Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected negotiations with the United States over the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs.
“America’s brutal sanctions on Iran are aimed at collapsing our economy … Their aim is to limit our influence in the region and to halt our missile and nuclear capabilities,” said Khamenei on Friday in a live broadcasted speech on television.
“Relying on national capabilities and cutting our dependence on oil exports will help us to resist America’s pressure.”
Tensions between the United States and Iran have intensified since the Trump administration withdrew the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, reimposing sanctions under it, along with enacting new penalties against the regime.