Iran’s Khamenei throws support to a Practical Nuclear Deal with West

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http://www.juancole.com/2015/02/khamenei-practical-nuclear.html

Iran’s Khamenei throws support to a Practical Nuclear Deal with West
By Juan Cole | Feb. 9, 2015

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s clerical leader, gave a speech on Sunday in which he said he supports an agreement with the West on Iran’s nuclear enrichment program that is practical and can be achieved, but added, “I will not accept a bad deal.”

The speech is being seen as a sign that Khamenei is throwing his support behind President Hasan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the latter’s go-for-broke attempt to conclude successful negotiations with the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5 + 1) regarding Iran’s civilian nuclear enrichment program. The P5 +2 are seeking an agreement tat would allow Iran to continue to enrich for reactor fuel but would include safeguards to prevent Tehran from ever militarizing the program.

Khamenei said,

“I concur with the continuation and progress of the negotiations and the reaching of a good agreement. And the Iranian nation is also with any agreement that is consistent with its honor and respect. It is not opposed.”

«من با ادامه و پیشرفت مذاکرات و رسیدن به توافق خوب موافقم و قطعاً ملت ایران هم با هر توافقی که دربردارنده عزت و احترام او باشد، مخالفتی ندارد.»

He added approvingly of President Rouhani that the president often says that negotiations are a process of two sides finding points in common. “This principle implies that neither side is going to get everything it wants.”