Mohammad Marandi: US pressure on Iran is about Palestine, not its nuclear program

"The real issue for the United States is Iran's support for the Palestinian people." In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Mohammad Marandi, Tehran University Professor and former advisor to the nuclear negotiating team in 2015, asserted that the real reason behind US hostility toward Iran isn't Iran’s nuclear program or missile capabilities, but rather Tehran’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause. “Have no doubt,” he emphasized, “the nuclear program is just an excuse.” He argued that Washington seeks to force Iran into regional compromises, demanding it become a passive actor like Turkey or Qatar, where symbolic gestures replace real resistance to "Israel's hegemony or domination." Marandi clarified that "Iran is not going to trade its support for the Palestinian people" for sanctions relief.