Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that he personally held a “different view” on signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the US but authorised it after receiving assurances from President Masoud Pezeshkian and senior officials, stressing that any future direct negotiations would not amount to accepting the “enemy's position.”

In a message published by Iranian media on Thursday, Khamenei said that Pezeshkian and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, had signed the memorandum after authorities made extensive efforts to reach the current stage “out of compassion and goodwill”, adding that Trump had also used “all available means” to advance the process.

“Fundamentally, I had a different view,” Khamenei said. “But given the commitment of the respected president, in his capacity as head of the Supreme National Security Council, and the other members to safeguard the rights of the Iranian people and the Resistance Front, and their acceptance of responsibility, I gave my permission.”

He added that President Pezeshkian had made clear to him that Iran would not tolerate excessive demands from the US side.

“From this moment onwards, we – the great Iranian nation and this humble servant – will wait for the fulfilment of those conditions,” Khamenei said.

“It is clear that any direct negotiations held in the future (with the US) will not mean accepting the enemy's position,” he stressed.