Iran International:

While the latest exchange of threats between US President Donald Trump and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei once again cast a shadow of war over Iran, their harsh words also appear to have stirred tensions in Iran’s domestic politics.

Pundits across Iran's political spectrum have been warning "radicals"—a label often aimed at members of the ultraconservative Paydari Party, particularly in parliament—to step back from the political spotlight and avoid fueling sociopolitical tensions at a time when Iranian society is easily agitated.

Former Deputy Intelligence Minister and government spokesman Ali Rabiei, a figure in Iran’s Reformist camp, urged radicals to scale back their political ambitions under the current circumstances. He advised them to abandon hopes of winning the next presidential or parliamentary elections and cautioned against assuming it is “their turn” to take power in Iran.

Meanwhile, conservative commentator Nasser Imani warned that hardline radicals may be seeking to disrupt the country’s security, stressing that the fallout from their actions would affect all Iranians. He urged other members of parliament not to let the radicals take the lead on pushing controversial issues in the Majles.

Imani said the radicals aim to destabilize the balance among the government’s three branches, as ultraconservatives often thrive in times of instability. He noted that although they hold only one-sixth of the seats in parliament, they are disproportionately loud, disregard boundaries, and continue to exploit public sensitivities on issues like the hijab.

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