In The New York Times, nestled in an article about how the Iran nuclear deal overcame the odds, David E. Sanger and Michael R. Gordon take a stab at explaining the opposition among Iranian hard-liners:
For the Iranians, this was a negotiation first and foremost to get rid of what [Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad] Zarif often called the "unjust sanctions" while trying to keep their nuclear options open. And while they treasured their nuclear program, they treasured the symbolism of not backing down to American demands even more. But Mr. Zarif was walking his own high-wire act at home. While he had an important ally in Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, hard-liners did not want to reach any deal at all; many were making a fortune from the sanctions because they controlled Iran's black markets. [New York Times]
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