Khamenei repeated warnings on Wednesday against further negotiations with the United States after the nuclear agreement the countries reached in July, The New York Times reported. Such talks are “forbidden,” he told an audience of Revolutionary Guards commanders.
Iran’s leader, widely seen as both the architect and arbitrator of the agreement, also offered veiled criticism of Iran’s nuclear negotiating team, saying that its members had been alert, but that the opposite parties “had found chances” and made “damaging moves against Iran’s national interests” in the talks. He did not elaborate.
Ever since the deal was concluded, Khamenei has given speeches against additional cooperation with the United States, arguing that the country is aiming to infiltrate Iran through negotiations.
“An important part of the activities of the enemy is to change the calculations of officials and to manipulate people’s revolutionary and religious thoughts,” he said on Wednesday. “Young people are the main target, and they must be alert.”
In his remarks on Wednesday, Khamenei blamed “careless or some simple-minded people who do not understand the facts” for Iran’s “problems.” He said that such people, presumably those advocating relations with the United States, were a small minority. “They are still active, they write, they speak, they repeat,” he said. “And the enemy helps them.” Some analysts said that was a strong warning to domestic opponents.
Last month, Khamenei called upon the much-feared intelligence branch of the Revolutionary Guards to be vigilant, especially about those promoting cultural change.