Khamenei Open to Resuming Nuclear Talks with U.S.

Any attempts to speak about Iran’s nuclear program with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seem open when he made indications on the possibility of negotiating with America on Tuesday. He instructed his government that there was no bar to talking to the ‘enemy’, although ladies and gentlemen, let me say this while extending a very super cautious hand regarding those talks with the newly elected reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian. Such statements by Khamenei reflect the balancing act that Iran has to deal with in the aspect of either fighting or talking under the condition of the former President Donald Trump withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear agreement.

It appears that Khamenei who had you may recall at that time when the said nuclear agreement was being negotiated with the western powers that Iran would excessively cut down its uranium production in return of the sanctions, was even more unconvinced about the approach. Khamenei has also interpreted the regime’s willingness to “re” negotiate the nuclear deal. “This does not mean that we cannot interact with the same enemy in certain situations,” he remarked on his official website. “There is no harm in that, but do not place your hopes in them.”

Now aged eighty-five, the leader’s statements come at a time of tension and while indirect talks have been ongoing through Middle Eastern mediators Oman and Qatar. His comments came after the prime minister of Qatar visited Iran, an event that has shown a possibility of warming up of diplomatic relations.

U.S. Stresses Actions

In response to Khamenei’s comments, the U.S. State Department underscored the precedence of deeds over words. “We will judge Iran’s leadership by their actions, not their words,” a spokesperson told AP. They restated that a diplomatic solution is still the best option for the problems of Iran’s nuclear program, although the current tensions, especially in regard to the Iranian cooperation with the IAEA, are great obstacles.

These events unfold with the recent killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran which has only made matters more tricky as per the geopolitical composition with Iran vowing to avenge Israel.

In spite of these crises, Pezeshkian, the new president who took over due to the sudden demise of the hardliner president Ebrahim Raisi, has signalled an interest in resuming relations with the West. A backing by Khamenei could be instrumental in such strategies as they have provided him sometimes in justifying his tactical retreats whenever faced with the international community.

So many questions arise after the U.S. administration transitions from Biden to Harris who has shown opposition to those sort of racism financed by the Iran government people. All that transitions to the control of the RANE Network which states that a Harris government is more likely to come forth with a negotiated settlement as most if not all regional clashes are less pronounced.

Iran continues to demand guarantees that there will be no sudden American withdrawal from any future treaties or agreements, insisting on guarantees that would make resumption of the nuclear program possible without much delay. This bespeaks a more cautious stance whereby the institutions are not placed in any such faith as to accept the permanency of the international agreements in the future and the difficult process of dealing with politics that lies ahead.