Iran hard-liners criticise Geneva deal

Tehran, Iran: Hard-line Iranian politicians publicly criticized the deal reached in Geneva last week over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, an agreement that has largely been welcomed by Iranians.

Hard-line lawmaker Ruhollah Hosseinian said the deal was so vague and conditional that it may finally lead to a shutting down of Iran's uranium enrichment program. Hamid Rasaei, another hard-line legislator, has called it "a poison chalice."

Most lawmakers supported the deal, saying it eases sanctions that world powers have placed on Iran and prevents them from imposing new ones. Discussions about it were broadcast live on state radio as Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif briefed lawmakers on it.

"We should tell the people what we have lost and what we have gained and why," Hosseinian told the house. "It practically tramples on Iran's enrichment rights... Uranium enrichment restrictions in the final stage and constraints in the first stage mean that enrichment in Iran is headed toward self shut-down."

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, has publicly supported the country's nuclear negotiators. Yet, it has not stopped hardliners from criticizing the agreement.

"A chalice of poison has been given to the people but (the government) is trying to show it as a sweet drink through media manipulation," Rasaei said.

Zarif has argued that the deal has caused serious cracks in the sanctions regime and prevents the U.N. Security Council and world powers from imposing new ones. The deal, he said, also provides sanctions relief in return for Iran scaling down its enrichment program but allows it to continue enriching under 5 percent.

Government supporters have hailed Zarif as "ambassador of peace," calling negotiations a diplomatic victory for Iran. Others say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's angry reaction shows it was a triumph.

Netanyahu called the deal last week a "historic mistake" that makes the world a "much more dangerous place." He added that Israel is not bound by it.

Israel believes Iran is trying to develop a nuclear bomb, and Netanyahu has voiced skepticism at recent moderate gestures by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whom he has called "a wolf in sheep's clothing."

Hossein Shariatmadari, a representative of Khamenei and editor of hard-line newspaper Kayhan, said Iran has given too many concessions in return for too little.

"This slippery achievement is not consistent with the huge volume of propaganda that is being pumped into society over its significance," he said. "It leads to the assumption that government is not honest in its reports to the people."