Iran lawmaker says Khamenei wanted more than 14-point US memorandum

A Tehran lawmaker said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had expected more from the 14-point memorandum with Washington, adding to pressure on Iran’s negotiating team not to show flexibility in the next phase of talks.

Esmail Kowsari, a member of parliament from Tehran, told Khaneh Mellat, parliament’s news agency, that Khamenei’s message showed he believed more issues could have been included in the framework.

He said Khamenei had nevertheless agreed that the negotiating team should continue the talks under the current conditions, but warned that Iran must not retreat before what he called the enemy.

Kowsari said negotiators should remember that the United States proposed a ceasefire and talks from a “very fragile” position and needed the process.

“In the continuation of the negotiations, they must act in a way that America never feels the Islamic Republic of Iran needs negotiations with US,” he said.

Kowsari said Iran remained the real winner of the confrontation and was still negotiating from a position of power.