Talks became heated as foreign ministers from Iran and the world's six major powers met in Vienna to push towards a final nuclear deal. After E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that talks should end if Iran does not want a deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reportedly said, "Never try to threaten the Iranians." Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov added, "nor the Russians." At the time, negotiators were allegedly discussing whether to lift a U.N. arms embargo on Iran. Both Russia and Iran support removing the ban.
Zarif reportedly responded to press surrounding the story by stating that Mogherini "has always had a very positive and constructive role in the negotiations and our relationship has been governed by mutual respect." But the incident prompted Iranians to start a new hashtag on Twitter, #NeverThreatenAnIranian. The following is a sample of tweets that used the hashtag.
KEEP CALM AND #NeverThreatenAnIranian pic.twitter.com/apuplIwywY
— MOHAMMADRΞZA ;) (@ziarlarimi) July 8, 2015
@golnarM @lrozen @business Dignity is so important for Iranians We r ready for diplomacy but #NeverthreatenAnIranian
— Mohammad Eslami (@smeslami) July 8, 2015
You are not gonna like the Iranian side of me....! #NeverThreatenAnIranian pic.twitter.com/IJ12hvDJXe
— خـــان دایی آف لاین (@si_bil) July 8, 2015
We do support our brave FM @JZARIF #NeverThreatenAnIranian
— Hafez Hakami (@hafezhakamii) July 8, 2015
We are eighty million negotiating Team. #NeverThreatenAnIranian #IranTalksVienna #IranTalks #NuclearTalks #IranDeal pic.twitter.com/Bd0jQ0JjGG
— Nuclear Talks (@NuclearTalks) July 8, 2015
#Iran FM #Zarif during #IranTalksVienna : #NeverThreatenAnIranian (New hashtag!) #IranTalks #IranDeal #NuclearTalks pic.twitter.com/WZACNDbebr
— Nuclear Talks (@NuclearTalks) July 8, 2015
Zarif’s #NeverThreatenAnIranian comment is actually trending? If a deal, will come handy in countering hardliners in #Tehran! #IranTalks
— Bahman Kalbasi (@BahmanKalbasi) July 8, 2015
هيچ وقت يه ايراني رو تهديد نكنيد مخصوصاً ظريف رو. #NeverThreatenAnIranian pic.twitter.com/tZ7546I7o9
— mohammad sadegh (@manfered) July 8, 2015
Translation: "Never threaten an Iranian, especially Zarif."
The picture of Zarif was taken during a verbal dispute with an Iranian lawmaker in May. Click here for more information.
We are children of Dr.Mohammad Mosadegh so #NeverThreatenAnIranian #IranTalksVienna @JohnKerry @FedericaMog @JZarif pic.twitter.com/lbM0MJWMSm
— Behrouz Riazi (@behrouz_riazi) July 8, 2015
We are all @JZarif ... #NeverThreatenAnIranian #IranTalks pic.twitter.com/oBkF5pnXCQ
— Masoud Nikkhah (@MasoudNick) July 8, 2015
#NeverThreatenAnIranian We Support u dear @JZarif PLS pay attention @JohnKerry and @BarackObama and another part of 5+1
— Ehsan Naser (@EhsanNaser1) July 8, 2015
Never threaten an Iranian, we want a deal with dignity @JZarif @FedericaMog #IranTalks #IranTalksVienna #neverthreatenAnIranian
— Amirali Zarif (@amirali_zarif) July 8, 2015
#Iran FM #Zarif during #IranTalksVienna : Do not ever threaten an Iranian! #NeverThreatenAnIranian #IranTalks pic.twitter.com/5xNb2ikJPX
— Nuclear Talks (@NuclearTalks) July 8, 2015
@FedericaMog in response 2 #NeverThreatenAnIranian: you wouldn't expect an Iranian & Italian negotiate in a cold way pic.twitter.com/ra2NN0PLpQ
— Omid Memarian (@Omid_M) July 9, 2015