Ahmed Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, said in the sermons of Friday prayers in this city: “Unfortunately, some of our dear people, when referring to and negotiating with the United States, take on a posture that the United States makes use of this matter and spreads it in the world, that these people expect negotiations and that they are in need of negotiations and the end of the war—not us.”

Alamolhoda continued: “This is not a good idea, and these posturing is wrong. Regarding the issue of those dear people who went to New York, the Leader’s position did not allow negotiations and only instructed that you announce these seven conditions to the United States; his order concerned the announcement of the conditions, not negotiations. The individuals who negotiated there acted contrary to the Leader’s order.”

The Friday prayer leader of Mashhad added: “The secretary of the Supreme National Security Council also mentioned this point, that the Leader’s order only related to announcing and communicating the conditions to the United States and that he had not given permission for negotiations.”