Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei indicated today, Sunday, that "it is possible to reach an agreement with the West regarding Tehran's nuclear activities, if the country's nuclear infrastructure remains intact," according to official Iranian media. Khamenei stated: "There is no harm in an agreement (with the West), but the infrastructure of our nuclear activities should not be compromised. Tehran must continue to work with the International Atomic Energy Agency under a framework of guarantees."
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department refrained from making specific comments on Khamenei's statements and reiterated the Biden administration's position that the United States is "committed to never allowing Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon." The spokesperson said, "We believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve this goal on a verifiable and sustainable basis, but the president has also been clear about not ruling out any options on the table," hinting at the possibility of military action. The spokesperson added, "We will not provide a description of the nature of the Iranian leader's remarks."
The agreement has limited Iran's uranium enrichment activities and made it difficult for Tehran to develop nuclear weapons, in exchange for lifting international sanctions. Iran denies seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.
