Iran’s Friday Prayers: Economy and the Nuclear Deal

(Friday prayers attendants march against Washington's 'perfidy' in the nuclear deal in Tehran. Source: Vahid Naderi/Fars) 

This week, Friday prayers across Iran revolved around resistance economy, nuclear deal and relations with the United States.

In Tehran, Ayatollah Emami Kashani spoke of the importance of ‘resistance economy’, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei’s economic strategy, which has been designated for earnest pursuit in the new Iranian year. “The government is the axis of resistance economy and all should be coordinated with the government,” Emami Kashani said. He also called for a solution to unemployment, Iranian economy’s chronic disease. Referring to China’s successful experience of backing small enterprises, Emami Kashani demanded the government’s stronger support for these economic units inside Iran. “Granting loans to small enterprises can be a solution; the government should organize its efforts in this way and create jobs,” he said.

In Mashhad, Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda reminded the congregation of the occasion of April 8, anniversary of severance of ties between Iran and the United States which took place after Iranian students took over the US embassy in Tehran. Drawing on Ayatollah Khomeini’s oft-quoted metaphor of Iran-US relations, Alamolhoda stated that “United States will be a wolf forever and we are its prey; whenever the wolf approaches us, it’s for tearing us apart.” Mashhad’s Friday prayers leader also slammed Washington’s non-abidance by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actions (JCPOA). “Not only they are not committed to the JCPOA, … but also impose stronger sanctions and anti-Iranian laws and show their teeth,” he said. Also in Isfahan in central Iran, Ayatollah Tabatabaeinejad commemorated the occassion of severance of ties between Tehran and Washington, stressing that no country that has retained its relations with the United States has managed to thrive scientifically, politically or militarily. “To establish relations with the United States, one is forced to become its pawn. We may have trades with the United States … but we will never decide according to their will,” he said. “We will follow our military progress with full force.”

In a sequel to strong criticisms against Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani for his controversial tweet on ‘missiles and discourses’ (which was misinterpreted as his support of ‘negotiations’ against advances in military technology), Alamolhoda reiterated Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks that such statements are dangerous. “Negotiations means surrender,” said Alamolhoda, echoing the mainstream revolutionary mentality. “In negotiations, nothing satisfies the US but surrender.” In Ahwaz, Ayatollah Jazayeri also voiced strong support for Iran’s ballistic missile program. “Iran’s display of its ballistic missiles … is in no way intended to assault any other country, it only aims self-defense,” he said. “We should strengthen our defense capabilities before engaging in negotiations, because Western countries are opportunist countries and do not follow reason.”

In Qom, Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Saeidi also cast doubts about the tangibility of the nuclear deal promises. “We appreciate officials’ efforts during the nuclear negotiations,” he said. “However, the enemy should not be trusted according to Quran’s teachings, and a modicum of trust in them results in harming the nation’s interests.” Saeidi added that commitments of the nuclear deal are still only paper, yet to be realized, while “the US and the West have actually begun their threats."