![Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds a press conference after casting his vote for the snap presidential election at the Imam Khomeini Husseiniya in Tehran, Iran on June 28, 2024. [Iranian Leader Press Office/Handout - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AA-20240628-34993008-34993007-VOTING_BEGINS_IN_IRANS_SNAP_PRESIDENTIAL_ELECTION.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has cautioned his government against trusting the United States, while also stating that there is no harm in engaging in negotiations with Washington, Anadolu reported.
Speaking yesterday during a meeting with the newly formed government, led by President Masoud Pezeshkian, Khamenei said he specifically recommended the appointment of certain individuals during his consultations with Pezeshkian.
Khamenei emphasised that one of the new government’s priorities should be addressing the issues of high prices and inflation. He added that resolving economic problems should not be contingent on negotiations with the West.
“We should not pin our hopes on the enemy; we must not wait for our enemies to approve our plans,” Khamenei said. He continued, “Of course, this does not mean we will not engage with the enemy at all, but the issue is that we should not place our trust in them.”
In 2015, Iran signed an agreement with the P5+1 group – the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France) plus Germany – to regulate and monitor Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for lifting sanctions.
However, in 2018, under former President Donald Trump, Washington unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and began reimposing “unprecedented sanctions” on Iran. In response, Tehran gradually suspended its commitments under the deal and took several steps, including resuming high-level uranium enrichment.
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