January 22-2016
In his first public comment since the lifting of many sanctions, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi Tuesday sidestepped the new sanctions imposed by the United States for Iran’s missile tests, effectively dismissing his past assertions that any new sanctions would end the nuclear deal.
It was a huge retreat by the Supreme Leader, but one that he buried in his remarks Tuesday in an effort to avoid personal embarrassment.
Khamenehi issued five numbered comments, the first and last of which made the same point: beware of Americans because they don’t keep their promises.
But far more importantly, Khamenehi simply brushed aside the new US sanctions imposed two days earlier. Khamenehi had said multiple times in the past that any new American sanctions would violate the nuclear deal and leave Iran free to expand its nuclear program.
Khamenehi’s five points were contained in a letter to President Rohani in which the Supreme Leader commended the “resistance” of the Iranian people, which “forced the opposite parties—some of whom have gained fame for their enmity toward the Iranian people—to back down and lift part of their bullying sanctions.”
It was noteworthy that he noted here for the very first time that only “part” of the sanctions were being lifted. Khamenehi had publicly demanded all through the negotiations that every sanction had to be removed. But the United States is not removing the vast majority of the sanctions that Americans must comply with.
Khamenehi then told Rohani, “I draw your attention to the following points.”
He wrote, “First, care must be exercised that the opposite party fulfill its obligations in full. Remarks made by certain American politicians during the past couple of days are totally a cause for suspicion.”
Khamenehi did not specify the remarks or the “politicians.” He might have been talking about the many critical remarks by Republican presidential candidates; but they do not determine US policy.
Khamenehi might instead have been referring to the US imposition of new sanctions 48 hours before his letter was published. If so, Khamenehi’s comments brushed aside the new sanctions since he took no action against them.
In his last point, Khamenehi said, “Fifth, I reiterate once more that the treachery and breach of promise by arrogant states, the US in particular, in this issue and other issues must not be neglected.” This just repeated his first point. But, crucially, it did not say that the new sanctions breached the agreement and thus left them to stand unchallenged, despite all that Khamenehi has said over the months about new sanctions.
The reality is that the US actions Sunday did not involve “new sanctions,” but rather new actions to enforce existing sanctions. The US Sunday punished 11 people and entities for violating existing US sanctions laws and triggering the sanctions. But Iran has never acknowledged the distinction between new sanctions and actions enforcing existing sanctions.
In between his first and fifth points, Khamenehi made three other lesser points.
He wrote, “Second, all government officials must be notified that the resolution of the country’s economic problems depends on relentless and wise efforts in all sectors with a view to the Economy of Resistance and that the lifting of sanctions on its own is not enough to bring about improvement in the country’s economy and people’s livelihood.” This is a point that many economists, both inside and outside Iran, have been making for years. Economists have generally said that sanctions have not been the major drag on the economy and that state policies, especially those pursued under the Ahmadi-nejad Administration, were far more significant in retarding the Iranian economy.
“Third,” Khamenehi wrote, “it must be noted that heavy costs have been suffered in return for what has been achieved under this deal. Writings and remarks that try to ignore this fact and pretend to be grateful to the Western side are not treating the nation’s public opinion with honesty.” It would be hard to find anyone who has publicly thanked the West for the lifting of sanctions, since most Iranians understand that can get them tossed into jail. But Khamenehi has now made that threat clear.
“Fourth,” Khamenehi wrote, “even this amount of success in the face of the arrogant and bullying front has been achieved as a result of resistance and steadfastness. We must all consider this as a great lesson applying to all issues and incidents in the Islamic Republic.” This reiterates a constant Khamenehi theme about the need for the public to stand united against foreigners who want to harm them.