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EU Should Stand Up to US Anti-Iran Moves

“We will not rip up the nuclear deal so long as the other side has not torn it up, but if they tear it apart, we will cut it into shreds”
EU Should Stand Up to US Anti-Iran Moves
EU Should Stand Up to US Anti-Iran Moves

The Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Europe’s opposition to the US administration’s push to scuttle the 2015 nuclear deal is “good but insufficient”.

Speaking in a gathering of academic elites in Tehran on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei urged European powers to oppose the violation of the landmark pact by the “bullying” US and not follow its line against Iran’s defense program and regional role, his official website reported.

“Europeans should stand up to US measures in breach of the nuclear deal ... and avoid singing the same tune with the US on Iran’s defense power and its presence in the region,” he said.

In an address on Friday, US President Donald Trump said he will not certify Iran’s compliance with its obligations under the deal, despite repeated confirmations of Iran’s commitment by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Referring to non-nuclear issues, Trump said the US Congress should work with Europeans to address what he called “many serious flaws” in the deal and threatened to terminate it if they fail to do so.

European parties to the deal, Britain, France and Germany, responded to the speech by a statement released shortly afterwards and stressed the need for keeping the deal in place.

However, the three states announced readiness to work with the US to address issues such as Iran’s ballistic missile program and its regional activities that they describe as “destabilizing”.

The US Congress has 60 days to decide whether to reimpose unilateral American sanctions that were lifted under the deal.

Some US lawmakers have announced an alternative plan to set new conditions for Iran’s missile and regional activities that will lead to restoration of sanctions if breached by Tehran.

“We won’t tear apart the deal so long as the other side has not torn it up. But if they tear it apart, we will cut it into shreds,” the Leader said.

In his speech, Trump also delivered a scathing verbal attack against Iran and laid out a harsh new strategy against the country that takes a more confrontational approach over Tehran’s missile program and alleged “support for terrorism” in the region.

***Deep-Seated Animosity

The Leader said the US animosity toward Iran dates back to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which ended the despotic rule of the US-backed Pahlavi monarch.

“In those days, there was no nuclear issue, no missile and no regional influence. But Americans had learnt that the victory of the revolution had lost a submissive and lucrative vassal state,” he said.

Ayatollah Khamenei said the US is infuriated that the revolution has turned Iran from a dependent country into an “influential” and “mighty” one, despite years of intense pressure and sanctions, and it is even becoming a model for other nations.

The Leader said the other reason behind “rants and whoppers” of the “foul-mouthed” Trump in his Friday speech is that Iran has foiled “the evil plots” of “the Great Satan” in the region, including in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.

Ayatollah Khamenei said Washington is working hard to undermine Iran’s national power.

“We must boost our defense power so adversaries will not be emboldened to attack,” he concluded.

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