Iranian Lawmaker Says Supreme Leader Opposed U.S. Talks on Live TV

An Iranian hardline lawmaker said on state television that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei opposed negotiations with the United States, then was abruptly cut off mid-broadcast. Mahmoud Nabavian, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said Khamenei had repeatedly objected to the talks and set conditions that were not included in the memorandum of understanding recently signed by Tehran and Washington.

Nabavian’s remarks came as Iran’s negotiating team traveled to Switzerland for a new round of technical talks with the United States, days after the two sides signed a memorandum meant to end the war and open the door to further negotiations. He said Khamenei wrote that Iran was “not in a hurry” and “not under any pressure” to negotiate or reach an agreement, and that the talks should focus on ending the war and securing compensation, not on the nuclear issue. According to Nabavian, Khamenei also told negotiators not to discuss what he called “the main issue,” apparently referring to Iran’s nuclear program.

Nabavian quoted what he described as Khamenei correspondence saying the outcome of talks with Pakistan was “fundamentally different” from what should have happened and from what made the negotiations legitimate, and said Khamenei then called for ending the talks. He said Khamenei repeated his position on the nuclear file on April 4, April 18, and April 24, insisting Iran must either force the other side to fully recognize its right to enrichment or remove the nuclear issue from the agenda “forever.”

He also said Khamenei viewed the Strait of Hormuz as a key pressure point against Washington, and that Iran alone must control the waterway, “not even Oman, let alone other countries.” Nabavian said Khamenei divided ships into categories, some to be stopped entirely, some allowed through only after paying a fee, and others, including vessels linked to Iran’s allies, allowed to pass without payment.

Iran International reported that the broadcast ended abruptly as Nabavian continued speaking. State television later called his comments an “illegal violation” warranting legal action, said his references to classified documents and senior officials’ correspondence were criminal, and announced that one director had resigned and disciplinary steps would follow. The disclosure drew criticism from conservative media figures, who accused Nabavian of selectively reading from a larger cache of correspondence. Nabavian and others have recently attacked the Iran-U.S. memorandum, blaming President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for dangerous concessions to Washington.