Iran’s Supreme Leader has finally expressed his view on how to handle the nuclear agreement between Iran and the 5+1, saying it is best that Parliament review the deal. He added that the concessions made in the agreement have been in exchange for the the immediate removal of sanctions.
In a meeting with the Assembly of Experts members on Thursday September 3, Ayatollah Khamenei said he will not get involved in the legal arguments regarding the role of Parliament in the agreement. He added, however, that he has told President Hassan Rohani that in his opinion, “it is not in the interest of the country that Parliament is left out of reviewing the nuclear agreement.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said he has no “recommendations” for the Members of Parliament and expects them to make up their own minds.
Iran and the 5+1 reached an agreement in July in Vienna. Since then, while the U.S. Congress is reviewing the deal, the Iranian administration has been trying to keep Parliament out of the process. With today’s statement from the country’s Supreme Leader, the deal now likely becomes conditional on approval by the Iranian Parliament.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the concessions made were aimed at eliminating sanctions, and if the sanctions are merely being suspended, then the concessions should be reduced commensurately.
