The decision to move forward with dialogue with Washington came after a series of guarantees provided by the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and the head of the Supreme National Security Council.
The Iranian supreme leader, still missing after being injured in the war, gave the green light for meetings in Switzerland
The decision to move forward with dialogue with Washington came after a series of guarantees provided by the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and the head of the Supreme National Security Council.
Jamenei himself explained the reasons for his authorization in the official statement: “In principle, I had a different opinion; however, in light of the commitment that the esteemed president —as head of the Supreme National Security Council— took on my behalf and on behalf of the other members regarding the safeguarding of the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front, and his explicit acceptance of that responsibility, I gave my permission.”
Negotiations between the United States and Iran will have a 60-day deadline to address central issues such as the future of the Iranian nuclear program and the strategic situation of the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the start of dialogue, Jamenei made it clear that his country will not yield to what he termed the “enemy's position.”
From the United States, President Donald Trump also referred to the situation of the Iranian leader and his health status. “I have not had the privilege of meeting him… If one believes the stories, he is missing many parts of his body,” he stated in remarks to The Post.
The move towards a direct dialogue instance represents a significant shift amid the conflict, with a physically weakened Iranian leadership but determined to uphold its conditions at the negotiating table
The supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba Jamenei, agreed to initiate in-person negotiations with the United States to advance a peace agreement, according to a report backed by an official statement issued by his office.
The decision marks a key point in the ongoing conflict, amid a context of tension and with the Iranian leader absent from the public scene.
According to the information released, Jamenei authorized his negotiating team to travel to Switzerland on Friday to participate in the first round of talks with U.S. representatives, under a memorandum of understanding. The authorization includes some instructions such as not accepting demands that are considered excessive by Tehran.
The supreme leader has been missing since the start of the war, after being severely injured. Since that moment, he has not been seen publicly and it is believed that he suffered serious injuries during an Israeli attack that also resulted in the death of his father and much of his family. U.S. intelligence reports suggest that he may have been disfigured by the explosion.
In parallel, it was also revealed that U.S. intelligence agencies indicated that Jamenei is "probably homosexual", based on reports suggesting that in his youth he received treatment in London for "impotence".