TEHRAN – *Iran’s Supreme Leader called U.S. President Donald Trump’scomments on withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear agreement “silly andsuperficial”, said he did not trust the European countries that weresticking with the agreement, and cast doubt on the future of the deal.*
The comments came on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s official website onWednesday, where Khamenei reiterated his distaste for the agreement.
“I said many times from the first day: don’t trust America,” Khamenei said.And he added, “I don’t trust these three countries,” Britain, France andGermany.
All three are parties to the agreement and were trying after Trump’swithdrawal to salvage the deal. But Khamenei sounded dubious about theirefforts.
“If you can’t get a definite guarantee, then the nuclear deal can not becontinued,” he said.
Khamenei heaped scorn on Trump, saying “You heard last night that thepresident of America made some silly and superficial comments.
“He had maybe more than 10 lies in his comments. He threatened the regimeand the people, saying I’ll do this and that. Mr. Trump, I tell you onbehalf of the Iranian people: You’ve made a mistake.
“This man will turn to dust and his body will become food for snakes andants,” he added. “And the Islamic Republic will still be standing.”
Khamenei, the highest authority in Iran, reluctantly gave his backing forthe Iran nuclear deal and has publicly criticized the U.S. multiple timesfor not following through on its promises under the agreement.
Raising the issue of Iran’s nuclear program was an excuse to curb theIslamic Republic’s regional influence and missile program, Khamenei said.Accepting negotiations on its missiles and regional influence would meanIran had to make endless concessions, he said.
“We accepted the nuclear deal, but the enmity against the Islamic Republicdid not end,” Khamenei said.
Iran needs to preserve its nuclear program because the country will need20,000 megawatts of electricity in the next few years, he said. – Agencies