Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei expressed his support for the extension of the talks between Iran and the major powers on Tehran's nuclear program, saying the nuclear negotiating team "will resist any bullying."
Ayatollah Khamenei said, “For the same reasons that we did not oppose the negotiations in the first place, we do not oppose the extension of talks,” IRNA quoted the Leader as saying to an audience of volunteer Basij forces in Tehran on Thursday.
Despite their serious and intensive efforts in the most recent round of nuclear talks in Vienna last week, Iran and its international negotiating partners failed to meet a self-imposed November 24 target date to reach a comprehensive settlement to the 12-year dispute over Tehran's nuclear work and agreed to extend the talks on a final deal for another seven months until June 30, 2015.
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated his support for the nuclear negotiators and said "They have been firm, have not caved in and are seriously trying hard.
"In the negotiations, if sensible things are said and fair and wise arrangements are made, we will agree to them, but Iranians, from the top all the way to the bottom (of social strata), from the masses to all the officials, will stand up to excessive demands."
The leader also described Washington's polices as wavering and unclear.
"America is a chameleon, and every day makes new statements," he said, adding, "It also says different things in public and in private."
Biggest Loser
He noted that both the nation and the negotiating parties should know that "if the talks fail, the one who will lose the most will be the Americans not us… as they need these talks to solve their domestic problems," adding that Iran has learned how to withstand outside pressure.
The Leader also made a reference to the nationwide protests this week in the United States that were sparked in response to a grand jury’s decision not to indict a white police officer who fatally shot an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri and said it reflects "the gap between the American people and their administration."
He also touched on remarks by US officials about the need for ensuring Israel's security through resolving Iran's nuclear issue and said whether "a nuclear agreement is achieved or not, Israel will be more insecure day by day."
