Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei announced Thursday that he authorized a memorandum of understanding jointly signed by the Iranian and U.S. presidents — a decision he made despite holding personal reservations about the agreement.
In a written statement addressed to the Iranian people, Khamenei explained that he moved forward after President Masoud Pezeshkian and other high-ranking Iranian officials gave him assurances that the deal would protect Iran’s rights and the interests of what he referred to as the “Resistance Front.”
Khamenei noted that Pezeshkian, serving in his role as head of the Supreme National Security Council, personally accepted responsibility for making sure the agreement safeguards Iran’s interests. The president also pledged to stand firm if the United States put forward what Khamenei characterized as excessive demands.
The Supreme Leader further emphasized that any future in-person negotiations with the United States should not be interpreted as Iran giving in to what he called “the enemy’s position.”
