Arabic version: أسواق إيران تتفاعل مع صفقة محتملة مع الولايات المتحدة على الرغم من المعارضة الداخلية
According to Al Jazeera,
Tehran, Iran – Markets in Iran have welcomed the prospects of an interim understanding with the United States that could offer relief after more than 100 days of hostilities and tension. The two sides on Sunday appeared close to signing the first stage of a deal – but there was also fierce last-minute pushback from hardliners inside Iran, as well as seemingly from Israel.
The Iranian rial showed signs of recovery, with each US dollar valued at less than 1.68 million rials by noon on Sunday, a slight improvement from the previous month’s all-time low of 1.9 million rials. Additionally, the price of gold declined, with each Emami gold coin priced at about 1.71 billion rials (approximately $1,010), down by about 5 percent compared with the market opening on Saturday morning.
Despite the optimistic market trends, public sentiment remains cautious. A Tehran resident expressed skepticism about the long-term impact of a potential deal, stating that rising prices of essential goods would not improve even if the currency strengthened temporarily. The Tehran Stock Exchange also surged, with the main index growing by 123,000 points by the end of trading on Sunday, reaching a new all-time high of nearly 4.82 million points, but concerns linger about the sustainability of such growth.
Negotiations have intensified, with Qatari mediators arriving in Tehran to facilitate discussions. However, hardliners within Iran are urging officials to minimize concessions. The Fars news website, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Iranian officials were unlikely to sign on Sunday since it was Trump’s birthday. Prominent lawmakers have voiced strong opposition, warning that any agreement could undermine Iran’s military achievements.
The debate over the deal has reignited discussions about Iran’s power dynamics, particularly the role of the supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and the Supreme National Security Council. Some hardline factions have indicated they would resist any agreement even if endorsed by Khamenei. Conversely, Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, has urged unity and respect for leadership decisions, emphasizing the need for compromise in safeguarding the nation.
