Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Will Be The Last Word On The Nuclear Deal
“Freezing Iran’s Research and Development (R&D) for a long time like 10 or 12 years is not acceptable,” Khamenei said in a speech broadcast live Tuesday.
Disputes about how much transparency Iran should offer to ease suspicions that it has covertly sought to develop an atomic bomb, and the timing and pace of relief from sanctions imposed by the West on the nation have been 2 major sticking points to the final deal.
“All financial and economic sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, the US Congress or the US government should be lifted immediately when we sign a nuclear agreement,” Khamenei said.
The UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been trying to investigate Western allegations that Iran has been working on designing a nuclear warhead. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful and that it is working with the IAEA to clear up any suspicions.
Khamenei voiced trust in Iran’s negotiating team but, echoing hardline Iranian military commanders, also ruled out international access to Iran’s military sites.
“Inspection of our military sites is out of the question and is one of our red lines,” he said.
UN inspectors regularly monitor Iran’s declared nuclear facilities, but the IAEA has complained for years of a lack of access to sites, equipment, documents and people relevant to its investigation.
In a move that could complicate chances for the final accord with the 5P+1 powers, Iran’s parliament passed a bill Tuesday banning access for IAEA inspectors to its military sites and scientists.
France has spearheaded the powers’ demand that Iran must step up cooperation with the IAEA if it wants to reach a final deal.
A senior French official said on Tuesday that the verification procedures and the authorization to access the military sites is the “main difficulty” to clinch a deal.
“When, where, what, how all this still needs to be made very clear. … There is a difference of view between the Iranian negotiators and the leader,” the official said.
Khamenei accused the United States of wanting to wipe out Iran’s nuclear industry. “America is after destroying our nuclear industry altogether,” he said.
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Paul Ebeling
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