Khamenei hints at willingness to cooperate with West, while maintaining stance on terrorism

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hinted toward a possible shift to a softer foreign policy that includes a willingness to cooperate with the West in a meeting on Tuesday, according to the Iranian news outlet Iran International.

According to the report, during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and the Iranian cabinet, Khamenei said, "We should not pin our hopes on the enemy, nor should we wait for their approval of our plans. This does not prevent communication with them when necessary, as it does no harm. However, we should not rely on them or place trust in them."

Khamenei also said in the same meeting: "There is no plan without challenges. For some, the instinctive reaction to obstacles is a retreat, but this approach is flawed. Instead, we must overcome the obstacle or find a way to circumvent it.”

Stance on terrorism

“While there may be instances where a tactical retreat is necessary after all avenues have been explored, it is crucial not to abandon our position or compromise at the first sign of difficulty,” he further emphasized.

The report on Iran International noted that since Masoud Pezeshkian's election, there have been an increase in "murmurs" about dialogue with Western countries. It emphasized that a potential shift toward negotiations on Iranian nuclear issues is emerging.

However, the report also highlighted that despite the change in Tehran's rhetoric, its stance on supporting terrorism remains firm, and it is unclear how the leadership plans to lift sanctions while maintaining these positions.