Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, reportedly approved the wording of a memorandum of understanding on Saturday, and then instructed parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf to bring it to a vote in the Supreme National Security Council, according to a New York Times report cited Thursday. The council approved the deal, despite opposition from at least two hard-line members.
The report says the approval came after Israel’s strike in the Dahieh district on Sunday intensified tensions inside Tehran. Iranian officials were angered by the attack and told Qatari mediators they intended to strike Israel and freeze the signing of the agreement.
According to the report, Iran had deployed missiles in launchers along its western border and had given orders to begin firing at Israel around 1:00 a.m. Qatari mediators tried to persuade Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Qalibaf that such an attack would help the agreement’s opponents.
The article says divisions emerged within Iran’s leadership. President Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as Araghchi and Qalibaf, argued that Benjamin Netanyahu was trying to set a trap for Iran and that the Beirut strike was meant to provoke a response that would trigger escalation and collapse the deal. Iran then sought last-minute changes to the draft, but Qatar refused, warning that Tehran risked losing Donald Trump’s patience.
