Iranian newspapers launch attack on Joe Biden

Robier al-Fares

Iranian media close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have launched a sharp attack on US President-elect Joe Biden.

They consider Biden to be no different from his predecessor, Donald Trump, whose presidential term witnessed unprecedented economic and political pressures on Tehran.

Kayhan newspaper, which is close to Khamenei, published an editorial written by journalist Hossein Shariatmadari, in which he wrote, “The happiness of pro-Western politicians in Joe Biden’s victory in the American elections is funny, incomprehensible and completely illogical. This is because Biden took advantage of all opportunities for hostility with Iran during the past 30 years, especially during his work as former vice president under Barack Obama.”

Shariatmadari added, “It is obvious that Biden will take advantage of his new position in the presidency of the United States in order to use tools that were not within his powers in order to confront the Iranian regime and people.”

The Iranian writer opined, “The group that expresses its happiness these days with Biden’s arrival must answer this very simple question: Does Biden differ from Trump? The answer is that Biden is not different from Trump, and Biden even expressed his assertion of Trump’s murder of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. ”

Shariatmadari attacked Biden’s person by saying, “Some of the reformist officials who welcome Joe Biden should know that Biden has a deep hatred for Iran and its people, so why do they insist on welcoming Biden’s coming, despite this man’s malice?”

Another article published in the newspaper Javan, which is close to the IRGC, by writer Mahdi Poursafa, sheds light on the role of Joe Biden in imposing economic sanctions on Iran during his tenure as vice president under former President Barack Obama.

Poursafa said, “The record of US governments that the Democrats have controlled indicates the extent of damage inflicted on Iranian society, especially the presidency of Barack Obama and his vice president, Joe Biden, as Iran witnessed during this period the harshest economic sanctions with the help and presence of Joe Biden in the American administration.”

For its part, Tasnim News Agency, one of the media arms close to the IRGC, published an article by veteran journalist Mohammad Esmaili, in which he considered that the ruling American administration’s position towards Iran will not change with the ascension of Joe Biden to the presidency.

Esmaili said, “It is a naive person who imagines that the departure of Trump and the coming of Biden will bring about changes in the structure of the ruling American administration, as there is no significant difference between Trump and Biden regarding overall American policies.”

“It is expected that we will hear from Joe Biden statements that appear to be humane and capture the hearts of the listeners, while in reality these statements will only be a change in the presentation of American policy and just a media (show),” he added.

Related context

UAE Ambassador to Washington Yousef Al Otaiba said that Biden could reach a better nuclear agreement with Iran by exploiting the difficult situation it is suffering from as a result of the US sanctions.

Otaiba added in an interview with Israel’s Channel 12, published by the English-language Times of Israel newspaper, that he believes in reaching an agreement. “But let us address all the problems, not just one of them. Let’s not just take the nuclear issue and forget all the others that we have to deal with today,” he said.

He explained, “I think that they (the Biden administration) are in a better position to negotiate with Iran. It is true that we have a new US administration now, but at the same time it has the ability to pressure Tehran, whether through sanctions, the outbreak of the corona pandemic, low oil prices, or the situation throughout the region… so why not use this pressure to reach a better deal?”

Changing Iran’s position

Later, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that his government would take any opportunity to lift the sanctions on the country, considering that changing Iranian policy depends on stopping the hostile policies of the United States.

“We will take advantage of any opportunity to lift sanctions and economic pressures on the Iranian people, and no one has the right to burn opportunities,” noting that “circumstances will not change before the Americans stop their aggressive policies,” Rouhani added in a speech during a meeting of the Iranian Council of Ministers.

He indicated that Iran does not count on the policies of the United States and works instead according to what it plans, saying, “If America stops its policies towards Iran, then the situation will change.”