Khamenei backs Rouhani for a new era of diplomacy with the USA

The Iranian supreme leader supports the attempt by the president and the government to reconnect with the future Biden administration. The opportunity to restore the nuclear deal of 2015 disavowed by Trump. The goal is the cancellation of the sanctions that are destroying the economy of the Islamic Republic.

Tehran (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, criticized several times in the past, has expressed his full support for the government's initiative, which intends to create a new era in diplomatic relations with the new US administration.

President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in on January 20 and, for the leaders of the Islamic Republic (political and religious), it will be an opportunity to restore the 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA) disavowed by Donald Trump with sanctions.

" If sanctions can be removed, we shouldn’t delay, not even for an hour,” Khamenei said Wednesday in comments almost identical to ones made this week by President Hassan Rouhani. “I support the country’s officials as long as they are committed to the nation’s goals.”

However, he added, in a ritualistic statement, that he remains "very sceptical" of the United States and "does not believe the enemy" regardless of the tenant of the White House. Khamenei made these statements during a visit to the family of General Qasem Soleimani who was killed in early January in a drone attack while he was on a mission in Iraq. Joining him were the president and head of parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

In recent weeks, Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have promoted intense diplomatic work to restore the agreement in all its parts and ease sanctions. In 2018, outgoing US President Donald Trump ordered the United States pull out from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),​​ signed by his predecessor Barack Obama in 2015, despite the opposition of the international community.  Trump followed the withdrawal by imposing the toughest sanctions in history against Iran. The decision has negatively impacted the Iranian economy as noted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Covid 19 emergency only worsened the situation for the population. In response, Tehran threatened to resume uranium enrichment for civilian purposes and has already surpassed uranium reserves.

In recent days, the signatory countries of the agreement (China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom), with the sole exception of the United States, held a conference - remotely due to Covid-19 - to talk about Jcpoa and find new ways to relaunch the nuclear pact. During the summit, which lasted about two hours, "the discussions - explains the Moscow envoy - focused on ways to preserve the nuclear agreement" and "ensure its full and balanced implementation". Russia also appeals to Iran to show "maximum responsibility" and not to "haggle".

Calls for dialogue do not go unheeded in Tehran, where President Rouhani has sent more than one signal of openness to the next US leader. Followed now - and it is no small sign - by the supreme guide Khamenei.