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Iran's Supreme Leader Seems to Pull Back on Nuclear Talks
(New York Times) Thomas Erdbrink and David E. Sanger - In a speech Tuesday, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appeared to undercut several of the central agreements his negotiators have already reached with the West to limit Iran's nuclear program. Khamenei demanded that most sanctions be lifted before Tehran has dismantled part of its nuclear infrastructure and before international inspectors verify that the country is beginning to meet its commitments. "All economic, financial and banking sanctions, implemented either by the United Nations Security Council, the United States Congress or the administration, must be lifted immediately when the deal is signed," he said. Only after that has happened will Iran start abiding by its commitments, and that "removing the sanctions must not be dependent on implementing Iran's commitments." He also ruled out any freeze on Iran's sensitive nuclear enrichment for as long as a decade, and he repeated his refusal to allow inspections of Iranian military sites. He also said that verification of Iran's actions by the International Atomic Energy Agency was out of the question. The ayatollah has the final word on nuclear matters.