Leader Sees No Nuclear Agreement Better Than Bad Deal

TEHRAN –Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei underlined that Iran will never accept a bad agreement with the world powers, but the country is in favor of a single-phase comprehensive deal which would respect the Iranian nation’s inalienable rights and entail all details.

“I agree with an agreement if it can be struck, but I disagree with a bad agreement,” the Supreme Leader said in a meeting with the commanders and personnel of the Iranian Air Force and Air Defense in Tehran on Sunday.

He pointed to the US officials’ remarks that “disagreement is better than a bad agreement”, and said, “We believe the same and we believe that not agreement is better than striking an agreement that would harm the national interests and pave the way for humiliating the Iranian people.”

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the efforts underway by the Iranians to remove the sanctions in their talks with the six world powers, and said, “If this happens and the enemy gives up the weapon of sanctions it will be very good, but if this doesn’t happen there are (still) many ways to slow down the impact of the US-led embargoes.”

The Supreme Leader reiterated that even if the sanctions are kept in place, their impact can be alleviated through paying appropriate attention to available means and industrious efforts.

The Leader further stressed his opposition to striking a deal over general issues and leaving the details for some other time in future, saying that a final agreement should include all the general principles and all the details together and should not leave anything for future.

Ayatollah Khamenei endorsed President Hassan Rouhani’s recent remarks who had stated that negotiation means both opposing sides should try to come into agreement over a common point, and said, “On the same basis one side should not try to materialize whatever he/she expects through illogical behavior.” 

The Leader complained that the behavior of the Americans and their European allies in the negotiations is illogical as they expect all their excessive demands to be met, “but this is not the way of negotiation“.

Ayatollah Khamenei approved of the Iranian officials’ standing up to the other side’s excessive demands, and said, “The Islamic ruling system acts on a logical basis in the nuclear talks, but the other side has no logic and is pursuing irrationality by relying on bullying.”

The Supreme Leader reiterated that the Iranian nation will not tolerate bullying, excessive demands and illogical behavior.

Ayatollah Khamenei once again underlined his agreement with the continuation of the negotiations in pursuit of a good deal, and said, “Surely the Iranian nation will not disagree with any agreement that would respect them either.”

He noted that Iranian nation’s progress and respect should be protected in the negotiations because Iranians never accept the bullying of opposite sides, including the US.

The 10th round of negotiations between Iran and the six world powers was held in Vienna from November 18 to 24, where the seven nations decided to extend the talks until July after they failed to strike an agreement.

The latest round of the nuclear talks between the two sides was held at the level of deputy foreign ministers in Geneva, Switzerland, on January 18.

The two sides decided to continue their talks in February.

Both Iran and the G5+1 negotiators have underlined that cutting a final deal before the July 10 deadline is possible.

Boroujerdi stresses Iran’s opposition to two-phase nuclear deal with world powers

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi described removal of all sanctions as Iran’s main prerequisite for striking a final nuclear deal with the world powers, stressing that Tehran would not accept a two-phased agreement.

“A two-phase agreement which envisages a decision on the removal of sanctions to a later date or includes lifting of some embargos will be unacceptable; all sanctions, including those of the UN Security Council, the UN, the US Congress and the EU should be removed all at once,” Boroujerdi said on Sunday.

FNA

R.S