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By Parisa Hafezi | ANKARA
Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election is likely to empower hardliners in Iran who are pushing for global isolation and discourage already wary foreign investors.
Republican Trump said during the election campaign that he would abandon the nuclear deal reached between Tehran and six world powers in 2015 that curbed Iran’s nuclear program in return for the removal of international sanctions.
His tough stance, in contrast to President Barack Obama’s offer of an olive branch to Tehran, could serve the interests of hardliners in Iran.
“If Trump adopts hostile policies towards Iran, this will empower hardliners in Iran,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity because of the political sensitivity of his comments.
A second senior Iranian official said: “Trump’s victory will unite Iran’s hardliners and their supporters … It means more political pressure at home and an aggressive regional policy.”
During the election campaign, Trump described Iran as the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism and dismissed the nuclear accord as “one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen negotiated.”
But Trump he has frequently made contradictory statements so foreign governments are unsure how much of his rhetoric will be translated into U.S. policy.
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif urged him to stay committed to the Iran deal. President Hassan Rouhani said the election result would not effect Iran’s policies and the nuclear accord could not be dismissed by one government.
But hardliners loyal to Iran’s most powerful authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), powerful clerics and influential politicians — had signaled their support for Trump in the past few weeks.
They are wary of any detente with the West which could imperil the Islamic Revolution, and hold influential positions in the judiciary, security forces and intelligence services.
CONCERNS ABOUT THE ECONOMY
Khamenei, whose hostility toward Washington is the glue that holds together Iran’s faction-ridden leadership, has ruled out normalization of ties with the United States, which the hardliners refer to as the Great Satan.
The nuclear deal heightened hardliners’ anger over the rise to power of pragmatist Rouhani, elected president in 2013 on a pledge to improve foreign relations and revive the economy.
Tension eased when Khamenei approved the deal, fearing economic hardship might cause the collapse of the establishment.
