This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/09/iran-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-nuclear-deal-neither-backs-nor-rejects
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: no guarantee of final nuclear deal | Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: no guarantee of final nuclear deal |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Iran’s supreme leader has stopped short of endorsing last week’s tentative agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme, saying he neither backs nor rejects it. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the framework deal as non-binding and insisted there was no guarantee a final deal will be struck. | Iran’s supreme leader has stopped short of endorsing last week’s tentative agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme, saying he neither backs nor rejects it. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the framework deal as non-binding and insisted there was no guarantee a final deal will be struck. |
| Speaking for the first time in public since the talks in Lausanne concluded, Khamenei said he supports a deal that preserves the “honour” of his country and that the details of the final agreement would be decisive. But he said no deal was better than a bad deal. | Speaking for the first time in public since the talks in Lausanne concluded, Khamenei said he supports a deal that preserves the “honour” of his country and that the details of the final agreement would be decisive. But he said no deal was better than a bad deal. |
| The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, said Khamenei’s remarks showed there was “still a lot of work to be done” before diplomats from Iran and six world major powers can agree on a comprehensive deal, currently facing an end-of-June deadline. | The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, said Khamenei’s remarks showed there was “still a lot of work to be done” before diplomats from Iran and six world major powers can agree on a comprehensive deal, currently facing an end-of-June deadline. |
| Related: Lausanne strengthens hand of Iran's reformers in next election | |
| Khamenei, who has the final say in all state matters and has usually taken a pessimistic view on nuclear negotiations, was addressing a crowd of his followers in Tehran on the occasion of Iran’s national day for nuclear technology. | Khamenei, who has the final say in all state matters and has usually taken a pessimistic view on nuclear negotiations, was addressing a crowd of his followers in Tehran on the occasion of Iran’s national day for nuclear technology. |
| He added that he would not interfere in the details of the talks, but made clear that two issues remain as redlines for him: that sanctions should be lifted immediately after a final agreement is struck, and that the west should not gain access to the country’s military sites. | He added that he would not interfere in the details of the talks, but made clear that two issues remain as redlines for him: that sanctions should be lifted immediately after a final agreement is struck, and that the west should not gain access to the country’s military sites. |
| Under the framework agreement reached in Lausanne, which provides the basis for a more comprehensive deal, Tehran has agreed to dramatically roll back its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. But Iran and the US have since released separate factsheets on the key parameters of that agreement, prompting debates in Tehran and Washington about the differences between the two interpretations. | Under the framework agreement reached in Lausanne, which provides the basis for a more comprehensive deal, Tehran has agreed to dramatically roll back its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of economic sanctions. But Iran and the US have since released separate factsheets on the key parameters of that agreement, prompting debates in Tehran and Washington about the differences between the two interpretations. |
| “Our officials say that nothing is done yet and there’s still nothing binding between the two sides. I’m neither for nor against it,” said the 75-year-old ayatollah. “It’s all about the details that they are yet to negotiate. The other side may want to stab us in the back over the details; it is too early for congratulations.” | “Our officials say that nothing is done yet and there’s still nothing binding between the two sides. I’m neither for nor against it,” said the 75-year-old ayatollah. “It’s all about the details that they are yet to negotiate. The other side may want to stab us in the back over the details; it is too early for congratulations.” |
| He added: “What has been done so far secures neither the main deal nor its contents. It is not even clear whether the talks will bear fruit and lead to an agreement ... But I will welcome a deal that preserves the honour of the Iranian people and we always say that no deal is better than a bad deal.” | He added: “What has been done so far secures neither the main deal nor its contents. It is not even clear whether the talks will bear fruit and lead to an agreement ... But I will welcome a deal that preserves the honour of the Iranian people and we always say that no deal is better than a bad deal.” |
| Khamenei said he was concerned about ongoing negotiations because he did not trust the other side. “The White House published a factsheet which was wrong on most of the issues. It distorted reality,” he said. | Khamenei said he was concerned about ongoing negotiations because he did not trust the other side. “The White House published a factsheet which was wrong on most of the issues. It distorted reality,” he said. |
| “All sanctions should be removed just when the deal is reached. If sanctions removal depends on another process, then why did we start to talk?” he asked. He added that negotiations for a comprehensive agreement, currently facing an end-of-June deadline, could be extended if more time is needed. | “All sanctions should be removed just when the deal is reached. If sanctions removal depends on another process, then why did we start to talk?” he asked. He added that negotiations for a comprehensive agreement, currently facing an end-of-June deadline, could be extended if more time is needed. |
| Fabius reacted by saying: “Subjects still remain that we aren’t agreed on, notably on economic sanctions, and the supreme leader has made statements that show there is still a lot of work to be done.” | Fabius reacted by saying: “Subjects still remain that we aren’t agreed on, notably on economic sanctions, and the supreme leader has made statements that show there is still a lot of work to be done.” |
| The French foreign minister added: “We are going to keep the position we have held from the beginning, which is constructive but extremely demanding … If it’s possible, we want an agreement, but it needs to ensure that nothing remains in the shadows.” | The French foreign minister added: “We are going to keep the position we have held from the beginning, which is constructive but extremely demanding … If it’s possible, we want an agreement, but it needs to ensure that nothing remains in the shadows.” |
| Related: The Iranian professor who dares to differ on nuclear matters and Israel | |
| Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, echoed Khamenei’s demand for the immediate lifting of sanctions when the comprehensive agreement is sealed. “We will not sign any agreements unless, on the first day of the implementation of the deal, all economic sanctions are totally lifted on the same day,” he said. | |
| An increasing number of senior Iranian officials – including some in Khamenei’s inner circle, such as the commander of the revolutionary guards, have come out in support of the talks, but critics, hardline MPs among them, have not been shy to voice opposition. | An increasing number of senior Iranian officials – including some in Khamenei’s inner circle, such as the commander of the revolutionary guards, have come out in support of the talks, but critics, hardline MPs among them, have not been shy to voice opposition. |
| Since the preliminary agreement, Iran has allowed an unprecedented degree of public debate between those who support the Iranian negotiators and others who say they have given away too much for too little. | Since the preliminary agreement, Iran has allowed an unprecedented degree of public debate between those who support the Iranian negotiators and others who say they have given away too much for too little. |
| Iran’s foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has faced a particular grilling from state television and MPs over the differences between the American factsheet and the version promoted inside Iran. | Iran’s foreign minister and chief nuclear negotiator, Mohammad Javad Zarif, has faced a particular grilling from state television and MPs over the differences between the American factsheet and the version promoted inside Iran. |
| The US factsheet speaks little about the lifting of sanctions and the timetable set out for it, while the Iranian version is ambiguous about the level to which Iran will have to cut its programme. | The US factsheet speaks little about the lifting of sanctions and the timetable set out for it, while the Iranian version is ambiguous about the level to which Iran will have to cut its programme. |