Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, IranÂ’s supreme leader, has established a new body to supervise foreign policy in a move seen by some politicians in Tehran as a way to counterbalance the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad.The move comes as Iran faces fresh pressure from US and European Union officials to respond quickly to an incentive package presented earlier this month by western powers. The package, drawn up by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, was crafted in an effort to persuade Tehran to limit its nuclear programme. Mr Ahmadi-Nejad said last week that Iran would respond to the package by August 22. However some US and EU officials want a much swifter response.
In a letter appointing Kamal Kharrazi – foreign minister under former President Mohammad Khatami – as head of the new Strategic Committee for Foreign Policy, Ayatollah Khamenei said it should “help facilitate macro-decision making… find new horizons… and make use of intellectuals”.
Mr Kharrazi said on Tuesday the body would have no executive function but would “devise strategies and present them to the leader”.
He spoke of “including experts from previous governments”. Mr Kharrazi was foreign minister throughout Iran’s two-year talks with the EU, a time when Iranian diplomats developed wide contacts in Europe.
Shargh, the reformist newspaper, on Tuesday splashed “Return of the moderates to foreign policy” as its front-page headline. Mohammad Ali Abtahi, the former vice-president, said the body’s composition meant “the continuation of détente”.
Among those appointed is Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei, who has acted as contact between the leader and Saudi Arabia in improving the two statesÂ’ relations over recent months. But Ayatollah Khamenei may also be acting to build consensus within IranÂ’s leadership, where different tactics have been aired in recent months over how to proceed with the nuclear programme.
Addressing top officials last week, Ayatollah Khamenei said the term “principleist” – usually claimed by fundamentalists including Mr Ahmadi-Nejad – should apply to anyone “of any trend ... committed to the principles of the revolution”.
Regime insiders recently told the FT the leadership was uncertain how to interpret the US decision to take part in talks if Iran accepted the westÂ’s offer.
Ayatollah Khamenei said on Tuesday “the ground was prepared” for negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme but reiterated that Iran would not negotiate over its “right” to obtain and use nuclear technology.
His comments came as Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, said Moscow believed it was counterproductive to insist Tehran give an early response.