Western Islamists Respond to the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran

Since the news of the U.S.–Iran Memorandum of Understanding broke, there have been many critical reactions across the American political spectrum. Among Islamists in the United States and their affiliates, though, reactions have been far more favorable.

Mohammad Ali Elahi, the leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, MI, posted, “The entire world is celebrating while the warmongers in Tel Aviv are mourning.” The graphic he used for his statement came from the Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency, featuring a carefully composed photo of Iranian President Pezeshkian proudly holding the signed memorandum with Ayatollahs Khomeini and Khameini pictured overhead.

In an interview with a local reporter on June 15, just days before the leaked details of the memorandum were eventually confirmed, Elahi said about the U.S. and Israel: “I hope they learn that, and especially with the Iranians, that the word of [sic] ‘unconditional surrender’ doesn’t work for this nation, with their civilization, with their culture, with their history, with their religious values. They are not going to surrender to injustice and oppression.”

In his sermon on Friday, June 19, he gave praise for the memorandum and the first article regarding Lebanon, which foreseeably benefits Hezbollah. Regarding Israeli “occupiers,” he preached, “can you imagine of [sic] this racism, this terrorism, this fascism, this evilness? What kind of animals these guys are?” He also remarked on Vice President Vance’s rebuke of Israel, “You know, Iranians are very smart. Now they are watching all of this.”

Concerning the Islamic Republic, he added, “The fact that they showed that there is no such thing as ‘unconditional surrender’ that is the victory that is real, in a sincere way.”

The US Palestinian Community Network, a Palestinian nationalist organization with Islamist connections, declared that America was “defeated by the Axis of Resistance,” a euphemism for the Islamic Republic and its terror proxies: Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and others. They added that the MOU was a “blow to U.S. empire.”

Daniel Haqiqatjou, founder of the Muslim Skeptic, said of the Iranian regime: “What they did was amazing, unexpected, historical. One for the history books, no doubt about it. But you always can’t help but wonder, like, what could have been? Like, what if they had just stayed the course? Like, what if they had just been a little bit more offensive.” He added “there’s kind of lost opportunity” for the Islamic Republic against the U.S. and Israel.

Regarding the MOU, Haqiqatjou proclaimed: “It is a win in the overarching war where you have the U.S. and Israel against the Muslims. Like, that grand war, I think it’s a win.” He also tweeted about the sixth article, “Trump should get the $300 billion reconstruction costs for Iran by taxing Jewish Americans.” Then, and still now at the time of this writing, it was unclear if those funds would come from taxpayers, other countries, or private capital.

Hatem al-Haj, a senior member of the Fatwa Committee of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America wrote on Facebook on June 14, “Now many Iranians, and many Muslims beyond Iran, will celebrate what they see as a magnificent victory.” He added that the Islamic Republic of Iran was “indeed, even heroic in its pursuit” to spread its influence.

Ryan Costello, Policy Director at the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), posted on X: “Ending the Iran war is a good thing. So is the Memorandum of Understanding. It isn’t a threat to American security, but it is a threat to the Washington mindset that any U.S-Iran outcome is ultimately zero-sum and that Iran’s gain is an American loss.” NIAC is regarded as serving the interests of Tehran and, in 2012, lost a defamation suit against such a claim.

Trita Parsi, former head of NIAC and co-plaintiff in the case, has also been outspoken in his support for the MOU. (U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, who dismissed Parsi and NIAC’s suit, wrote that statements made by him, were “not inconsistent with the idea that he was first and foremost an advocate for the regime.”) On July 19, he posted a segment from his appearance on Steve Bannon’s War Room, where he welcomed the lifting of sanctions on the Islamic Republic. On July 17, Parsi explained on X: “I oppose sanctions and believe political change in Iran - from the inside - is more likely if the economy and populace can breathe.” He wrote about the “failed war of choice” on Substack, calling out Democrats for opposing the memorandum. “The criticism coming from some Democrats is particularly disappointing,” Parsi argued, “because it echoes the same bad-faith tactics Republicans deployed against the JCPOA in 2015.” He further argues, “Rather than attacking the terms of the MOU, Democrats should pressure the administration to protect it.”

Statements from the “woke right,” notably from Tucker Carlson, have been amplified by American Islamists such as Hassan Shibly. An internet personality and founder of Muslim Legal, Shibly shared Carlson’s comments on Israel’s exclusion from negotiations with Iran.

In the clip Shibly shared, Carlson reacts to a statement by Trump about Israel’s absence from negotiations, saying: “‘We sent Israel a copy of the agreement.’ Oh, you sent them a copy, did you? You BCC’ed them? We just reached the outline of a peace agreement with a country we are fighting with Israel without consulting Israel, bitch!” Other, anonymous pro-terror accounts on X also celebrated Carlson’s quote concerning the sidelining of Israel.

Various anonymous, pro-Islamist accounts on X shared viral remarks from Nick Fuentes, the notorious far-right podcaster. Fuentes says, “Congratulations, Iran! You fought hard. You left it all on the field, and you won. God bless the Islamic Republic of Iran!” He adds: “White pilled again! America, the Great Satan, under the control of Israel, has lost.”

In another shared clip, Fuentes declares: “Shiites are the real Muslims. Never forget who fought for the Palestinians. Never forget who fought Israel for the whole world, for all goyim. It was Iran. It was the Shiites. Supreme leader, if you can hear me: thank you.” Hand raised in salute to the dead dictator responsible for the deaths of approximately 40,000 Iranians, he continues: “Supreme leader, if you can hear me: Thank you. Thank you for taking on Israel for all the goyim when no one else would. From a grateful planet, thank you, Supreme Leader Khamenei. From a grateful world, thank you for standing up to Israel on behalf of all goyim. Those Sunni dogs would never.” His remarks also went viral on Persian-language X.