<article><p class="lead">Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said he will support efforts to facilitate a lifting of US sanctions, provided they are done in a way that pursues Iran's goals and interests — a tacit show of support for the Rohani government as it looks to engage with the incoming Biden administration over Washington's potential return to the Iran nuclear deal. </p><p>The US's 2018 exit from the nuclear deal, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), preceded what the Trump administration dubbed a maximum pressure campaign against Iran that has severely curtailed Tehran's oil exports and, in turn, hammered its fragile economy. </p><p>Joe Biden, who takes office on 20 January, has said he would be ready to lift sanctions on Iran and rejoin the JCPOA, on the condition that Tehran complies with its commitments under the deal — namely rigorous restrictions on its nuclear programme. </p><p>"Of course, we are not saying that we should not seek to lift the sanctions — if the sanctions can be lifted, we should not delay, even for an hour," Khamenei said today. But this should be done "in the right, wise… and dignified way". Khamenei said he will "support the country's officials, as long as they adhere to the nation's goals".</p><p>The comments offer a much-needed show of support for Iranian president Hassan Rohani as he tries to engineer an end to the sanctions that have marred much of his second term in office. As supreme leader, Khamenei is Iran's ultimate decision-maker and would need to give the green light before any diplomacy can take place with the US.</p><p>With Iranian presidential elections scheduled to take place on 18 June next year, delivering sanctions relief in less than six months was already a tall order for the outgoing Rohani administration. And the task has been complicated by Iran's now majority-conservative parliament passing a bill calling on the government to end its co-operation with UN nuclear watchdog the IAEA unless the US acts quickly to ease sanctions. Iran's Guardian Council — a powerful body responsible for vetting legislation adopted by parliament and overseeing elections — has since ratified the bill, setting March as a deadline for the expected lifting of sanctions. </p><p>This gives Rohani even less time to deliver anything concrete. His administration has warned that the bill will only hamper and delay Iran's chances of securing sanctions relief but said it will act in line with the protocols laid out. </p><p>Khamenei today touched on the ongoing squabble between the government and parliament, urging both sides to take a step back and reach some form of compromise. "You should resolve your differences through negotiations," Khamenei said. "Are you not the ones that say we should be negotiating with the world? Can you not also negotiate and resolve disputes among yourselves internally?"</p><p>The joint commission of the JCPOA — which brings together all remaining stakeholders to the deal, namely Iran, Russia, China, Germany, France and the UK — met today to review the implementation of commitments by all parties to the deal. This is the first such meeting since the US election last month. </p><p class="bylines">By Nader Itayim</p></article>
