Leader says approved Iran-US deal despite reservations
President: SNSC committed to defending national rights, Resistance Front
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei said he had initially held a “different view” about the recent agreement reached between Iran and the United Stets to end war but authorized the agreement based on commitments made by president who has pledged to safeguard the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front.
In a message on Thursday, Ayatollah Khamenei said President Masoud Pezeshkian assured that he will not accept any excessive US demands.
"From this moment, we — meaning you, the proud nation, and this humble servant — will await the fulfillment of the stated conditions. But it is obvious that the in-person negotiations that will take place in the future will not mean accepting the enemy's view," the Leader said.
Praising efforts made the officials, Ayatollah Khamenei said Iranian officials have made extensive efforts out of compassion and goodwill to reach a memorandum of understanding with the US, while the American president has used various leverage points out of desperation.
"The passionate and loyal Iranian nation, as you have been informed, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the presidents of Iran and America," he said.
"In the course of reaching this stage, officials, out of compassion and goodwill, made many efforts, and of course it was the US president who, out of desperation, was using various leverage points for this purpose."
The MoU, signed remotely by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump, calls for a permanent end to hostilities across all fronts, the removal of the US naval blockade within 30 days, the restoration of commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a reconstruction plan worth at least $300 billion, and the lifting of US sanctions.
Under the MoU, the two sides have entered a 60-day negotiation period, with the goal of reaching a comprehensive final agreement. The agreement followed an unprovoked US-Israeli war of terrorism against Iran that began in late February.
Pezeshkian in a statement issued on Thursday warmly welcomed the Leader’s message, describing it as a clear and decisive roadmap that defines the responsibilities of all state institutions in safeguarding Iran’s national interests and dignity.
“As President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Chairman of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), along with the other members of the Council, we consider ourselves fully committed to paying maximum attention to the concerns of the Supreme Leader and to safeguarding the rights of the Iranian nation and the Axis of Resistance”, president said in his statement.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also said that Iranian officials will treat the directives of the Leader as their guiding light in upcoming negotiations, promising never to let the American-Zionist enemy undermine the rights of the Iranian nation and the Axis of Resistance.
Qalibaf said that the recent MoU is not the end of the road but merely the beginning of a difficult and complex struggle to fully secure Iran’s legitimate rights from a “covenant-breaking” adversary.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warmly welcomed the “guiding message” from the Leader, emphasizing full commitment to his directives in defending the nation’s dignity, independence, and revolutionary ideals.