Ayatollah Khamenei reacted to Donald Trump’s announcement Tue. night that the US would pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal and reinstate sanctions over Washington’s dissatisfaction at the agreement that did not include restrictions against Iran’s regional influence and missile program.
“You all heard last night the cheap and impudent remarks of the US president,” Ayatollah Khamenei told a gathering of Farhangiaan University professors and students in Tehran on Wednesday. “There were maybe more than 10 lies in what he said. He threatened both the Establishment and the Iranian nation that he will do this and that, and I will tell him on behalf of the Iranian people: Mr. Trump! Like hell you will!”
“When our nuclear program was launched, some key officials inside the country would scold us for our insistence on obtaining nuclear technology; what they said was wrong, because Iran is in dire need of nuclear energy, and in a few years, according to experts, the country will require 20,000MW nuclear power,” he said.
The Leader went on to add, “we kept saying, from day one, that the US problem with Iran is not related to the nuclear energy, and this was just an excuse for them. Now you all saw it for what it really is. We accepted the JCPOA but the enmity against the Islamic Republic did not cease.”
“Now they are talking about our presence in the region and the country’s missile program,” he said. “If we accept their terms on these two issues, the problem will not be solved, but rather they will find something else [to raise against us].”
“The reason for US antagonism toward the Islamic Republic Establishment is that they used to have full dominance over our country, but the Revolution deprived them of that,” he added.
He noted that the US wants to instate the kind of rulers in region that would give away their moneys and obey US' every command, and would be easily replaced any time Washington deemed it fit.
He went on to add, "a few days ago Trump wrote a letter to leaders of the Persian Gulf states, which was revealed to us. He wrote, 'I spent $7 trillion and you must do something in return.' The US wants to own humiliated slaves."
“The Iranian nation is standing firm and the Islamic Republic remains strong while [the previous US presidents] have died and their bones have decomposed,” he said. “Trump too will return to dust and his body will be food for worms, but the Islamic Republic will remain standing on its feet.”
The Leader asserted, “from day one, I said several times that the United States is not to be trusted. I said it publicly and privately. I said if you want to sign an agreement, first make sure that necessary guarantees are made. One of the conditions I mentioned was that the president of the United States has to sign it. Those in charge of the negotiations tried hard, but couldn't meet this condition."
Ayatollah Khamenei further voiced distrust in the three European signatories to the JCPOA – Britain, France and Germany, which stressed commitment to the agreement following Trump’s pullout, and called on Iran to continue abiding by its nuclear-related obligations.
“Now it is said [by Rouhani’s administration] that the agreement will stay in place with participation of the three European countries; I do not trust these three countries,” he said.
Addressing the government, he said “do not trust them either. If you want to sign an agreement, you first need to obtain a practical guarantee, otherwise they will do the same as the US did. If you managed to get the guarantee, that is alright, although I do not think that you will. If you failed to obtain definite reassurance, then we cannot stay in the nuclear deal.”
"The [Iranian] officials are facing a big test: are they going to ensure that the nation's pride will be protected? The pride and interests of the nation must be truly secured," he concluded.
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