Storm in Iran Over Exposure of Mojtaba Khamenei’s “Secret Conditions” for Negotiations
Following statements by Mahmoud Nabavian, Deputy Chairman of the National Security Commission in the Parliament, Iran’s broadcasting authority announced that his reference to classified documents and correspondence of senior officials in the country constitutes a legal offense — and that the matter will be referred for legal and disciplinary action.
According to the report, Nabavian claimed on air that Mojtaba Khamenei set 11 conditions for negotiations, including receiving compensation from the U.S., preserving the right to enrichment, lifting sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and realizing Iranian sovereignty in the Strait of Hormuz — including a demand to begin collecting tolls in the strait already now.
Nabavian even read excerpts that he claimed were taken from Mojtaba Khamenei’s “most secret” letters, in which it was written that what occurred in the Islamabad talks “differs substantially” from the conditions that lent legitimacy to the negotiations themselves — and therefore the talks must be halted.
Iran’s broadcasting authority was quick to distance itself: One of the managers has already resigned, and it was stated that additional disciplinary steps will be taken. The incident exposes the depth of the dispute within Iran’s conservative camp surrounding the memorandum of understanding, and primarily around the question of whether the negotiations exceeded the red lines set by the leader.
