Exclusive: Iran's Supreme Leader Personally Set Conditions for Nuclear Deal: Negotiator
Source: NBC
It took Iran's Ayatollah, an Arab sultan, secret letters, and an American college connection to help seal the historic deal between Iran and the United States, according to a senior Iranian negotiator.
Ali Akbar Salehi, the energetic, English-speaking head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, told NBC News in Tehran how the deal unfolded from Iran's perspective, revealing for the first time some of his country's calculations, preconditions and continued mistrust of Washington.
Salehi, who is also one of Iran's vice presidents, said the country's supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khameini, was involved at every step of the way in the secret so-called "second track" with Washington.
"Without the supreme leader, we were not able to start the second track. That is for sure," he said.
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Iran's conditions
Salehi said the supreme leader's four conditions limited how far the negotiators were able to go in their talks with Washington.
"One condition was that, 'Look, you just discuss the nuclear issue. You do not enter into any other issue. I mean, no political negotiations. It's only nuclear issue negotiation.'"
The second condition, he said, was for the talks to be quick, and not drag on "lethargically."
"The third condition was that they (Washington) will have to recognize our basic right, which is enrichment. And the fourth condition was a condition that, let's keep it for ourselves."
When pressed, Salehi said the fourth condition was "procedural," but provided no further details.
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Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/iran-s-supreme-leader-personally-set-conditions-nuclear-deal-negotiator-n506001
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