In April 2025, as Iran and the United States held nuclear talks, a cleric serving in parliament described on state television what Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had asked of lawmakers. “Mr. Araghchi’s order is that you should criticize, and apply some pressure,” he says in the clip.

The purpose, as he describes it, was to let Iran’s negotiators tell their American and European counterparts that their hands were tied by hardliners at home, and use that to extract concessions.

Why it matters

“Good cop, bad cop” is an old negotiating tactic. What makes this clip unusual is that an insider describes it openly. Western negotiators have long been told that Iran’s elected hardliners constrain its diplomats. This suggests at least some of that pressure is choreographed by the diplomats themselves.

The lesson reaches beyond one round of talks. When Iranian lawmakers threaten to quit the Non-Proliferation Treaty or boast of Russian backing, it is worth asking whether the threat reflects a real split in Tehran, or a script written to move the other side of the table.

Footage: Iranian state television.