Iran's supreme leader says he approved US deal despite personal reservations

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that he approved the memorandum of understanding with the United States to end the Middle East war despite holding a "different view" on it. In a message read on state television, Khamenei said he granted permission after receiving assurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian about protecting Iran's rights.

Why did Khamenei approve the U.S.-Iran deal despite opposing it?

Khamenei said he authorized the agreement because of a commitment made by Pezeshkian, in his capacity as chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, on behalf of himself and other council members. That commitment was to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front. Khamenei added that the deal would not be accepted if the United States made excessive demands.

What did Khamenei say about Trump and the deal?

Khamenei said Trump had "used all kinds of levers" to secure the agreement "out of desperation." His message was his first public reaction to the U.S.-Iran deal, which Trump and Pezeshkian signed to end the conflict. Khamenei warned that future face-to-face negotiations would not mean accepting "the enemy's point of view."

Why has Khamenei not appeared in public since taking office?

Khamenei has not been seen publicly since assuming office in March, following the killing of his father and predecessor Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Those strikes sparked the regional war that the memorandum of understanding now seeks to end. Thursday's televised message marked his first direct response to the agreement reached between the two sides.