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Leader urges authorities not to back down against US

Wednesday, 19 October 2016 11:15 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 19 October 2016 12:01 PM ]

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei makes a speech during a meeting with top Iranian students and scientific talents on October 19, 2016 (khamenei.ir)

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called on Iranian authorities not to back down in the face of the United States’ ever-increasing demands.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks on Wednesday in a meeting with a group of top university students and members of Iran’s National Elites Foundation.

“We have, time and again, told [Iranian authorities] that if you surrender in the nuclear [case], they (Americans) will bring up the issue of the missiles. If you back down further, they will pick on the issue of [Iran’s] support for resistance,” Ayatollah Khamenei asserted.

“If you keep backing down even further, they will bring up [the issue of] human rights. Then, if you accept their standards, they will go for eliminating the religious standards in [our] government,” the Leader added.

The Leader was pointing to recent remarks by US Secretary of State John Kerry, who has said that the Islamic Republic’s continued support for the resistance movement in the region made it “very difficult” to help Tehran improve its banking system and business practices.

Ayatollah Khamenei said that some American officials would cite his “pessimism towards the US” during their meetings with Iranian officials, asking, “How can one [ever] be optimistic towards you, given such remarks?”

The Leader further highlighted Iran’s vast capacities for making progress as well as its human and natural resources, saying even the Westerners admit this issue.

The praise for Iran’s potentials is not “mere rhetoric,” Ayatollah Khamenei added, warning that hindering Iran’s scientific progress is among the major goals of enemies.

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