Published by TrenBuzz.com | June 20, 2026 | BREAKING
Key Points at a Glance
- Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first public statement on the US-Iran deal Thursday, June 18, saying he held a “different view” but ultimately approved it.
- He had not appeared in public since succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on February 28.
- Mojtaba Khamenei called Trump “desperate,” claiming the US president “used all kinds of leverage” to force the agreement.
- He warned Iran “will not submit to excessive demands” in the 60 days of follow-up negotiations now underway.
- Khamenei said he approved the MOU only after assurances from President Pezeshkian and security council chief Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr.
- He stressed that future face-to-face talks with the US do “not mean accepting the enemy’s opinion.”
He has not been seen in public since the strike that killed his father. He was wounded in that same attack. And on Thursday, for the first time, the world heard directly from the man now leading Iran through the most consequential 60 days of his short tenure.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday said he had reservations about the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and the United States to end the war but still agreed to move forward with the deal. “I, as a matter of principle, held a different view; however, out of the commitment that the esteemed president gave to me on his own behalf and on behalf of the other members regarding the safeguarding of the rights of the nation, I have granted my permission,” Khamenei wrote in a post on X.
The “Desperate” Jab at Trump
Khamenei argued that “it was the American president who, out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage to bring this about.” He framed Pezeshkian’s push for the deal as coming “out of sincere concern” and as a signal of “goodwill” toward ending the war, rather than as Iranian capitulation.
“We Will Not Submit”
Khamenei said Iran would wait to see the deal’s effects, but made clear that in-person negotiations during the upcoming 60-day window did not constitute acceptance of the American position. “It is obvious that the face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s opinion,” he said in his first public reaction to the agreement.
Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei
Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, 56, became Iran’s third supreme leader on March 8, 2026, succeeding his father after the assassination during the war. He was wounded in the same strike. A longtime power broker within the IRGC and Basij paramilitary force, he had operated largely behind the scenes for two decades before suddenly inheriting Iran’s highest office mid-war.
What’s Next in the 60-Day Window
Under the memorandum of understanding text, Tehran could gain access to up to $300 billion for redevelopment efforts after agreeing to end fighting in Lebanon, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and never seek to procure a nuclear weapon. Khamenei’s proxies will spend the next two months negotiating with US officials on the harder remaining issues, including final restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump signed the deal in Versailles. Pezeshkian signed it in Tehran. And now, after days of silence, the man who actually holds final say in Iran has spoken, approving the agreement while making absolutely clear he did not enjoy doing it.
🔗 [Also Read “US Iran Peace Deal Reached: Trump Says Signing Set for June 19 in Switzerland” | TrenBuzz.com]
🔗 [“Trump Iran Deal MOU Signed in Versailles: Oil Tankers Begin Exiting Hormuz” | TrenBuzz.com]
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. All quotes and statements are sourced from Al Jazeera, The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post, PBS News, The Hill, and Wikipedia as of June 18-20, 2026. TrenBuzz.com does not represent any government or diplomatic body. Readers are encouraged to follow credible international news sources for real-time updates on the ongoing 60-day negotiation period.