Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has asserted that the Islamic republic's agreement to comply with demands for transparency over its nuclear program was not a surrender, and warned the country still reserved the right to pull out of the deal.
In his first public comments on a European-brokered agreement for Iran to boost cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the all-powerful leader stressed the country had scored a diplomatic victory against what he described as a "Zionist-US conspiracy."
"There was no surrender in it," Khamenei was quoted as telling a gathering of top officials in a report overnight Sunday by the official news agency IRNA.
"What happened was right and well-managed in order to foil the US and Zionist conspiracy."
The IAEA had given Iran until the end of last month to fully disclose details of its nuclear program, and has urged it to allow a tougher inspections regime by signing an additional protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Iran was also called upon to suspend uranium enrichment.
After initially rejecting the deadline, Iran agreed to comply just 10 days before it expired during an unprecedented joint visit here by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.
But Khamenei warned the Europeans that they also had to live up to their commitments -- namely the eventual provision of technical assistance if the IAEA deems that Iran has cooperated.
"If the discussions with the Europeans continue in the way they have been going, we will continue. But if parties in the dialogue or our enemies want to step in and show excessiveness, everything will be disrupted," he said.
"If we reach the point where our national interests and the regime's values are tarnished, we will have no doubts about cutting off this process."
Khamenei, who was speaking during an iftar meal -- or breaking of the daily Ramadan fast -- also warned that "the regime's enemies should not imagine that the Islamic republic is trapped."
The term "enemies" usually applies to the US and Israel, both of which allege Iran is using a nuclear power program as a cover for nuclear weapons development.
But amid opposition to the nuclear accord from some hardliners -- many of whom have called for Iran to follow the path of North Korea and pull out of the NPT altogether -- Khamenei appealed for unity surrounding the accord.
"This issue should not bring about differences. Officials, intellectuals, the press, MPs, Friday prayer leaders and those who have access to public podiums have a very heavy responsibility," he said.
And Khamenei reasserted Iran's bid to generate nuclear power, touted by officials here as crucial for meeting future energy needs.
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