Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei Responds to U.S. Negotiation Deal
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei of Iran has addressed the memo of understanding (MOU) reached between Iran and the United States, aiming to resolve ongoing conflicts.
On Thursday, Khamenei issued a statement on X, directed at “the passionate and loyal nation of Iran,” implying that President Trump appears eager to finalize the agreement.
“As you have been informed, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the presidents of Iran and America,” Khamenei noted. “In achieving this, our officials have worked hard out of sincere concern, while it was the American president who sought this deal out of desperation.”
Khamenei indicated that he wasn’t initially in favor of the agreement. However, President Masoud Pezeshkian managed to persuade him to allow the signing, as long as the U.S. doesn’t impose “excessive demands.”
“I granted my permission based on the commitment from the president regarding the protection of the rights of the Iranian people,” he explained. “He also made it clear that if the Americans push for unreasonable terms, they won’t agree to them.”
He went on to say that, moving forward, both he and the Iranian people will await the fulfillment of previously set conditions.
“We—that is, you, the proud nation, and this humble servant—will be waiting for these conditions to be met,” Khamenei stated.
Khamenei emphasized that an upcoming meeting with the Trump administration in Geneva does not signify complete acceptance of U.S. terms, reiterating that the U.S. remains an adversary.
“It is clear that the forthcoming in-person negotiations will not equate to accepting the enemy’s position,” Khamenei remarked.
Trump previously announced that a digital version of the agreement had been finalized and that he also signed a formal document during a dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron in Versailles.
At a Thursday press conference, Vice President JD Vance confirmed that the 60-day countdown to complete the agreement officially began on that day.
Khamenei has been reportedly recovering from an injury sustained in an Israeli strike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei, which led to his rise as the country’s new religious leader. He has been out of the public eye since then, with reports indicating he was in serious condition.
