Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that the United States is Iran’s “main” enemy and that Tehran will never give in to U.S. pressure over the 2015 nuclear deal.

“America is the main and evil enemy, in the real sense of the word,” Khamenei said in a November 2 meeting with a group of students.

“We will never accept their bullying over the nuclear deal,” the Iranian leader said, adding that “standing up and confronting” the United States was the only way forward for Iran.

Under the nuclear deal, Iran significantly limited its controversial nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

U.S. President Donald Trump in October refused to certify that Iran is complying with its obligations under the nuclear accord. Trump also accused Iran of violating the “spirit” of the deal.

Khamenei accused the Trump administration of working “to ruin” the landmark accord between Iran and the United States, Russia, China, Germany, France, and Britain.

Khamenei, who has the final say in all state matters, also criticized Trump for calling Iran “a terrorist nation.”

He said the “foolish” comments demonstrated that Washington’s hostility is not only toward the establishment, but also toward the Iranian nation.

Khamenei made the comments ahead of the November 4 anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran that led Washington to cut diplomatic ties with Iran.

Source www.rferl.org