The NY Times is carrying a story on a speech Khamenei gave earlier today: Iran’s Supreme Leader Noncommital on Nuclear Agreement which contains statements on the nuclear deal and the Yemen conflict.
The leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also expressed strong and rare criticism toward Iran’s regional competitor, Saudi Arabia, calling the new leaders in Riyadh “inexperienced youths” who were highlighting the country’s “barbarous features.”
In public remarks that were bound to escalate tensions with Saudi Arabia, Mr. Khamenei referred to Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen as an invasion and “a genocide,” which he called a “bad mistake” and a crime akin “to those committed by the Zionists in Gaza.”
"Despite disputes,#Saudis used to display composure w us but now inexperienced #youngsters have come to power& replaced composure w barbarism" — Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) April 9, 2015
The last is kind of a strange thing to say since King Salman is 82 (ascended to throne in January).
He also made some comments on the nuclear deal which contain a mix of optimism and skepticism. I would take them with many servings of salt. He's speaking to a domestic audience which contains people who do not want any deal with the US, and he clearly cannot turn on a dime and advocate reconciliation with the "great Satan". It's the same kind of rhetorical dilemma our politicians face when discussing deals with a charter member of the "Axis of Evil".
It'll take years before Iranian and American politicians can speak about each other in non-judgmental terms. Huge props to President Obama for dialing down the rhetoric from day one, as exemplified in the Cairo speech. This rapprochement with Iran has been six years in the making, which is why it is so crucial that it be given every chance to succeed. As I argued earlier, if it works, it will be Obama's foreign policy legacy and Cuba was a dry run.
It must be clear, the ayatollah said, that the negotiations were not going beyond the nuclear field. “But,” he continued, “if the other side refrains from its normal bad actions, this will become an experience that we can continue on other issues. If we see that once again they repeat their bad actions, it will only strengthen our experience of not trusting America.”
The Iranian leader said that he was not worried about the talks failing and leading to a regional race toward enrichment. In a veiled address to Saudi Arabia, he challenged that country to try and start a nuclear program without the help of foreigners.
“An underdeveloped country said, ‘If Iran has enrichment, we want it too,’” he said. “Well, do it if you can. Nuclear technology is our domestic capability.”
That is likely a reference to the suspicion (widely shared by many) that Pakistan has a tacit agreement with the Saudis to provide nukes if they need/want them. Of course,
A.Q. Khan claimed he had provided technical assistance to the Iranians.
Washington Post is also covering the story Iran’s supreme leader voices pessimism on nuclear deal:
In a televised speech marking Iran’s National Day of Nuclear Technology, Khamenei also ruled out any “extraordinary supervision measures” over Iran’s nuclear activities and said that “Iran’s military sites cannot be inspected under the excuse of nuclear supervision,” the Associated Press reported. But he also repeated his denials that Iran has any intention of building nuclear weapons, which he has declared to be forbidden by Islam.
It was not immediately clear whether Khamenei was seeking to assuage hard-liners in Iran who have vocally opposed the nuclear negotiations, or whether he was signaling his own deal-breaking reservations about the framework agreement. Khamenei has the final say on Iranian acceptance of any agreement.
Khamenei said he had faith in Rouhani’s negotiators but expressed suspicion of Washington, warning about its “devilish” intentions.
“I neither support nor oppose the deal,” he said, Reuters reported. “Everything is in the details. It may be that the deceptive other side wants to restrict us in the details.”
He added: “I was never optimistic about negotiating with America. . . . Nonetheless I agreed to the negotiations and supported, and still support, the negotiators.” As he spoke , a crowd chanted, “Death to America,” Reuters said.
The NY Times highlighted the emphasis Khamenei seems to have placed on all sanctions being lifted the day a deal is signed:
“The sanctions should be lifted all together on the same day of the agreement, not six months or one year later,” Mr. Khamenei said. “If lifting of sanctions is supposed to be connected to a process, then why do we negotiate?”
"Hours after the #talks, Americans offered a fact sheet that most of it was contrary to what was agreed.They always deceive breach promises." — Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) April 9, 2015