Khamenei: US Must Lift Sanctions for Iran to Return to Nuclear Commitments

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivers a televised speech, in Tehran, Iran January 8, 2021. (Handout via Reuters)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivers a televised speech, in Tehran, Iran January 8, 2021. (Handout via Reuters)
TT
20

Khamenei: US Must Lift Sanctions for Iran to Return to Nuclear Commitments

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivers a televised speech, in Tehran, Iran January 8, 2021. (Handout via Reuters)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivers a televised speech, in Tehran, Iran January 8, 2021. (Handout via Reuters)

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that the United States should lift all sanctions if Washington wants Tehran to reverse its nuclear steps.

“Iran has fulfilled all its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal, not the United States and the three European countries ... If they want Iran to return to its commitments, the United States must lift all sanctions first,” Khamenei wrote on Twitter.

“After verifying whether all sanctions have been lifted, then we will return to full compliance,” he wrote.

US President Joe Biden, who took office last month, has said that if Tehran returned to strict compliance with the 2015 nuclear pact, Washington would follow suit and use that as a springboard to a broader agreement that might restrict Iran’s missile development and regional activities.

Former US President Donald Trump exited the nuclear accord between Iran and six powers in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Iran has breached the deal in a step-by-step response to Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy, but it has repeatedly said it could quickly reverse those violations if US sanctions are removed.



Russian Duma Speaker Volodin Meets North Korea’s Kim in Pyongyang

This picture taken on August 14, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on August 15, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (center R) waving as chairman of the Russia's State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin (center L), looks on as they attend a convention celebrating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Korea from Japan colonial rule in Pyongyang. (KCNA via KNS / AFP)
This picture taken on August 14, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on August 15, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (center R) waving as chairman of the Russia's State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin (center L), looks on as they attend a convention celebrating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Korea from Japan colonial rule in Pyongyang. (KCNA via KNS / AFP)
TT
20

Russian Duma Speaker Volodin Meets North Korea’s Kim in Pyongyang

This picture taken on August 14, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on August 15, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (center R) waving as chairman of the Russia's State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin (center L), looks on as they attend a convention celebrating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Korea from Japan colonial rule in Pyongyang. (KCNA via KNS / AFP)
This picture taken on August 14, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on August 15, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (center R) waving as chairman of the Russia's State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin (center L), looks on as they attend a convention celebrating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Korea from Japan colonial rule in Pyongyang. (KCNA via KNS / AFP)

Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during an official visit to Pyongyang, the Russian parliament said on Thursday.

Volodin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, conveyed greetings from the Russian leader and thanked Kim for North Korea's support of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.

Putin held a phone call with Kim on Tuesday and updated him on planned talks with US President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday.

Kim sent a reply to a letter from Putin that was delivered by Volodin to celebrate the 80th anniversary of liberation from Japan's colonial rule, North Korea's state news agency KCNA reported on Friday.

In the letter to Putin, Kim said the soldiers of North Korea and Russia formed "friendship and unity" in the battlefield to fight against "a mutual enemy" which he didn't identify, according to KCNA.

Pyongyang and Moscow have both confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia's offensive against Ukraine to reclaim the Kursk region.

South Korea's intelligence agency said in June that North Korea was potentially ready to send more troops to Russia.