Real reason US pulled out of nuclear deal –Iranian leader

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is still miffed by the decision of the USA to pull out of the nuclear deal describing the move by Donald Trump as “silly”, “impudent” and “worthless”.

Khamenei who was speaking from his country’s capital of Tehran addressed the American president directly, saying: “You cannot lift one finger against us.”

“You all heard last night the cheap and impudent remarks of the US president,” Khamenei was quoted by Iran’s Mehr news agency as saying.

“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!”

Khamenei said the nuclear issue was “just an excuse” by the US to dominate Iran, and that its “real reason” in signing up to the 2015 agreement is to make it bow to American demands.

“The real reason behind the opposition of the US towards the Islamic Republic’s system is the fact that [before the revolution], the US had complete dominance over our country,” Khamenei said.

“Eventually, their hands were severed from Iran by the Islamic Revolution.”

Read also: China jails ruling party member for life over graft

Trump announced yesterday that the US is effectively withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, defying last-ditch diplomatic efforts by his European allies to convince him otherwise.

Under the deal signed in Vienna in 2015 with six world powers – the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union – Iran scaled back its uranium enrichment programme and promised not to pursue nuclear weapons.

In exchange, international sanctions against Iran were lifted, allowing it to sell its oil and gas worldwide.

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