamic Republic. If Khamenei or President Hassan Rouhani were truly displeased with his statements or the release of the recording, they could have already demoted him. It’s possible Khamenei himself will indirectly address the matter in the next speech. Zarif has continued duties as usual so far, meeting with his Qatari counterpart in Doha yesterday.
