DUBAI/BEIRUT
(Reuters) - Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on
Saturday the nuclear deal with world powers did not signal any wider
shift in Iran's relationship with Washington or its policies in the
Middle East.
The agreement struck this week was met with celebrations in the streets
of Tehran as many Iranians anticipated it would allow the economy,
battered by years of sanctions, to stabilize and make their daily lives
easier.
But
Khamenei, who has the last word on high matters of state and had given
his blessing to the nuclear talks, moved to dampen any speculation it
would lead to a broader rapprochement with the United States.
"We have repeatedly said we don't negotiate with the U.S.
on regional or international affairs; not even on bilateral issues.
There are some exceptions like the nuclear program that we negotiated
with the Americans to serve our interests."
U.S.
policies in the region were "180 degrees" opposed to Iran's, he said in a
speech at a Tehran mosque punctuated by chants of "Death to America"
and "Death to Israel". "We will never stop supporting our friends in the region and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon. Even after this deal our policy towards the arrogant U.S. will not change," he said.
Several Gulf Arab states have long accused Tehran of
interference, alleging financial or armed support for political
movements in countries including Bahrain, Yemen and Lebanon.
Shi'ite power Iran denies interference but has pledged
support for the Syrian and Iraqi governments, which are both fighting
insurgencies by a variety of Sunni armed groups.
Iran's pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani struck a more conciliatory
tone than Khamenei on Saturday. After a phone call with the ruler of the
Gulf Arab state of Qatar on Saturday, Rouhani said the nuclear
agreement would improve Iran's relations with its neighbors.
"No doubt, deal will lead Iran to closer relations w/ neighbors, esp Qatar," Rouhani said on Twitter.
Under the agreement reached on Tuesday, sanctions will be
gradually removed in return for Iran accepting long-term curbs on a
nuclear program that the West has suspected was aimed at creating a
nuclear bomb. Iran denies it seeks a nuclear bomb.
Rouhani belongs to the technocrat part of the Iranian
establishment and has a more pragmatic approach to diplomacy. He hailed
the deal as a "political, technical and legal victory" for Iran and has
emphasized that "no deal is 100 percent". Khamenei, however, has decided
to take a more cautious stance and see if any red lines had been
breached.
The
supreme leader said on Saturday he wanted Iranian politicians to examine
the agreement to ensure national interests were preserved, as Iran
would not allow the disruption of its revolutionary principles or
defensive abilities.
But his remarks did not shed light on Iran's procedures for
ratifying the accord, which are not known in any detail.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will brief parliament on
July 21, Iranian media have said, and the agreement will also be
examined by the National Security Council, the country's highest
security body.MISTRUST
Zarif is set to travel to Gulf countries shortly after the end of the Eid holiday.
In a message to Muslim countries, Zarif echoed Rouhani's diplomatic stance, saying: "By solving the artificial crisis about its nuclear program diplomatically, a new opportunity for regional and international cooperation has emerged."
Iran regards its nuclear program as an emblem of national
dignity and dynamism in the face of what it sees as decades of hostility
from Western countries that opposed its 1979 Islamic revolution.
Khamenei's remarks radiated a broad mistrust of U.S.
intentions. He said successive American presidents had sought Iran's
"surrender", and declaring that if war broke out America would come off
worst.
He later praised Iranian negotiators who thrashed out the accord in marathon negotiations in Vienna.
"During the nuclear talks, we saw the Americans'
dishonesty over and over," Khamenei said during meetings with senior
Iranian officials and ambassadors from several Muslim states, according
to his official website.
"But fortunately our officials fought back and in some cases showed revolutionary reactions."
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