Iran’s supreme leader says approved US deal despite having ‘different’ view

Iran’s supreme leader says he initially disagreed with the recently signed memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington but ultimately approved it after receiving assurances from Iran’s leadership that the country’s interests would be protected.In a written statement carried by Iranian state media on Thursday, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said he had “a different opinion” on the agreement but granted permission after President Masoud Pezeshkian and other officials pledged to safeguard “the rights of the Iranian nation and the resistance front” and accepted responsibility for the deal.Khamenei warned that Tehran would not accept additional demands from Washington. “If the American side wants to be greedy, they [Iran’s leadership] will not accept it,” he said.But he also endorsed direct negotiations with the US, saying: “It is obvious that the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s opinion.”The remarks came as uncertainty remained over whether Iranian officials would travel to Switzerland on Friday for talks with the United States aimed at implementing the agreement.Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported that Tehran had not yet made a final decision on sending a delegation and that consultations were still ongoing.However, Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said the talks were expected to proceed as planned. The memorandum was electronically signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Pezeshkian this week following a ceasefire agreement intended to end the conflict that began after US and Israeli attacks against Iran on February 28. US Vice President JD Vance said a 60-day negotiating period between Tehran and Washington had formally begun on Thursday and added that restrictions on maritime traffic to Iranian ports had been lifted.The negotiations are expected to focus on some of the most contentious issues dividing the two countries regarding sanctions relief, while questions also remain about the Israeli military’s invasion of southern Lebanon and the future role of Hezbollah.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday ruled out a withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon for the foreseeable future. However, in a post on social media, Trump said as part of the deal, the US expects “a complete ceasefire on all fronts”, including Lebanon, Hezbollah and Israel.The memorandum also provides negotiators with up to 60 days to reach a final agreement covering Iran’s nuclear programmeThe head of the United Nations-affiliated International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) welcomed the signing of the memorandum and offered to assist both sides with verification measures related to Iran’s nuclear activities.“Now it’s for us to sit down with our American colleagues, our Iranian colleagues and start formulating the concrete steps that will have to be taken. So, I think it’s good that the memorandum is there. Now the technical work starts,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the IAEA. As part of the agreement, Iran has moved towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes, while the United States has ended its naval blockade of Iranian ports.Iran’s Supreme National Security Council announced that commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz would not be charged passage fees for the next 60 days.The council said ships seeking to pass through the waterway must submit requests to Iranian maritime authorities and follow designated routes and schedules, citing ongoing safety concerns and navigational hazards.US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that American forces were no longer impeding vessels travelling to or from Iranian ports in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman.The easing of tensions has prompted several countries to revise travel advice. The United Kingdom said it was no longer advising against non-essential travel to parts of the Gulf, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait.Meanwhile, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation announced that all force majeure notices issued during the conflict had been lifted with immediate effect. The company said oil production would rise to two million barrels per day within a week as shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz resumes.