29 Mar 2024
Saturday 21 July 2018 - 15:50
Story Code : 312849

Ayatollah Khamenei: Talks with US 'useless' but should continue with EU

Press TV - Leader of theIslamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says talkswith the US are "useless," adding while negotiations with the Europeans should continue, Iranshould not count much on theirpackage of proposals.


I have long pointed out that it is not possible tocount on the words and even the signatures of the Americans, so negotiations with the United States are of no avail,"the Leader said in a meeting with Iranian ambassadors and diplomats in Tehran Saturday.

Ayatollah Khamenei touched on "deep-rooted"US animosity with the Iranian nation, saying Washington's opposition to Iran's nuclear capabilities and role in the region is rooted in its hostility with "the elements ofthe authority of the Islamic system."

The Leader said the Americans want to return to theposition they werein Iran before the Islamic Revolution in 1979 when the former Shah was a key ally of the United States, adding "they will not be satisfied with anything less."

Ayatollah Khamenei said it is a "blatant mistake"to believe that negotiating with the US would help Iran solve its problems.

There are many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America that have ties with the US but are still suffering from problems, the Leader said, adding the US has "a fundamental problem with the nature of Irans Islamic establishment.

With the Europeans, talks should continue to guarantee Iran's interests under the 2015 nuclear deal which the bloc wants to preserve despite Washington'swithdrawal in May.

Negotiationswith the Europeans should not be cut off, but we should not wait too long for a European package and instead, we should doa lot of work inside the country, Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Earlier this month, Iran said it had rejected the European Unions so-called package of proposals for the future of the 2015 nuclear deal. Details of the proposals were never made public.

However, Tehran said it had returned the package for revisions, saying the blocs proposals did not guarantee that the Islamic Republic would benefit from the nuclear deal if it stayedin the agreement.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khemenei echoed his support for Iran's President Hassan Rouhani who had warned that no oil cargo would be exported in the region if Iran's oil exports were to be halted.

He described President Rouhani's remarks to that effect as important and emphasized that Iran's Foreign Ministry should take the adequate measures to follow up the president's position.

Before Ayatollah Khameneis remarks, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said his ministry had devised a comprehensive plan to help expand the countrys economic bonds with neighbors as well as others.

Zarif said Irans Foreign Ministry had also been able to successfully foil what he described an Israeli project to portray Iran as a threat.

He recalled efforts by US President Donald Trump and Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scare the world away from Iran, calling such efforts as cheap theatricals that had resulted in nothing but their own isolation.

Zarif further said that war rooms had been created in certain countries to pressure Iran, but those efforts were futile.

He saidIran had told other countries including Americas allies that confronting the American bullying should go beyond political commitments and involve practical measures.

We have gone through hard times, the Iranian minister said. We will be able to overcome problems through cooperation and unity without suffering any harm under the guidance of the Leadership and the help of the people.


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