Mojtaba Khamenei issued a rare public statement portraying the newly signed memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States as a victory for Tehran, while ridiculing President Donald Trump and claiming Washington was the driving force behind the deal.

Addressing what he called the “enthusiastic and faithful nation of Iran,” Khamenei confirmed that an agreement had been reached between Tehran and Washington and asserted that, despite extensive efforts by senior Iranian officials, it was Trump who pushed hardest to bring the deal to fruition.

“It was this American president who, out of desperation, employed various levers to achieve this matter,” Khamenei wrote, in remarks widely interpreted as a direct jab at the U.S. president.

Khamenei acknowledged that he had initially held reservations about the agreement but ultimately approved it after receiving assurances from the Iranian president, who chairs the Supreme National Security Council, that Iran’s national interests and the so-called “Axis of Resistance” would be protected.

According to Khamenei, the Iranian president explicitly pledged that Tehran would reject any excessive demands from Washington if such demands were raised during the implementation of the agreement.

“From this moment onward,” Khamenei wrote, “we—the proud nation and this humble servant—will await the fulfillment of the declared conditions.”

The Iranian leader also sought to reassure hardliners within the regime that direct negotiations with the United States do not represent a shift in Iran’s ideological stance toward America.

“Face-to-face negotiations that may take place in the future do not mean acceptance of the enemy’s worldview,” he wrote.

Khamenei concluded by framing the agreement within the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary and religious ideology, expressing hope that “good prayers” would help bring additional victories to the Iranian nation in the future.

The statement comes amid ongoing debate within Iran and abroad over the significance of the memorandum and whether it represents a genuine diplomatic breakthrough or merely the beginning of a longer and more difficult negotiating process.