Supreme Leader Khamenei says U.S. is Iran's 'number one enemy'

[webfact]

Supreme Leader Khamenei says U.S. is Iran's 'number one enemy'

By Parisa Hafezi

 

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves as he arrives to deliver a speech in Tehran, Iran, November 2, 2017. Leader.ir/Handout via REUTERS

 

ANKARA (Reuters) - The United States is Iran's "number one enemy" and Tehran will never succumb to Washington's pressure over a multinational nuclear deal, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech on Thursday.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump broke ranks with other major powers last month by refusing to formally certify Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal. Under that deal, most sanctions on Iran were lifted in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear work.

 

"The American president's foolish remarks against our people show the depth of America's hostility towards the entire Iranian nation," Iran's top authority Khamenei told a group of students.

 

"America is the number one enemy of our nation."

 

Since the deal was reached in 2015, Khamenei has continued to denounce the United States publicly, suggesting that antagonism between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic revolution in Tehran would not abate because of the accord.

 

Iran and the United States severed diplomatic ties shortly after the revolution, when hardline students took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. Iran will mark the anniversary of the American embassy seizure on Saturday.

 

Trump has called the nuclear agreement, which was reached under his predecessor Barack Obama, "the worst deal ever negotiated" and has adopted a harsh approach to Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

 

Washington has imposed new sanctions on Iran over its missile activity, calling on Tehran not to develop missiles capable of delivering nuclear bombs. Iran says it has no such plans and its missile programme is solely for defence purposes.

 

The deal's other signatories, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, and the European Union say Washington cannot unilaterally cancel an international accord enshrined by a U.N. resolution.

 

Iranian officials have repeatedly said that Tehran would stick to the nuclear accord as long as the other signatories respected it. But it has warned about the consequences if the deal falls apart.

 

"We will never accept their bullying over the nuclear deal ... Americans are using all the wickedness to damage the result of the nuclear talks," Khamenei said to chants of "Death to America" by students.

 

"Any retreat by Iran will make America more blatant and impudent ... Resistance is the only option."

 

Trump also accuses Iran of supporting terrorism in the Middle East. Iran rejects that and in turn blames the growth of militant groups such as Islamic State on the policies of the United States and its regional allies.

 

Shi'ite-dominated Iran and its regional arch-rival, U.S.-backed Sunni Saudi Arabia, are involved in proxy wars across the region, backing opposite sides in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon.

 

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Catherine Evans)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-03

[ezzra]

Like Duh,,, tell us something we don't know,  those so called ' leaders' thrive on hate and loathing mongering, the more the minions busy hating, the less attentions they pay to the atrocious  economy and human rights conditions they suffer and endure under the tyrant's rule....

 

[phantomfiddler]

It just so happens that Iran is the world,s "No. One Enemy" ! Do I detect a trace of hypocracy here ? 

[klauskunkel]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"America is the number one enemy of our nation."

Ok. Now, who is your number one friend..., waiting..., still waiting...,

don't have any friends? Well, what does that say about you?

[Orac]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Like Duh,,, tell us something we don't know,  those so called ' leaders' thrive on hate and loathing mongering, the more the minions busy hating, the less attentions they pay to the atrocious  economy and human rights conditions they suffer and endure under the tyrant's rule....

 

 

Couldn't have put it better myself but Iran is hardly a paradise either.

[Golgota]

A bit of History :

In 1953, Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq was overthrown by a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)-organized coup, in what has been called "a crucial turning point both in Iran's modern history and in U.S. Iran relations." Many Iranians argue that "the 1953 coup and the extensive U.S. support for the shah in subsequent years were largely responsible for the shah's arbitrary rule," which led to the "deeply anti-American character" of the 1979 revolution.

[beechguy]

19 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Ok. Now, who is your number one friend..., waiting..., still waiting...,

don't have any friends? Well, what does that say about you?

Actually they do, Russia, N. Korea, and probably Pakistan, rather pathetic, I know.

[boomerangutang]

34 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Ok. Now, who is your number one friend..., waiting..., still waiting...,

don't have any friends? Well, what does that say about you?

Ummm, probably Yemen and Syria.  Rather sad state of affairs with those types of friends.

 

Not long ago, Iran had a war with Iraq.  Ugly.  Allegations that Iran put cadres of boys to walk ahead of troops - in order to trip mines.  What is it about the M.East?  They seem to give so much more importance to elders than to youngsters.  We already know that women are 3rd class citizens, but come on......

 

Personally, I see youngsters as no more or less important than elders.  I often smile and wave at kids, and give them little gifts like colored clay sets or yogurt.  Almost always get smiles and waves back.  Qualification:  I'm not referring to kids from well-off families, but instead kids from deprived families - who appreciate little gifts with glee.   Kids from well-off families are taught to decline gifts, particularly those offered from a stranger.

 

 

Edited November 3, 2017 by boomerangutang

[Rancid]

Suspect most Americans couldn't care less about Iran, he could have been a little more specific in identifying the parasites in the MIC that fan wars and raise tensions just for their own insatiable greed.

[baboon]

I shall decide who my enemies are, thankyou very much. I will not have it decided for me and am deeply suspicious of those who try. I just wish there were more like me...

[geriatrickid]

25 minutes ago, Golgota said:

A bit of History :

In 1953, Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadeq was overthrown by a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)-organized coup, in what has been called "a crucial turning point both in Iran's modern history and in U.S. Iran relations." Many Iranians argue that "the 1953 coup and the extensive U.S. support for the shah in subsequent years were largely responsible for the shah's arbitrary rule," which led to the "deeply anti-American character" of the 1979 revolution.

You pick and choose to fit your political agenda. The 1953 regime change supported by the UK and USA is an insignificant blip in the history of  Iran. Using your logic, Iranians should be demanding the death of Arabs since it was Arab Muslims who invaded and undertook a massive cultural genocide in the 700's. hundreds of thousands of Iranians were slaughtered. What about the annexation and subjugation of Iran by Mongol hordes and Turkish barbarians? Iran was dominated and enslaved for centuries by these marauders and yet, there is no seething hatred for them as there is for the USA. Iran never  lost its lands to  the USA. However, from the mid 1700's to the start of the 1900's Russia and Iran fought multiple wars and Iran saw the loss of large tracts of land to the Russian Empire. And yet, Putin and the Ayatollahs  love each other, don't they?

 

Sorry to say, but your attempt to  use 1953 as  justification for the Iranian blood lust is a cop out and BS. Iran and its religious zealots  need to create a common enemy to distract the population from focusing on the despotic barbaric brutal imposition of Shiite Shia law and religious intolerance.  Iran is  pure evil and it's people have  been brainwashed for two generations now to be  evil and full of hate.

[Grouse]

That's Professor Dumbledore; nothing like Khamenei ?

Edited November 3, 2017 by Grouse

[Thaidream]

While Iranian History is complicated- and there was much resentment towards American meddling due to the CIA involvement- the cause of the Iranian Revolution was an uprising of the poor against a Government that catered mostly to the rich. The Shah was of course supported by the US Government and at the time of the Revolution there were almost 50,000 Americans in Iran. The US military helped evacuate Americans from Iran .  

The Ayatollah KHomeini was greeted  and supported by a vast majority of the population because he indicated that Iran would be governed by Islamic principles; corruption would be ended; and the lot of the poor assisted. Of course, the American bogeyman was also used to support Khomeini's agenda and much of it was true.

Fast forward to today and Iranians have generally become poorer; the economy degenerated; and Iran's military expanded.  Many Iranians would welcome the Shah back if he was still alive.

The US once had an opportunity to put pressure on the Shah to stop the corruption which favored the elite class and democratize Iran- instead it chose to  ignore the rumblings of revolution for its own selfish agenda.The US completely failed in Iran and if Trump is not careful- he will lead America into a military confrontation with Iran which no one needs.

Edited November 3, 2017 by Thaidream

[YetAnother]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

The United States is Iran's "number one enemy"

dont doubt it for a second; same as iran and NK are usa's number one/two/one enemies

[Morch]

11 hours ago, Rancid said:

Suspect most Americans couldn't care less about Iran, he could have been a little more specific in identifying the parasites in the MIC that fan wars and raise tensions just for their own insatiable greed.

 

Another "I suspect" post. And oh, here's the infamous "MIC", for good measure. Guess it wouldn't do to point out that Iran's so-called hardliners pretty much represent (and much more so than in the USA) their very own "MIC", or that the OP is actually about an Iranian leader fanning flames and raising tensions.

[Orac]

 
Another "I suspect" post. And oh, here's the infamous "MIC", for good measure. Guess it wouldn't do to point out that Iran's so-called hardliners pretty much represent (and much more so than in the USA) their very own "MIC", or that the OP is actually about an Iranian leader fanning flames and raising tensions.

Surely the Iranians are just responding to a US leader fanning flames and raising tensions by refusing to re-certify an agreement that is already covered by a UN resolution that they previously approved.


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[Morch]

5 minutes ago, Orac said:

 

Surely the Iranians are just responding to a US leader fanning flames and raising tensions by refusing to re-certify an agreement that is already covered by a UN resolution that they previously approved.


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Surely how? This sort of rhetoric is often aired by Iranian leaders. Trump is just the recent backdrop. 

[Orac]

 
Surely how? This sort of rhetoric is often aired by Iranian leaders. Trump is just the recent backdrop. 

I would agree. Sadly, in this instance, Trump has somehow manage to make them look more reasonable.


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[connda]

There are are the majority of people in the West who are capable of reading and reacting to news-bites popped out by Western main-stream news sources which seek to maintain the commonly accepted Western narrative of Middle Eastern events, and then there are those who live on the opposite side of the fence who understand the fallacies and holes in the Western narratives be they news articles or sit-reps produced by billionaire backed Western NGOs - and then there are a handful of students of The Great Game and The New Great Game, a small minority indeed, who grasp the historical perspective and current geo-politics driving the wars, the genocide, and foreign policies objectives in that region.  

[Morch]

16 minutes ago, connda said:

There are are the majority of people in the West who are capable of reading and reacting to news-bites popped out by Western main-stream news sources which seek to maintain the commonly accepted Western narrative of Middle Eastern events, and then there are those who live on the opposite side of the fence who understand the fallacies and holes in the Western narratives be they news articles or sit-reps produced by billionaire backed Western NGOs - and then there are a handful of students of The Great Game and The New Great Game, a small minority indeed, who grasp the historical perspective and current geo-politics driving the wars, the genocide, and foreign policies objectives in that region.  

 

[craigt3365]

On 11/3/2017 at 9:25 AM, Rancid said:

Suspect most Americans couldn't care less about Iran, he could have been a little more specific in identifying the parasites in the MIC that fan wars and raise tensions just for their own insatiable greed.

Ya only got one thing.  The military industrial complex.  That's been debunked.  But you're stuck on that like white on rice.  Time to come up with a better play for your constant anti-US posts. LOL

 

Iran is a great country with a lots of history and a great place to visit.  Sadly, the people have been hijacked by a bunch of nuts.  If you talk to the average Iranian, they are 100% at odds with these religions leaders.  And actually like the US a lot.

[Scott]

A post quoting a survey without a link has been removed.   It violates Fair Use Policy.  

 

[Sir Dude]

"Supreme Religious Fascist Khamenei says..." stopped reading right there.