Iran's supreme leader on Tuesday left open the possibility of new negotiations with the United States over his country's rapidly advancing nuclear program. He told his government that no harm comes from engaging with the “enemy”.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also drew a red line for holding talks under the government of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and repeated a warning that Washington should not be taken for granted.
However, his comments mirror those made in the run-up to Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, which severely limited Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. However, it remains unclear how much room President Pezeshkian will have to maneuver, especially as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war and as the United States prepares for presidential elections in November.
“This does not mean that we cannot interact with the same enemy in certain situations,” Mr. Khamenei said, according to a declassified document on his official website. “No harm comes of it, but don't pin your hopes on them.”
Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the final say on all state affairs, also warned President Pezeshkian's cabinet: “Don't trust the enemy.”
Mr Khamenei, 85, has repeatedly sought talks with Washington, or rejected them, since then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.
There have been indirect talks between Iran and the United States in recent years, brokered by Oman and Qatar, two of the United States' Middle East partner countries when it comes to Iran. Mr Khamenei's comments came a day after Qatar's prime minister visited Iran.
Asked for comment, the US State Department told the Associated Press news agency: “We will judge Iran's leadership by their actions, not their words.”
“We have long said that we ultimately see diplomacy as the best way to achieve an effective and lasting solution to Iran's nuclear program,” the State Department said. “However, we are a long way from that now, given Iran's extensive escalation, including nuclear escalation and non-cooperation” with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations watchdog.
“If Iran wants to demonstrate seriousness or a new approach, it must stop nuclear escalation and begin meaningful cooperation with the IAEA,” the statement said.
Since the collapse of the deal, Iran has abandoned all the limits the deal placed on its program and is enriching uranium to the 60% level – closer to the 90% enrichment levels needed for nuclear weapons.
Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been taken out of service, while Iran has denied access to some of the Vienna-based agency's most experienced inspectors. Iranian officials have also increasingly threatened that they may be working on nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, tensions between Iran and Israel have reached a new level as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip continues. Tehran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel in April after years of shadow war between the two countries culminated in an attack believed to have been carried out by Israel on an Iranian consular compound in Syria that killed two Iranian generals and others.
Also after the assassination in Tehran of the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, Iran threatened to take revenge on Israel.
President Pezeshkian, a former lawmaker, won the presidency after former hardline President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash. Mr. Pezeshkian campaigned on a promise to reengage with the West through negotiations. Mr. Khamenei's comments, as Iran's supreme leader, could provide him with the necessary political credentials. The new Foreign Minister appointed by President Pezeshkian, Abbas Araghchi, was deeply involved in the negotiations for the 2015 agreement.
“Having done everything we can, a tactical retreat may sometimes be necessary, but we must not abandon our goals or opinions at the first sign of difficulties,” Mr Khameini also said on Tuesday, the second time in recent days that he referred to a “tactical withdrawal” as tensions continue.
However, it is not just Iran that is facing a new presidency. The United States will hold presidential elections on November 5, with Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump as the main candidates. Iran has been concerned about the possibility of former President Trump returning to power.
While the United States engaged in indirect talks with Iran under President Joe Biden, it remains unclear how that would play out in a possible Ms. Harris administration. Vice President Harris, in a speech at the Democratic National Convention last week, said: “I will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect our forces and our interests against Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists.”
The RANE Network, a security risk research firm, said that if Ms Harris wins, “the chances of a deal will increase as the Israel-Hamas fighting moves towards an end”.
“Once negotiations begin, Iran is likely to seek more safeguards in relation to a possible withdrawal of the United States from a new deal, after the United States left the previous deal in 2018,” it said in a statement. analysis of the firm RANE published on Tuesday.
“Due to concerns about the sustainability of a new deal, Iran is less likely to offer further nuclear concessions, such as dismantling more advanced centrifuges, as Iran would like to be able to increase its nuclear program.” as soon as possible, in case of another departure of the United States from the new agreement”.
Tuesday's meeting between Ayatollah Khamenei and President Pezeshkian's cabinet was attended by former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who helped Iran reach the 2015 deal. After the meeting, Mr. Zarif said in an online message that will continue to serve as vice president in Mr. Pezeshkian's administration, after previously publicly resigning due to the change in the government cabinet.
