Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed a complex dual-track policy, asserting Tehran's 'inalienable right' to uranium enrichment while categorically denying any intent to develop nuclear weapons. Speaking via the state news agency IRNA, Pezeshkian positioned the Islamic Republic as a rational actor seeking to resolve long-standing tensions with Washington. He emphasized that while the United States remains preoccupied with Iran's nuclear potential, the administration in Tehran has no interest in building an atomic bomb.
Central to this diplomatic pivot is the unfreezing of approximately $6 billion in Iranian assets currently held in Qatari banks. This financial release is tied to nascent negotiations between Tehran and Washington, a move Pezeshkian described as being in the fundamental interest of the Iranian people. Central Bank Governor Hemmati is reportedly overseeing the specific allocation of these funds, which are expected to be funneled into critical civilian sectors to stabilize a struggling domestic economy.
Perhaps most significantly, Pezeshkian revealed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has formally authorized the government to proceed with these high-stakes negotiations. This religious and political mandate provides the president with a much-needed 'diplomatic shield' against domestic hardliners who view engagement with the West as a betrayal of revolutionary principles. By framing the talks as a unified national effort, Pezeshkian is attempting to consolidate power and minimize internal friction.
The President also issued a stern warning to internal political factions, urging them to avoid 'sowing discord' during this sensitive period of rapprochement. He suggested that certain elements within the Iranian state are actively working to undermine national unity and sabotage the fragile peace process. For Pezeshkian, the success of this diplomatic gamble depends as much on managing the 'deep state' in Tehran as it does on the willingness of the United States to accept Iran's nuclear reality.