- Iran’s Khamenei approved US-Iran MoU after receiving assurances.
- Khamenei claimed US desperation drove the recent agreement.
- MoU sets 60-day process for broader accord.
- Future talks don’t mean accepting the American position.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday said he authorised the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Iran and the United States despite having reservations about the agreement, after receiving assurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian and senior security officials that Iran’s interests would be protected. He also claimed US President Donald Trump was “desperate” to secure the agreement.
In a message addressed to the Iranian nation following the signing of the 14-point framework agreement, Khamenei said he had initially held “a different view” regarding the accord but ultimately approved it after being assured that the rights of the Iranian people and the interests of the “Resistance Front” would be safeguarded.
Khamenei Says Trump Used ‘All Kinds Of Leverage’
Khamenei also sought to portray the agreement as a result of Washington’s urgency rather than Tehran’s.
“As you have been informed, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the presidents of Iran and America. In the course of reaching this stage, the officials in charge, out of sincere concern and goodwill, made extensive efforts and, of course, it was the American president who, out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage to bring this about,” Khamenei said.
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His remarks came days after Trump described the agreement as a major diplomatic breakthrough and suggested Iran’s leadership had approved the framework.
The Iranian leader further acknowledged that he had initially held reservations about the agreement but eventually gave his consent after receiving guarantees from the Iranian government.
“I, as a matter of principle, held a different view; however, out of the commitment that the esteemed president—as the head of the Supreme National Security Council—gave to me on his own behalf and on behalf of the other members regarding the safeguarding of the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front, and his explicit acceptance of that responsibility, I granted my permission,” Khamenei said.
He added that Iranian negotiators had pledged not to concede if Washington sought to impose additional conditions during future talks.
“He also explicitly stated that if the American side seeks to make excessive demands, they will not submit to them,” Khamenei said.
Future Talks ‘Not Acceptance Of Enemy’s Position’
While backing the framework agreement, Khamenei stressed that upcoming face-to-face negotiations with the United States should not be interpreted as acceptance of the American position.
“However, it is self-evident that the in-person negotiations that will take place in the future will not mean acceptance of the enemy’s position,” he said.
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Agreement Opens Path For Broader Accord
The memorandum was signed virtually by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and lays out a 14-point framework aimed at reducing tensions between the two countries.
The agreement includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and establishes a 60-day process to negotiate a comprehensive accord covering sanctions relief, regional security arrangements and Iran’s nuclear programme.
Earlier, Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, described the deal as a potential turning point for regional and international stability, provided all parties implement their commitments in good faith.
Khamenei’s remarks mark his first public endorsement of the agreement and indicate that Tehran’s support for the process remains conditional on what it views as the protection of Iran’s national interests during subsequent negotiations.
