Ahmad Jannati: The Leader of Iran Has Not Signed the Implementation of the JCPOA

The Secretary of the Guardian Council states that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic has not yet signed the National Security Council's resolution for the implementation of the Vienna agreement, and the parliament's resolution does not mean the approval of the agreement. This statement comes as Iranian government officials have announced the possibility of implementing the nuclear agreement starting next Monday. According to Fars News Agency, Ahmad Jannati said in his Friday prayer sermon on October 24: 'Some believe that the parliament's resolution means the approval of the JCPOA's implementation in Iran, which is not the case.' According to Mr. Jannati, members of the National Security Council have 'approved' the implementation of the Vienna nuclear agreement, but the Supreme Leader has not yet 'signed' it. He emphasized: 'The parliament's work was on the sidelines of the JCPOA, which obligated the government to take reciprocal actions corresponding to the actions of the U.S. during the implementation of the JCPOA and to adhere to the framework of the National Security Council's resolutions.' The Iranian parliament approved the details of the plan for implementing the Vienna nuclear agreement in a tense session on Tuesday, October 21, and this plan was ratified by the Guardian Council on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 22. Meanwhile, officials from Hassan Rouhani's government have announced that Iran will enter the implementation phase of the Vienna nuclear agreement starting next Monday. The Secretary of the Guardian Council continued his remarks by saying: 'I think it is better to consider the JCPOA issue as concluded and not to discuss it in public forums, whether it was good or bad, whatever it was, let’s consider it finished and focus on pursuing our rights from the nuclear agreement and remain vigilant against the mischief of the other side.' Mr. Jannati's remarks come amid ongoing criticism from some of the Supreme Leader's appointees regarding the parliament's resolution, with Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, stating that this action by the parliament could be 'catastrophic.' He protested the lack of discussion on representatives' proposals regarding this plan and described the approval of this plan in '15 minutes' as 'thoughtlessness.' The refusal of the Iranian parliament's presiding board to allow opposing representatives' proposals to be discussed in the session on Tuesday led to significant controversy. According to protesting representatives, on the evening of Tuesday, Ali Larijani, the parliament speaker, Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the National Security Council, and Asghar Hejazi, a member of the Leader's office, decided that the representatives' proposals would not be discussed. The office of the Supreme Leader issued a statement declaring these remarks as 'inaccurate.' Meanwhile, Hossein Shariatmadari, the representative of the Supreme Leader in Kayhan newspaper, emphasized in an editorial on Thursday that the role of this member of the Leader's office in the positive votes of the representatives for the implementation of the Vienna nuclear agreement 'was not insignificant,' raising the question of 'Can the votes taken be considered the precise votes of the representatives?' Mr. Jannati, in another part of his remarks, emphasized that 'the West' is seeking 'influence in various branches of the system,' including the parliament, and 'they are trying to send as many of their agents and infiltrators to the parliament as possible.' Mohammad Reza Bahonar, the deputy speaker of the parliament, and some political activists have announced that the Vienna nuclear agreement will have an 'impact' on the upcoming parliamentary elections. Meanwhile, the Supreme Leader has repeatedly warned about what he calls 'America's attempts to infiltrate Iran' following the Vienna nuclear agreement. On September 16, he accused 'foreigners' of attempting to 'realize' their goals after his leadership and 'infiltrate decision-making and policy-making centers' of the system, urging the commanders of the IRGC and the country's 'elites' to strengthen the foundations of revolutionary thought and spirit so that nothing in the continuation of this path after him 'would cause disruption.'