Mojtaba Khamenei Responds to US-Iran Peace Deal

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has backed direct negotiations with the United States in a statement read out by state media. This is his first reaction to the deal.

“In principle, I have a different view (on the memorandum of understanding),” he said, as reported by foreign outlets including Reuters and CNA on Friday.

“But I gave permission because of the commitments made by the honourable President, as chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, on behalf of himself and other members to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front,” he added in the message read on state television.

Khamenei has not been seen in public since taking office in March. He was elected to replace his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli attack on Iran on 28 February that triggered a regional war.

Khamenei said President Donald Trump had “used all kinds of means” to secure the deal “out of desperation”. In his message, Khamenei noted that he had received assurances from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian about the deal and that it would not be accepted “if the American side wants to make excessive demands”.

“It is clear that the face-to-face negotiations to be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s point of view,” he added.