Iran leader says policy against ‘arrogant’ US won’t change

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that a landmark nuclear deal with world powers ‘won’t change’ the country’s stance towards the ‘arrogant’ United States government.

The remarks were greeted by chants of “Death to America” at a ceremony in Tehran marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which was broadcast live on state television.

Khamenei also said Tuesday’s nuclear agreement would not alter Iran’s support for the governments of Syria and Iraq nor its backing of “oppressed people” in Yemen and Bahrain, and the Palestinians.

The comments reflected the supreme leader’s longstanding position that Iran’s engagement with the six powers was solely to reach a nuclear deal that was in its national interest.

The agreement, within a few months, stands to give Iran relief from US, UN and European sanctions that have ravaged its economy.

In return, Iran has pledged to place curbs on its nuclear programme for at least a decade to assuage western concerns that the Islamic republic has sought to develop an atomic bomb.

Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon, insisting its atomic programme is for peaceful energy and medical purposes only.

Khamenei restated that position on Saturday, mentioning a fatwa he himself issued against any action seeking the bomb.

He also stressed that the agreement with Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany was not yet law and would have to be carefully scrutinised.

But he praised President Hassan Rouhani and Iran’s negotiators.