Kharrazi Denies Claims of Khamenei's Opposition to Nuclear Agreement

Kamall Kharrazi, head of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, reacted to claims by several members of parliament regarding Ayatollah Khamenei's opposition to the Vienna nuclear agreement, stating that the Supreme Leader has not taken any position on the rejection or approval of this agreement. According to the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), the former foreign minister emphasized on Tuesday, October 13, that 'the Supreme Leader has expressed his views clearly and transparently, and he has stated that what he says publicly is the same as what he conveys to officials in private meetings, with no difference between them. He has not taken a position on the rejection or approval of the JCPOA.' Kharrazi noted that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has 'delegated' the issue of the Vienna nuclear agreement to the Supreme National Security Council and the Islamic Consultative Assembly. On Tuesday, several parliament members protested against the obstruction of proposals regarding the implementation of the Vienna nuclear agreement. According to these protesting representatives, on Monday evening, Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Parliament, Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Asghar Hejazi, a member of the Leader's office, decided that the proposals from parliament members would not be discussed. Meanwhile, Mehdi Koochakzadeh, a representative from Tehran, stated on Tuesday that the collective opinions of these three individuals cannot be considered the opinion of the Supreme Leader. Ali Larijani responded to Koochakzadeh's remark by stating that Ayatollah Khamenei 'has no role' in this matter. On Sunday, Alireza Zakani, head of the JCPOA Commission in Parliament, mentioned that Ali Larijani had submitted the JCPOA implementation plan to the Supreme Leader, but he had not responded. Larijani, in response to this remark, stated that 'it was not intended' for Ayatollah Khamenei to provide an opinion on this plan. Following the Vienna nuclear agreement, several close associates of Ayatollah Khamenei, including Hossein Shariatmadari, his representative in the Kayhan newspaper, have indicated that he is 'not satisfied' with this agreement. Conversely, the Supreme Leader has not explicitly commented on this matter, and his office has not denied Shariatmadari's statements. However, Hamidreza Moghadamfar, advisor to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, accused Shariatmadari on Sunday, August 16, of 'insisting on conveying to his audience' that the Supreme Leader thinks like him. Previously, members of Iran's nuclear negotiation team and Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister, have repeatedly stated that discussions of the nuclear negotiations are presented 'in detail' to the Supreme Leader. In this context, Eshaq Jahangiri, the First Vice President of Iran, also stated on Tuesday: 'We have always tried to ensure that the details of all nuclear negotiations are communicated to the Supreme Leader, guidance is taken in meetings, and we operate based on the red lines that have been drawn.' The statements of government officials come at a time when Ayatollah Khamenei stated on April 8: 'Sometimes it is said that the details of these negotiations are under the Leader's supervision, while this statement is not accurate.' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has previously outlined 'red lines' regarding nuclear negotiations. While opponents of this agreement emphasize that these red lines have not been adhered to, members of the Iranian nuclear negotiation team have stated that they have always respected the red lines.