In this photo released by the official website of the Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attends a meeting with the administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. | Photo credit: AP
Iran’s supreme leader on Tuesday (August 27, 2024) opened the way for fresh talks with the United States over his country’s rapidly expanding nuclear programme, telling his civilian government there was “no harm” in negotiating with its “enemy.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s comments set clear red lines for any talks under the government of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and reiterated his warning that Washington cannot be trusted.
But his comments bear resemblance to those made at the time of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw deep cuts in Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Still, it’s unclear how much leeway Mr. Pezeshkian will have, especially as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and the United States prepares for a presidential election in November.
“This does not mean we cannot negotiate with the same enemy in certain situations,” Khamenei said, according to reports on his official website. “There is nothing wrong with that, but don’t put your hopes on them.”
Mr. Khamenei, who has the final word on all state matters, also warned Mr. Pezeshkian’s Cabinet, “Don’t trust the enemy.”
Mr Khamenei, 85, has occasionally urged talks or rejected it with Washington after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.
In recent years, there have been indirect talks between Iran and the US mediated by Oman and Qatar, two of America’s Middle East intermediaries on Iran matters. Mr Khamenei’s remarks came a day after Qatar’s prime minister visited the country.
When asked for comment, the US State Department said The Associated Press“We will judge Iran’s leadership by their actions, not their words.”
“We have long stated that we ultimately believe diplomacy is the best way to achieve an effective, durable solution with respect to Iran’s nuclear program,” it said. “However, we remain far from anything like that right now, as Iran’s nuclear program has escalated in all areas, including its failure to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.”
“If Iran wishes to demonstrate seriousness or a new approach, it must halt nuclear escalation and begin meaningful cooperation with the IAEA,” it said.
Since the deal collapsed, Iran has abandoned all limits imposed by the accord on its programme, and has enriched uranium to 60% purity – close to weapons-grade 90%.
Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been disrupted, while Iran has barred some of the Vienna-based agency’s most experienced inspectors. Iranian officials have also threatened that they may try to build nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have reached a new level during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The years-long shadow war between the two countries reached a climax in April when Tehran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, in which Israel attacked the Iranian consulate building in Syria, killing two Iranian generals and others.
Iran also threatened retaliation against Israel after the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Mr. Pezeshkian, a former MP who won the presidency after the death of hardline President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in May, campaigned partly on a promise to re-engage the West with talks. Mr. Khamenei’s remarks as Iran’s supreme leader could provide him with political cover to do so. Mr. Pezeshkian’s new foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, was deeply involved in the negotiations over the 2015 deal.
Mr Khamenei also said on Tuesday, “After we have done everything we can, sometimes a tactical retreat may be necessary, but we must not give up our goals or ideas at the first sign of difficulty.” This is the second time in recent days he has referred to a “tactical retreat” amid tensions.
However, Iran is not the only country facing a new presidency. The US is due to hold a presidential election on November 5, in which Vice President Kamala Harris and Mr Trump are the leading candidates. Iran is concerned about Trump’s return to power.
While the US has been engaged in indirect talks with Iran under President Joe Biden, it is unclear how this will progress under a potential Harris administration. In a speech to the Democratic National Convention last week, Ms Harris said: “I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend our forces and our interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists.”
The RANE Network, a risk-intelligence firm, said that if Harris wins, “the likelihood of a settlement ending the Israel-Hamas war would increase.”
“Once negotiations begin, Iran will likely demand greater protections in the face of a possible US exit from the new deal, as it did when the US withdrew from the previous deal in 2018,” RANE said in an analysis on Tuesday.
“Iran is unlikely to make major nuclear concessions, such as dismantling more advanced centrifuges, because of concerns about the stability of any new deal, as Iran will want to advance its nuclear program as rapidly as possible in the event of a US withdrawal from the new deal.”
The meeting between Mr Khamenei and Mr Pezeshkian’s cabinet on Tuesday was attended by former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who helped Iran reach the 2015 deal. After the meeting, Zarif said in an online message that he would continue to serve as vice president in Mr Pezeshkian’s administration, despite having earlier publicly resigned over the composition of the cabinet.