Much of what Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei says publically about Iran's nuclear program is shaded in the inherited, opaque language of Islamic Republic realpolitik. While Iranian insiders know exactly how to decode his statements, to the outside world, it just sounds like he is repeating himself and not making very much sense. In this infographic — an adaptation of an illustration that appears on the Supreme Leader’s own website — we transpose his recent comments about how far Iran is willing to go with its nuclear diplomacy, to uncover the stark meaning behind the ayatollah's vague stubbornness.
For much of the past decade, Khamanei has opposed virtually any concessions on the country's nuclear program. Convinced that any concession will invite Western demands for even more, Khamanei's worldview has effectively frozen the prospect of diplomacy. He draws the line at suspending enrichment rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty’s provision of this activity, but has permitted negotiatiors to explore ways to preseve the appearence of this while effectively slowing down Iran's centrifuges. Some argue Khamenei has been pushed to the negotiating table by the crushing weight of economic sanctions, but others see his late arrival to diplomacy simply as a way to stave off a unilateral American or Israeli strike on Iran's facilities. Either way, his decision is historic, though clearly leaves him with great unease.
To view a PDF version of this infographic, please click here.
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