Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a statement endorsing the memorandum of understanding with the United States, saying he gave his consent despite holding a different principled view. Khamenei cited President Pezeshkian's responsibility to safeguard Iranian national rights and the Resistance Front, and noted that any future direct negotiations do not imply acceptance of the adversary's position, according to the statement posted by the leader's office.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a formal statement endorsing the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, openly acknowledging he held a different principled view but gave his consent. The statement, published by his office at approximately 21:08 Jerusalem, cites President Masoud Pezeshkian's responsibility to safeguard Iranian national rights and the Resistance Front. Khamenei warned that Iran will not yield to excessive demands and said any future direct negotiations 'do not imply acceptance of the adversary's position.' The endorsement follows the formal lifting of the U.S. naval blockade on Iran, announced by U.S. Central Command at 19:58 Jerusalem, which confirmed the cessation of all enforcement of maritime restrictions in accordance with a presidential directive.
Khamenei's statement is the latest in a sequence of developments Thursday evening. At 19:58 Jerusalem, CENTCOM announced the blockade's removal, and concurrently, Khamenei's office published a formal endorsement of the 'Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.' Earlier Thursday, The Zioneer reported that Mojtaba Khamenei—the Supreme Leader's son—had issued a full statement approving the MOU under conditions, citing security assurances. The elder Khamenei's own statement now removes a major internal obstacle, after days of conflicting signals from Tehran. An Axios report on June 11 first cited an 'in-principle' understanding that needed Mojtaba Khamenei's approval, and subsequent days saw hardline protests in Tehran and President Pezeshkian defending the negotiations process.
As The Zioneer reported on June 14 and June 15, the deal has been presented by Iranian military and political figures as an 'imposed victory' on the U.S., while other officials maintained maximalist public postures. The formal lifting of the blockade and Khamenei's endorsement mark a shift from reported claims to state-sanctioned implementation. The MOU's signing, possibly by both countries' presidents, was described by Iran's foreign ministry spokesman earlier Thursday as 'under consideration.'
What remains open is the timeline for the formal signing and the full published text of the MOU, as well as independent confirmation of its detailed conditions. The channel that published Khamenei's statement noted critically that the Supreme Leader's wording distances him from direct responsibility for the policy decision, placing it on Pezeshkian — leaving the political durability of the deal an open question.
5 developments
- StrongMojtaba Khamenei says he initially opposed US-Iran MOU, Pezeshkian convinced him to sign
- DevelopingIranian state TV reports Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei reconsiders US-Iran MOU, weighs canceling deal
- StrongTrump says he was told Mojtaba Khamenei agreed to the Iran deal
- DevelopingNew York Times: Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei approved MOU Saturday, ordered missiles readied after Dahiyeh strike
Source and signal
- Internal intake