Khamenei’s nuclear game: No public approval

Unlike the former Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rarely puts himself in a position of responsibility for crucial issues (with regard to domestic or foreign policy issues).

Since Khamenei is the final decision maker and he enjoys the ultimate authority of approving or rejecting foreign policy issues, understanding his stance in relation to critical issues is significant.

In regards to one of the most significant issues (the nuclear agreement between six world powers and Tehran, and the aftermath of the agreement), the paramount leader of the Islamic Republic has not publicly revealed his stance on whether he approves of the agreement or not.

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Khamenei’s nuclear strategy

The major reason behind his reluctance to approve the nuclear agreement publicly is linked to the notion that he desires to have the authority to pull out of the nuclear agreement whenever he wishes without being blamed or held responsible for approving it in the first place. This happened in 2003 and 2004 when Iran pulled out of the nuclear deal. Essentially he wants his hand clean of the deal and free to leave it when he chooses.

In other words, Khamenei does not want to appear on the records as approving or rejecting the deal so that no one will be able to point a finger at him. In few years, when Iran achieves its demands and it decides to pull out of the agreement, Khamenei could make the argument that he never publicly or officially confirmed his approval of the agreement. He could argue that he just gave President Rowhani a chance for diplomacy! He could and likely will also blame the United States.

This is why the U.N. Security Council members plus Germany should require that the deal be officially signed and approved by Khamenei.

Due perhaps to his desire to dodge responsibility, Khamenei is also sending the nuclear bill through Majlis (Iran’s parliament) rather than Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. If the bill goes through the Supreme National Security Council, then it would need the public approval of Khamenei, which he does not desire to give. President Rowhani and his team are attempting to send the bill through the Supreme National Security Council, so they can get the public and official approval of the supreme leader and make the nuclear deal workable for a longer time, receiving more popular support for their second term of elections. But Khamenei is much too crafty to fall for this tactic.

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https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2015/08/21/Khamenei-s-nuclear-game-No-public-approval.html