Khamenei: Nuclear Solution Would Be Easy if US Were Serious

Notes That Many Don't Want Dispute Solved

Commenting on incoming President Hassan Rohani’s diplomatic ambitions, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he believes a solution to the nuclear program dispute would be “easy” if the US was sincere and serious about wanting a deal.

Khamenei insisted that the talks were “an easy and smooth job” but that there is an “opposition front” that is determined to see the dispute remain unsolved, adding that the US is constantly making new “excuses” to block possible talks.

Rohani expressed a desire to negotiate directly with the US, saying America’s self-proclaimed role as “world’s sheriff” meant any effort to move forward with a deal on Iran’s civilian nuclear program would have to go through the US.

Yet Khamenei is right to point out that there are the US is willing to put big stumbling blocks in front of any deal, as when they angrily spurned Iran for accepting a US-proposed fuel swap deal.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.