The Iranian leader threatened a harsh response to any attempt by the US to alter the nuclear deal.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned what he termed “Washington’s disloyalty to the 2015 nuclear deal,” warning that “any wrong move” by the US will be followed by Tehran’s “tough reaction.”
“The Iranian nation has stood strongly, and any wrong move by the arrogance [sic] system in the issue of the nuclear deal will be confronted by the Islamic Republic’s reaction,” Khamenei said, addressing the graduation ceremony of the Law Enforcement Police cadets in Tehran on Sunday, Iran’s Fars News reported.
Khamenei claimed that Iran’s nuclear program is legitimate but crippled by “cruel” sanctions imposed by the US, “which is opposed to Iran’s scientific progress.”
While Iran has shown a willingness to negotiate, “today the US is showing cruel and bullying behavior,” Khamenei said.
Stressing that Iran will not bow to pressures, he said “the Americans should know that the Iranian nation will not change its noble and strong stances.”
Khamenei lashed out at US officials for accusing Iran of lying and not living up to the terms of the agreement, saying, “they themselves are liars as they try to meet their illegitimate interests using any means and don’t want happiness for any other nation.”
His comments came as Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani warned the US that revoking the 2015 nuclear deal would harm Washington primarily, as Iran has the ability to revive its previous nuclear capabilities within a short time period.
Addressing a meeting on Sunday, Larijani lambasted Congress for what he described as repeated violations of the deal and demanded that the US stop its empty rhetoric regarding “the spirit of the agreement.”
“They should know that if the nuclear deal is abrogated, they will be harmed,” Larijani threatened. “If the nuclear deal is discarded, Iran will be able to return to its previous status and grow even more powerful than the past before the time planned.”
Larijani’s remarks were made after Congress voted in favor of new measures that block sales of commercial aircraft to Iran.
The Trump administration previously stated that while Iran has met the requirements of the nuclear deal, it is breaching its spirit by supporting global terrorism and destabilizing the Middle East.
By: World Israel News Staff