Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has authorized direct negotiations with the United States, removing a key obstacle to talks scheduled for Switzerland this week. His public blessing came through a written statement posted to his Telegram channel, marking his first official response to the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding signed earlier.
Khamenei made clear, however, that approval of the deal "does not signify acceptance of the enemy's views." The conditional language underscores the political sensitivities surrounding negotiations with Washington, even as Iran moves forward with diplomatic engagement.
The Supreme Leader said he had opposed the memorandum initially but was persuaded by President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Khamenei stressed that his authorization came with explicit commitments from Pezeshkian and other officials to protect Iranian interests and defend what he called "the Axis of Resistance."
"If the American side seeks excessive concessions, they will not submit to them," Khamenei wrote, citing the guarantees he received before giving his assent.
The Supreme Leader's statement praised negotiators for their work, characterizing their efforts as rooted in "concern and goodwill." He also took a swipe at President Trump, claiming the American leader signed the deal "out of desperation."
Khamenei's public stance carries strategic weight. Raz Zimmt, who directs the Iran Program at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, noted that the Supreme Leader appears to be preserving political distance from the negotiations themselves. This positioning allows Khamenei to claim victory if talks succeed while distancing himself from failure by blaming Pezeshkian and his team.
"Much like his father, he appears careful to preserve a degree of political insulation that would allow him to place responsibility for any potential failure on the president," Zimmt told reporters.
The authorization comes as Iranian negotiators had been awaiting Khamenei's green light before departing for Switzerland. The talks mark a significant diplomatic shift, though the path forward remains uncertain given the competing pressures on both sides.
Khamenei has largely remained out of public view since an Israeli strike struck his father's residence during the opening phase of regional conflict. His written statement served as his primary communication channel for addressing the deal and authorizing the upcoming negotiations.
Author James Rodriguez: "Khamenei's 'yes, but' approach is classic Tehran playbook: negotiate while maintaining plausible deniability on the results."
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