Iran’s supreme leader has hardened his stance on the nuclear negotiations with world powers, with the deadline for a comprehensive agreement only days away. In a speech on Tuesday night, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted Iran would only dismantle its nuclear infrastructure if economic sanctions were lifted first. BBC was there:
He also ruled out a freeze on research and development for 10 years, as well as inspections of military sites. The demands appear to undercut a framework dealannounced in April. They could also limit the ability of Iran’s negotiating team to make key concessions as the self-imposed 30 June deadline approaches.
As supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei has final say on all state matters.
The so-called P5+1 – the US, UK, France, China and Russia plus Germany – want Iran to scale back its sensitive nuclear activities permanently to ensure that it cannot build a nuclear weapon. Iran insists its nuclear work is peaceful.
Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly backed Iran’s negotiators amid criticism from hardliners and military leaders, but he has laid out a several red lines. In a speech broadcast on state television on Tuesday, he ruled out halting sensitive nuclear research and development work for the 10 years agreed under the outline plan.
