A macro look at nuclear talks, an analysis of Leader’s nuclear stance

An analysis released by a website affiliated to the Supreme Leader has highlighted the need for critical analyses of the Iran nuclear deal, but has said that pointing an accusing finger at the negotiating team is in contravention of the country’s expediency and against the Leader’s approach.

Khamenei.ir, the website which releases the works of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on July 19 published a piece – A Macro Look at Nuclear Talks – analyzing the Leader’s interpretations of nuclear talks in recent days.

The following is the translation of the piece in its entirety:

After 23 months of nuclear talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran and P5+1 over Iran’s 13-year-old nuclear case came to an end, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution announced the country’s macro policies – including a continued anti-imperialistic approach and Iran’s regional policies – in response to a letter by the president, in his [Eid al-Fitr] sermons, and in his meetings with state officials and Iran-based ambassadors of Islamic countries to mark Eid al-Fitr.

There are a few points in the Leader’s remarks which should be contemplated:

1. Appreciating the efforts of the negotiating team: The Supreme Leader expressed gratitude for the efforts of the negotiating team after the talks came to an end, saying, “The divine rewards for them [Iranian nuclear negotiators] are reserved whether or not the text [of the nuclear deal] which has been pieced together is approved of in the course of the predicted legal channels”.

The Leader’s appreciation and thankfulness is of essence because some went beyond what is viewed as healthy criticism and contributed to division, discord and character assassination after the final text [of the nuclear deal] and its annexes were released.

It is quite natural to have a critical look at the text thanks to the untrustworthiness of the other side. But in dealing with the country’s negotiating team, some individuals have pressed on with finger-pointing and fault-finding – despite the Leader’s recommendations [otherwise] especially in a meeting with state officials – as if the final text had been prepared courtesy of their [the nuclear team’s] betrayal. This approach absolutely defies wisdom and expediency, and does not fit into the pathway the Supreme Leader has determined.

On the other hand, some others think the Leader’s expression of gratitude for the endeavors of the negotiating team translates into his approval of the result of the talks. This view is incorrect as well.

Ayatollah Khamenei said in a meeting with officials in the month of Ramadan, “I will tap into all capabilities that I have at my disposal to help the government. I approve of and support this government, like all previous governments … All governments, which came to power after the revolution, were elected by people, and I have supported these governments in all periods – when I was in charge. All governments have positive and negative points. No government can claim that everything it does is positive. Others cannot say that a government’s performance is entirely negative. No, there is a mix of positive and negative points”.

2. Emphasizing efforts to walk down the legal path: After the talks wrapped up in Vienna [and produced a deal], some expected the Supreme Leader to openly support or criticize [the nuclear deal], whereas the deal’s legal channels and mechanism have yet to be finalized.

Imam Jawad [the ninth Shiite Imam] has said that to reveal something before its finalization will lead to its destruction (Tuhaf al-‘uqul, p. 457). The focus by the Leader on the need for the deal to go through legal channels can be pondered on from two angles:

A) Because of the multiple past failure of the other side, especially the US, to keep its promises, the deal should be fully assessed, revised and modified so that the other side cannot misuse it.

B) A look at the history – past and present – of the Islamic Republic shows that Ayatollah Khamenei like the Founding Father of the Islamic Republic the late Imam Khomeini has always called for employment of legal processes and collective wisdom for making decisions on the country’s core issues.

Since 2004 when Iran’s nuclear case opened, three governments have been in charge of settling this case. Three governments, with different and sometime opposing approaches and tactics, have tried to deal with this case in their own way and within the framework of our red lines.

In different periods, the issues associated with the nuclear case have been decided on after the core principles, considerations, approaches and methods of the elected governments have been taken into account and after the case has gone through the legal procedures. The approach of the Supreme Leader in this regard shows that there is no room for being overjoyed like what some people do; nor should we consider the revolution’s principles as lost and finished like what some other do! Rather, we need to take into account these considerations in our analyses and critical views until the complex nuclear talks come to a stop and the problems are fixed.

3. Avoiding division: In a meeting with state officials and Islamic ambassadors based in Iran on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, the Supreme Leader said, “The Iranian nation should be united and questions surrounding the nuclear case should not cause a rift in the country”.

It should be mentioned that it is the leverage of the enemies of the Islamic Revolution to turn the opportunities of the Islamic Republic of Iran into threats against the country. A case in point is what happened in Iran following the 2009 elections. A high public turnout (more than 85 percent) should have been the launching pad for the Islamic Republic to enter regional and international equations, but instead the post-election events tarnished the image of the Islamic establishment.

We need to take lessons from such incidents (seditions) and learn how to seize the available opportunities and take steps toward advancing the objectives of the Islamic Revolution. We need to be fully aware that what matters in nuclear talks is the settlement of the nuclear case, not asking people to rally around a certain person or group for electoral purposes or political and partisan bickering.

4. Having a trend-based look at the nuclear case: A trend-based macro look is one of the key points in the Supreme Leader’s remarks. The Leader said in his Eid sermons, “It is ten or twelve years that six big world powers – which are among the world’s most powerful countries as far as economic wealth, etc. is concerned – have been sitting [at the negotiating table] across from Iran in order to prevent Iran from pursuing [the development of] its nuclear industry … The result: these six powers had to tolerate the spinning of several thousand centrifuges in the country, tolerate the continuation of [the growth of] this industry in the country, [and] had to tolerate the continuation of research and development in this industry [in Iran]”.

Therefore, a merely technical and instantaneous look [at the issue] will cause us to misanalyze the case. To analyze the nuclear case – which has complex aspects and has been subject to passage of time – we need to contemplate more and have a general look at the procedures through which the country’s nuclear case is dealt with, fairly review its inputs and outputs and then pass on judgment.

The Supreme Leader has warned in his remarks that the other side should be denied anything which leads to gamesmanship, saying unity in the ranks of people holds the key to solving the problems. Isn’t it true that the recent remarks of the Supreme Leader can shed light – literally – on the way the Muslim community in Iran moves forward?