Iran’s Khamenei says ‘nothing wrong’ with US nuclear deal but warns of ‘misplaced trust’
The Cradle, June 12, 2023 —
The Iranian supreme leader said attacks on the country’s nuclear industry are based on western ‘lies’.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 11 June said a nuclear deal with the west is welcomed as long as the Islamic Republic’s nuclear infrastructure remains untouched.
“You may want to reach agreements in some fields. Nothing is wrong with [reaching] agreements, but the infrastructure must remain intact. It must not be harmed. These are the fruit of others’ endeavors,” Khamenei said following a visit to an exhibition showcasing Iran’s progress in various nuclear-related sectors.
However, the Iranian leader added that government officials must “understand” where to place their trust.
“We were dealt blows because of these misplaced trusts. It is very important that a nation and the officials of a country know and understand where they should place their trust and where not. We have understood it over the past twenty years. We understood who is trustworthy and who is not,” Khamenei said.
“The enemies have created a nuclear challenge for us for twenty years because they know that progress in the nuclear industry is key to a country’s scientific progress,” he added. “The excuse of nuclear weapons is a lie, and [the west] knows it too.”
“Based on our Islamic beliefs, we do not want to create [nuclear] weapons. If this was different, [our enemies] would not have been able to stop it, as until now they could not stop our nuclear developments,” Khamenei stressed.
In 2003, Khamenei issued a fatwa saying that nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction are an affront to Islam.
Despite his warnings about trusting western powers and institutions, Iran’s supreme leader urged cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“Cooperation with the [IAEA] within the framework of safeguards and regulations should be maintained,” Khamenei said during a meeting with Iranian nuclear scientists, experts, and officials.
He then stressed that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) “need not succumb to the pressure of unfounded claims and demands based on bullying.”
Khamenei’s words came on the heels of western media reports that say Oman recently hosted “proximity talks” between Iranian and US officials to deescalate tensions as a basis for future talks on a new nuclear agreement.