Supreme Leader Khamenei: It's time for Iran to give up hope that Europe defies US sanctions

RT
Thu, 26 Sep 2019 15:48 UTC

© AP/Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iran should abandon the belief that Europe will spurn Washington's hardline policy towards Tehran, Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has argued, adding that those who wish to harm the Islamic Republic should not be trusted.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Khamenei said that despite pledging to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal, European nations have adhered to practically all aspects of US sanctions against Tehran, which were unilaterally imposed on the country after Washington withdrew from the accord last year.

"[They] have not taken any action and are unlikely to do anything for the Islamic Republic in the future. So, one should give up all hope on Europeans.

"There should be no trust in countries that have held the banner of hostility to [Iran's] Islamic system, led by the United States and some European countries, because they are openly hostile to the Iranian people."

The UK, France and Germany, who were signatories to the imperiled agreement, moved to set up new trade mechanisms with Iran after the United States slapped Tehran with fresh sanctions. That system, however, is still not functional, with European states apparently afraid of running afoul of Washington's restrictions.

Khamenei stressed that, to his eyes, European states that refuse to break with the US and abide by their commitments under the deal should not be trusted.

Tehran has begun to slowly distance itself from conditions set out in the accord, arguing that it was under no commitment to honor its side of the deal if the other signatories did the same.

Comment: Sputnik, 26/9/2019: Supreme Leader Khameini slams Europe and US

On 20 September, Washington introduced new economic sanctions against Iran over the Islamic Republic's alleged attacks on Saudi Aramco oil facilities, accusations that Tehran has vehemently denied. Despite the incident having been claimed by the Yemen-based Houthis movement, European leaders have also held Iran responsible for the attacks.

Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has slammed the "satanic" US and "hostile" European governments that have aligned against Tehran and thus should not be trusted, Islamic Republic News Agency reports:

"In the Quran, God introduces the way to overcome disbelievers and Satan as relying on Him. Today, too, when one sees that the enemy, Satan, the US government and the vicious European governments have lined up together against Iran, it increases our faith in our rightfulness.

"After signing JCPOA, a few European officials visited Iran. They met with me, too. I told them, 'These visits alone are useless. You should prove your honesty in action'. They didn't act upon it and declared adherence to the US's cruel secondary sanctions. There's no hope in them".

The comments came following Washington's imposition of a new round of economic sanctions against the Iranian Central Bank and sovereign wealth funds on 20 September, with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin arguing that the move is aimed at cutting off "all sources of funds to Iran".