Ayatollah Khamenei, Backing Iran Negotiators, Doesn’t Fault Nuclear Deal
Source: New York Times
By THOMAS ERDBRINKJULY 18, 2015
TEHRAN In his first speech since his countrys nuclear agreement with world powers was announced, the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, voiced support for the negotiators and did not criticize any details of the agreement.
Speaking on Saturday after a special prayer marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Ayatollah Khamenei concluded by saying that Iran now had thousands of centrifuges spinning and that research and development would continue.
It is not certain yet whether the agreement struck in Vienna on Tuesday between Iran and six world powers, including the United States, will be ratified, he said without elaborating. Whether this text will be approved or not, we will not allow them by divine help to abuse it, Ayatollah Khamenei told thousands of worshipers in a speech broadcast live on state television.
The nuclear agreement will now most likely be approved by Irans Supreme National Security Council, whose members in many ways have helped Ayatollah Khamenei engineer the deal. It is headed by President Hassan Rouhani, who was one of the main promoters of the nuclear agreement.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/19/world/middleeast/ayatollah-ali-khamenei-of-iran-backs-negotiators-and-doesnt-criticize-nuclear-deal.html