TEHRAN — Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei stated Wednesday that he held a “different view” on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Iranian and U.S. presidents, granting approval only after Iran’s president took personal responsibility for safeguarding the regime’s interests.
In a statement posted in parts on X and addressed to the “passionate and loyal nation of Iran,” Khamenei noted that Iranian officials had pursued the agreement with “sincere concern and goodwill.” He claimed President Donald Trump had pushed hard for the deal “out of desperation” and applied “all kinds of leverage” to bring it about.
“I, as a matter of principle, held a different view,” Khamenei said. However, he ultimately gave his permission after the Iranian president, acting as head of the Supreme National Security Council, pledged to protect “the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front” and explicitly promised that Iran would not yield to any “excessive demands” from the United States.
“From this moment on,” Khamenei added, "Iranians will be watching to see whether those conditions are upheld."
The full translated excerpt from Khamenei reads:
“In the course of reaching this stage, the officials in charge, out of sincere concern and goodwill, made extensive efforts — and of course, it was the American president who, out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage to bring this about. I, as a matter of principle, held a different view; however, out of the commitment that the esteemed president — as the head of the Supreme National Security Council — gave to me on his own behalf and on behalf of the other members regarding the safeguarding of the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front, and his explicit acceptance of that responsibility, I granted my permission.”
The statement reveals internal hesitation at the highest levels of the Iranian regime. While Khamenei publicly maintained his traditional hardline stance, the deal moved forward once responsibility was formally shifted to the president.
Analysts note this creates a clear accountability firewall inside Iran if the agreement does not deliver as promised.
With the MOU now in place, attention turns to implementation. The Trump administration has consistently signaled it will negotiate from a position of strength, and the coming months will test whether Tehran honors its commitments or reverts to familiar patterns of delay and defiance.
