Khamenei: Fate of nuclear deal unclear, US wants to use it ‘to penetrate’ Iran

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the fate of a historic nuclear deal with world powers is still unclear as lawmakers in both the Islamic Republic and the United States review it.

Khamenei, speaking to an Iranian media convention, strongly impugned the motives of his country’s major negotiating partner.

“In their understanding of the deal, of which its fate is not clear since it is not clear if will be approved here or there, their intention was to find a way to penetrate into the country,” he said, referring to the US.

Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters in Iran, has not publicly approved or disapproved the deal, though he repeatedly offered words of support for Iran’s nuclear negotiators during hte course of the talks.

Khamenei was quoted Monday by his official website.

Taking to Twitter, the supreme leader elaborated on the US attempts to “infiltrate” the Islamic Republic.

“We waste no efforts to shut ways of infiltration into the country. We’ll allow neither economic, nor political, nor cultural intrusion of US,” he wrote. “Americans also try to penetrate into region. They want to disintegrate #Iraq & #Syria. We do not allow this and it won’t happen by God help.”

The supreme leader also offered to arm anyone “fighting the Zionists.”

We spare no opportunity to support anyone #FightingTheZionists. pic.twitter.com/dQx5rD6JMI

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) August 17, 2015

On Saturday, a prominent Iranian hard-liner said Khamenei is opposed to a landmark nuclear deal.

Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor of the daily newspaper Kayhan who is appointed by Khamenei and a serves as a representative of the supreme leader, made the comments in an editorial Saturday. It marked the first time someone had publicly claimed to know where Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, stands on the deal.

Shariatmadari also referred to an Al-Quds Day speech by Khamenei last month during which the ayatollah said, “Whether this text is approved or disapproved, no one will be allowed to harm the main principles of the (ruling) Islamic system.”

The editorial noted: “Using the phrase ‘whether this text is approved or disapproved’ shows his lack of trust in the text of the deal. If His Excellency had a positive view, he would have not insisted on the need for the text to be scrutinized through legal channels … It leaves no doubt that His Excellency is not satisfied with the text.”

An editorial appearing Sunday in the Tasnim news agency, thought closely tied to the Iranian regime, derided Shariatmadari for claiming to speak for Khamenei.

The supreme leader appeared to have given measured support for the agreement, which lifts crippling sanctions on Iran in return for significant curbs on its nuclear program, in his July 19 Al-Quds Day speech in Tehran, days after the deal was reached.