Iranian FM goes on Fox, protests over shortages—and more
The Iranist for the week of July 25, 2025
THE هفت/SEVEN THINGS TO KNOW THIS WEEK:
۱/1 The latest on snapback sanctions and more
IRAN HITS FOX AIRWAVES On July 22, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier (YouTube). In his interview, Araghchi said that Tehran was “open to talks” with the United States, but not “direct talks.”
On what talks should look like:
“If they [the US] are coming for a win-win solution, I am ready to engage with them… We are ready to do any confidence-building measure needed to prove that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever, and Iran would never go for nuclear weapons, and in return, we expect them to lift their sanctions.”
On nuclear enrichment:
“We cannot give up enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride. Our enrichment is so dear to us.” (Fox News)
On the status of Iran’s nuclear program:
“Our facilities have been damaged—seriously damaged.”
On whether Iran tried to assassinate US President Donald Trump and other former US officials:
"This is not our policy to kill anybody outside Iran, let alone the president of another country.”
Having an Iranian official on Fox is an unusual sight, and it was clear that the goal was to send a message to an audience of one: Trump. Responding to Araghchi’s comment about the status of Iran’s nuclear program, the US president was quick to post on Truth Social:
“Of course they are [‘seriously damaged’], just like I said, and we will do it again, if necessary!” (X)
Arguably, the interview didn’t achieve what the Iranians had hoped.
KEY IRANIAN OFFICIAL IN NY This week, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi attended numerous meetings and consultations at the United Nations in New York, primarily regarding the 12-day war and the country’s nuclear program, according to a detailed post on X (English here). On July 23, Gharibabadi told reporters that Iran has agreed to allow a technical team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit Tehran and discuss ties (Reuters/New York Times). Earlier this month, Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA following the 12-day war. Gharibabadi, who is part of the nuclear negotiating team, also warned that if the E3—Britain, France, and Germany—snapback sanctions on Iran, Tehran would consider withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (AP/New York Times).
The E3 had agreed to snapback United Nations sanctions on Iran on August 29 if there is no progress on a nuclear deal. However, the E3 does have the ability to defer snapback beyond October—a key date as the snapback provision expires on October 18, marking ten years since the JCPOA was adopted. The United States cannot trigger the mechanism because it withdrew from the deal in 2018.
If Iran decides to leave the NPT, it would be the second country to do so (North Korea left in 2003). The deputy foreign minister also expressed that while Iran was open to negotiations with the United States, there is a concern that talks will be used as a pretext for new attacks on the country (Axios). In order for talks to proceed, Gharibabadi noted the following:
“To enter negotiations with the American side, several principles are essential: building Iran’s trust—as Iran has absolutely no trust in the United States; ensuring that talks are not used as a platform for hidden agendas such as military action, even though Iran will remain fully prepared; and respecting and recognizing Iran’s rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, including enrichment in accordance with its desired needs.”
On July 23, in an interview with Al Jazeera, President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran would continue to enrich uranium. He added, “We believe in diplomacy, so any future negotiations must be according to a win-win logic, and we will not accept threats and dictates.”
E3 MEET WITH IRANIANS On July 25, Iran held four-hour talks with the E3 at the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey (AP). Both sides said they would continue discussions to break the deadlock over Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran described as “serious, frank, and detailed.” (Reuters) An anonymous European diplomat said that the “E3 had offered Tehran a temporary delay in triggering the mechanism, on condition that Tehran re-engage diplomatically, cooperate fully with the IAEA, and address concerns over its rapidly growing” uranium stockpile (AP).
۲/2 Protests over water and electricity shortages amid heatwave
In anticipation of an intense heatwave on July 23, a public holiday was declared in several provinces, and the need to conserve electricity was emphasized (AP/X). All banks, businesses, and government officials were closed in the capital Tehran and eight other provinces due to temperatures exceeding 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) (AP). Similar holidays were declared in July 2024 and 2023 due to heatwaves.
On July 20, President Pezeshkian warned:
“The water crisis is more serious than what is being discussed today, and if we do not take urgent action now, we will face a situation in the future for which no remedy can be found. In the water sector, beyond management and planning, we also need to address excessive consumption.” (The Guardian)
Tehran’s Water Company initially announced plans to distribute water in plastic bags but later retracted the statement. Despite this, images of the bagged water are circulating on social media (X). This is Tehran’s fifth consecutive year dealing with drought, according to Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian, who also warned that the capital currently has only 14 percent of its dam filled (NBC News).
#SABZEVAR On July 21 and 22, protests erupted in the northeastern city of Sabzevar in Razavi Khorasan province due to water and electricity shortages (Iran International). Protesters chanted in front of the governor’s office, “Shameless, shameless,” “Only on the streets, will we reclaim our rights,” and “Water, power, life: our absolute rights.” (X/X)
Academic Ali Ansari, the founding director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St. Andrews, poignantly made this point about the post-war climate:
“When the dust settles and people start to ask questions, they will see that there’s still no water, still no gas, still no electricity. Everything depends on the country having an economic renaissance—and it can’t do it.” (New York Times)
It seems the post-war dust has now settled.
۳/3 Seventeen prominent activists call for referendum and democratic transition
Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian called for a dialogue with reformist opposition figures (Amwaj.media).
۴/4 Sheikhi family’s killing by security forces angers Iranians
On July 17, security forces gunned down a family of four in a vehicle at a checkpoint in the central city of Khomeini (Hengaw). Among the victims were three-year-old Raha Sheikhi, her parents Mohammad-Hossein and Sedigheh, and a relative, Azam Heydari. State media claimed that the vehicle was targeted by “security forces guarding a military facility.” (Hengaw) The officers involved have reportedly been arrested and are under investigation.
The killings sparked widespread outrage on social media amongst Iranians in Iran and the diaspora, with many drawing parallels to the killing of nine-year-old Kian Pirfalak, who was also gunned down by security forces in his family car during the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom uprising (Iran International).
According to Hengaw’s Statistics and Documentation Center, since the Iran-Israel ceasefire on June 24, “at least 8 civilians, including a child, have been killed by direct fire from patrol and Basij forces in the cities of Khomein, Hamedan, Sanandaj, and Abadan” under the guise of “combating Mossad.” At the beginning of July, security forces fatally shot two young hikers—Mehdi Abaei and Alireza Karbasi—in the western city of Hamadan (Iran International).
Meanwhile, on July 22, the intelligence arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Iranian citizens of a surge in recruitment attempts by foreign intelligence agencies (Reuters). On July 23, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said, “During the 12-day war, at least 2,000 people were arrested. Many of them had no involvement in acts of sabotage and have since been released.” (HRANA)
۵/5 US Embassy guard charged with spying for Iran
۶/6 Amnesty calls Evin prison attack a ‘war crime’
Amnesty International also called Iranian security forces’ use of cluster munitions against Israel during the war “a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law” and a war crime.
۷/7 ICE arrests father while doing preschool drop-off
This story hasn’t made headlines but was flagged to me by a friend:
A Virginia couple—Mohammadreza (Reza) Haghani and his wife Farzaneh—were taken by ICE despite reportedly having a lawful immigration status and working for the US government (GoFundMe).
OTHER اخبار/NEWS THAT MADE HEADLINES:
Human Rights
۰ Iran executes eight more prisoners in weekend death penalty surge (IranWire)
۰ Execution of three prisoners in Lakan Prison (HRANA)
۰ 17-year-old murdered in honor killing by brother-in-law and family (Hengaw)
۰ Political prisoners protest death penalty in audio recording (IranWire)
۰ Political prisoners protest strip searches of families (IranWire)
۰ Jailed activist demands supreme leader step down (IranWire)
۰ Political prisoner calls for referendum to end clerical rule (IranWire)
۰ Detainees in ‘unbearable’ conditions after Israeli strikes on prison (BBC News)
۰ Family of Ahmadreza Djalali remains uninformed about his fate (HRANA)
Domestic Issues
۰ Controversial cleric returns to Tehran Friday prayers despite corruption allegations (IranWire)
۰ Five citizens arrested for protesting gold mine operation in western Iran (IranWire)
Foreign Policy + Security
۰ Iran says it warned away US destroyer but US dismisses account (Reuters)
۰ Gorka: White House not seeking regime change in Iran (Washington Times)
۰ Iran bomb damage intel suggests two nuclear sites not ‘obliterated’ (Washington Post)
۰ ‘Nothing has changed’: Iran tries to rearm proxy groups as US talks stall (CNN)
۰ Iran moves to rearm Houthis and Hezbollah (Telegraph)
۰ Lawmaker threatens security of Persian Gulf, key strait if UN reimposes sanctions (Times of Israel)
۰ Inside the Nobitex Hack: How the Iran-Israel Conflict exposed Tehran’s grip on its crypto services (TRM Labs)
۰ Iranian officials suspect sabotage in string of mysterious fires (New York Times)
۰ Israel sabotaged missiles and hacked air defenses, Iranian analyst says (Iran International)
۰ Iran guards sky ‘day and night’ after war with Israel, air defense chief says (Iran International)
۰ Iran says it has replaced air defenses damaged in Israel war (Reuters)
۰ Iran’s generals tighten grip on country after Israeli strikes (Telegraph)
۰ Iran tests satellite launch rocket it says give it new space capabilities (Times of Israel)
۰ Couple held in Iran unhurt by Israeli bombing (BBC News)
۰ China was on the sidelines of the Iran-Israel war. That’s just where it wanted to be (CNN)
۰ Russia sends message to Iran as joint naval drill launched in Caspian Sea (Jerusalem Post)
۰ Inside Iran’s crackdown on Afghan migrants after the war with Israel (Al Jazeera)
Iran Deal + Sanctions
۰ Iran, China and Russia to meet as sanctions threat hangs over nuclear program (Times of Israel)