Iranian lawmaker says US negotiations were authorized by Supreme Leader Khamenei

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has authorized the government’s negotiations with the United States. The confirmation pulls back the curtain on a diplomatic channel that has moved faster than most observers expected. The authorization underpins a memorandum of understanding signed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump on June 17, 2026. Khamenei reportedly gave his blessing the following day, framing the move as consistent with Iran’s national interests while making clear it does not amount to capitulation. What the MoU actually covers The agreement emerged from a period of escalating tensions between Iran, the US, and Israel that intensified after military exchanges began in late February. Rather than a peace deal in the traditional sense, the MoU is better understood as a framework: a handshake agreement that future talks will happen, with guardrails around what each side considers non-negotiable. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the body that coordinates security policy between the Supreme Leader and elected officials, handled the logistics. Khamenei’s decision was reportedly shaped by assurances from Pezeshkian and senior officials ...