Iran’s Supreme Leader has responded to a letter from Hassan Rohani, telling the president that “heavy costs” have been paid for the nuclear agreement and warning that the government must remain vigilant to ensure the other parties comply with the agreement.
On Monday January 18, President Rohani wrote to Ayatollah Khamenei to inform him of the country’s “eleven achievements” through the nuclear agreement.
According to the agreement reached between Iran and the 5+1, all international sanctions against Iran were to be dropped in exchange for a series of concessions regarding Iran’s nuclear activities. Last weekend, the parties announced the final implementation of the agreement.
While Ayatollah Khamenei expresses gratitude to President Rohani and his foreign minister for their efforts to reach the agreement, he says: “Take heed that the opposing party complies with its commitments, as recent statements by a number of U.S. politicians are cause for concern.”
Iran’s leader does not specify which statements.
He goes on to add that all government officials must be warned that the mere removal of sanctions is not going to solve economic problems, which he adds will only be remedied through a “resistance economy”.
The Iranian leader stresses that the country has shouldered “heavy costs” for this agreement and the public should not be led to believe that “Western parties have done us any favours”.
Ayatollah Khamenei ends the letter with another emphasis on complete vigilance, “especially against the U.S.” and its potential non-compliance with the provisions of the agreement.
The Rohani administration’s efforts to forge the nuclear agreement with the world powers were repeatedly met with severe resistance from conservative factions of the Islamic Republic. At the time, Ayatollah Khamenei maintained his support for the talks but with the same reservations reflected in his current letter responding to the president.
