Iran's hard-liners tell Rouhani to seek solutions at home, not in New York
The Iranian president has drawn the ire of his uncompromising domestic critics after sitting down with Western leaders in New York.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's diplomatic engagement with the leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom has prompted a barrage of sharply worded attacks from hard-liners back at home. These critics have long accused Rouhani of failing to respond in kind to the European states' "reneging" on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). They have been pushing for a full withdrawal from the accord, arguing that protracted negotiations with the European signatories is a waste of time.
In the latest wave of criticism, the Rouhani opponents argued that he should have canceled the meetings after the three European countries blamed Tehran for the Sept. 14 attack on Saudi oil facilities that was claimed by Yemen's Shiite rebels. Kayhan, the paper affiliated with the supreme leader's office, reported that Rouhani had "disrespected Iran's dignity" by sitting down with his French counterpart Emanuel Macron, whom the daily described as "little more than a worthless middleman." In a separate article, Kayhan advised Rouhani to find the "key" at home by relying on domestic economic capabilities rather than seeking solutions in New York meetings.
