Ayatollah Khamenei addressed a meeting of panegyrists, poets and preachers of the Ahlolbeit (AS) on Thursday, where he touched some of the most controversial parts of the domestic speculations about his official position about recent joint statement signed between Iran and the 5+1 in Lausanne, Leader’s official website report said.
This was for the first time since the announcing of joint statement by FM Zarif of Iran and Federica Mogherini, EU foreign policy chief in Lausanne University, the new nuclear negotiations venue.
Ayatollah Khamenei clearly answered questions which disturbed the curiosity of the public as well as media activists and the government officials alike. “Some people would ask why Leader has not yet taken a position on the recent nuclear statement; I would tell them there is no place for taking position at all, since our nuclear negotiators as well as the government say nothing special has happened and no binding agreement has been signed by the two sides,” he emphasized.
“If asked about my position about the negotiations, I would say neither I support nor I oppose the negotiations, since nothing especial has happened yet; the crux of the matter and which is the most troublesome part as well is when it comes to painful details, which would push the negotiators, country, and the nation to the wall,” Ayatollah Khamenei asserted. “I have never been optimistic about the US; this pessimism has not been based on a whim; rather, it is years of experience which rules that we should be pessimistic about the US intentions,” he added.
“If anyone said the Leader opposed nuclear deal, it is an inaccuracy; I support a deal which secures our national interests and rights; however, I have said before that no deal is better than a bad deal, since it is preferred to a deal which violates the national rights and glory and denigrates our people,” he elaborated.
“I would clearly address here an ambiguity: Sometimes it is said that Leader oversees the details of the negotiations; this is also an inaccuracy. Overall framework of the affairs is communicated to Mr. President and in some cases to Mr. foreign minister, however the details are up to themselves,” said the Leader, reiterating his previously held position that the other side [mainly the US] had a penchant for deception, ruse, and deviation from the right path.
“Our concerns and mistrust of the US would be illustrated with recent conduct of the White House, when the House prepared a statement only two hours after the Lausanne joint statement; which was a distorted, politically motivated statement, and one which would not be trusted,” held the Leader.
“Leader’s words addressed to the nation are based on mutual trust and as people trust me, I also trust the nation; here, I would have a recommendation to our officials; our nuclear negotiators and other authorities should sit with the prominent critics of the nuclear statement to find out what they say and use in their words what would be effective in the negotiations process,” proposed the Leader. “I stress that negotiations with the US would not go beyond the nuclear issue; and if they continue to deviate the straight path, our reaction would be mistrust of them which is informed by our experience of their conduct,” emphasized the Leader.
Ayatollah Khamenei also touched upon his demands made in his private meetings with the officials about nuclear negotiations; “I strongly insist that our officials not underestimate our current nuclear achievements; nuclear industry is a necessity for our country; that some of so-called intellectuals object that ‘why we would need nuclear industry?’ I believe, is deceiving the public,” he said.
He also recommended the authorities not to put confidence on the western negotiators; “I am pleased to hear that one of our officials has said that he would not trust the US; such positions are laudable,” said the Leader.
Leader of the Islamic Republic cited full removal of sanctions as one of the major demands from the authorities; “this is a very crucial point that on the day of nuclear deal all sanctions be removed,” he added.
He also implied that he would welcome extension of talks after the June deadline, adding that in some cases, the other side had also extended the deadline for negotiations.
On ‘unconventional inspection mechanisms,’ Ayatollah Khamenei said that these mechanisms would not be acceptable by Iranian standards; “any inspections and surveillance system should be limited to conventional mechanisms,” he said.
The Leader touched upon yet another development in the region: Yemeni crisis. “I strongly warn the Saudis to end adventurism and bloodshed in Yemen; such movements in the region would not be tolerated; killing of children and women and destroying a country’s infrastructure and national wealth is a great crime,” he concluded.
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