Iran’s Supreme Leader breaks silence on new U.S.-Iran MOU
OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
3:30 PM – Thursday, June 18, 2026
Iranian Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has released his response to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Islamic regime of Iran and the United States to end months of conflict.
On Thursday, the supreme leader shared a statement on X, addressed to “the passionate and loyal nation of Iran,” characterizing President Donald Trump as desperate to achieve a deal.
“As you have been informed, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the presidents of Iran and America,” Khamenei wrote. “In the course of reaching this stage, the officials in charge, out of sincere concern and goodwill, made extensive efforts—and of course, it was the American president who, out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage to bring this about.”
Khamenei explained that he did not initially support the agreement, but that President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian convinced him to give permission to sign a deal with America unless the U.S. makes “excessive demands.”
“Out of the commitment that the esteemed president—as the head of the Supreme National Security Council—gave to me on his own behalf and on behalf of the other members regarding the safeguarding of the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front, and his explicit acceptance of that responsibility, I granted my permission,” he stated. “He also explicitly stated that if the American side seeks to make excessive demands, they will not submit to them.”
He added, “from this moment on, we—that is, you, the proud nation, and this humble servant—will await the realization of the aforementioned conditions.”
He clarified that his regime’s planned in-person meeting with the Trump administration, which is expected to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, does not indicate full acceptance of the United States’ terms — stressing that the U.S. was considered the enemy.
“It is self-evident that the in-person negotiations that will take place in the future will not mean acceptance of the enemy’s position,” said Khamenei.
Trump announced that a deal was electronically signed over the weekend and signed a paper memorandum during a dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron in Versailles, France.
During a Thursday press conference at the White House, Vice President JD Vance declared that the 60-day timeframe to finalize the agreement had begun on Thursday.
Khamenei was wounded in an Israeli strike in Tehran that killed his father, Ali Khamenei, and ultimately led to his appointment as Iran’s new religious leader. He has not been seen or heard publicly since and was reported to have been receiving treatment in severe condition.
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