Two days ago, ayatollah Khamenei’s senior advisor in international affairs Ali Akbar Velayati called for talks with the US over the nuclear issue. Even though his statements were disclaimed and corrected within hours by the “Advisory Office of the Supreme Leader,” the news immediately made domestic and international media headlines.

As reported by domestic news agencies, Velayati told reporters in Damascus, Syria that, “Iran is ready to talk with the US over its nuclear program.”

His words brought surprise to the participants of the news conference, according to AFP which also quoted him saying, “Even though I have no trust in the American government, we are ready to talk with that country about the nuclear program. Iran has comments on the 5+1 group but is still committed to resolve the nuclear issue through talks.”

Just a few hours later the news agencies reported that the “Advisory Office of the Supreme Leader” had denied the remarks and spoke of distortion by AFP.

Iran’s ILNA labor news agency reported the denial in these words: “At a news conference in Syria to where Ali Akbar Velayati had gone at the invitation of Syrian authorities and in the presence of over 40 reporters, Velayati responded to a question by BBC’s Arabic service who asked whether Iran was ready to talk to the US with these words, ‘We have absolutely no trust in the American government” because first of all it has demonstrated contradictory behavior and because it has taken steps against Iran at the UN Security Council and second it has passed domestic legislation against Iran and has encouraged its friends to act against Iran which because of our 31-year experience of course will not have any impact on Iran’s determination. Nevertheless, Iran has never ruled out talks with the US and based on the decisions of the Islamic republic and those of some countries in the 5 + 1 group, talks shall take place. Therefore, this news that Iran is ready to talk with the US over its nuclear program is denied.’”

Velayati is a trusted person by ayatollah Khamenei and has close ties with him. This is why his comments on talks with the US have been interpreted as a sign of a foreign policy change by the Islamic republic based on ayatollah Khamenei’s decision.

Velayati, who was Iran’s previous foreign minister and is the secretary general of the Jame'e Eslami Pezeshkan (Islamic Society of Doctors), was encouraged by conservatists to run in the last presidential elections but as the final names of the candidates emerged towards the last days of the presidential campaign, he announced his withdrawal, while keeping his position as the leader’s senior advisor in international affairs.
Prior to Velayati, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had invited Barack Obama to engage in “manly talks” with him.

Not talking with the US over its nuclear program is a red line in Iran’s foreign policy which was drawn b ayatollah Khamenei in 2007 and after the tri-partite talks between Iraq, the US and Iran that were held in Baghdad over the situation in Iraq at the ambassadorial level in Baghdad.

On the very same day, ayatollah Khamenei said in Yazd, “Whenever the time for talks (with the US) arrives, I myself shall announce the news.” At a meeting Mashhad too he said, “Americans say that they will not talk about issues other than Iraq. But we told them that even the issue of Iraq was not their business and that the talks would be over the responsibilities of occupiers regarding the security of Iraq.” He continued, “The policy of the Islamic republic of Iran is not to hold talks or have contacts with America so long as the policies of that imperialistic government remain the same.”

At about the same time, Velayati spoke to Sharq newspaper on the occasion of Nowruz about talks with the US, “We shall not retreat until the last phase and shall not heed to talks. Whenever the situation becomes such that a serious danger threatens the revolution and the state, we shall be ready to talk.”

It is noteworthy that Velayati’s recent remarks were censored by domestic pro-government media Fars and Javan Online news agencies, which only published the remarks of Ramin Mehmandoust, the spokesperson of Iran’s foreign ministry who talked of the rejection of direct talks with the US and in a sense corrected Velayati’s remarks.

Mehmandoust told reporters, “The Islamic republic has no intention to enter into bilateral talks with the US and nobody has till now announced such talks. What was raised was that there were international crises and problems  and that our viewpoints should be heard on their solutions.”

These contradictory remarks by Iran’s foreign ministry and ayatollah Khamenei’s diplomatic room, followed by confirmations and denials are being aired at a time when the head of Majlis’ security and foreign policy committee reminded that, “Decisions about talks with the US are the prerogative of the esteemed leader.”