Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi In his Friday sermon on March 21 in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan and Baluchestan Province in southeastern Iran, Abdolhamid emphasized that negotiating with the U.S. could help resolve several unresolved issues, including the matter of "proxy factions." He stated, "The international community can resolve all these disputes, from the issue of Palestine to matters related to the nuclear file or proxy factions, through negotiations at one table and reaching a mutual understanding.

His remarks coincided with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's denial of Iran having proxy forces in the region. During a speech to his supporters, Khamenei said the Iranian regime "does not need proxies," adding, "American and European politicians make a big mistake when they consider resistance forces in the region as proxies for Iran. They insult these groups. What does proxy mean?

While Abdolhamid did not explicitly reference Khamenei or comment on statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump, he urged Iranian officials not to reject negotiations due to harsh remarks or threats, saying, "My advice to the authorities... is not to reject negotiations just because someone said something harsh or issued a threat. Do not cut off dialogue because of that.

He added, "The country's officials must remember that they represent nearly 90 million citizens, and they must think about this population and the segments crushed under the weight of economic and living crises.

These statements come amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, particularly after Trump's return to the White House and the reinstatement of the "maximum pressure" policy on Iran, despite his expressed willingness to negotiate a new nuclear agreement, as well as addressing Iran's missile program and regional policies.