Iran’s Khamenei Says Biden ‘No Different’ From Trump On Nuclear Deal
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday accused US President Joe Biden of making the same demands as his predecessor, Donald Trump, in talks to reactivate a nuclear deal.
The multilateral deal offering Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbing its nuclear program was torpedoed by Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States in 2018.
A final round of negotiations between Iran and the remaining parties to the accord to revive the 2015 accord concluded in June with no resumption in sight.
“The current US administration is no different from the previous one, because what it demands of Iran on the nuclear issue is different in words, but the same as Trump demanded,” Khamenei said, quoted by his official website.
“The Americans really have no shame on the nuclear issue, and although they withdrew from the JCPOA … now they speak in a way and make demands, as it was (Iran) who withdrew,” he added, referring to the agreement of his official name. , Joint Comprehensive Action Plan.
Khamenei made the remarks during a meeting with President Ebrahim Raisi’s newly formed cabinet.
A year after Trump’s decision to withdraw from the accord and impose sanctions on Iran, the Islamic republic retaliated by gradually renouncing most of the key nuclear commitments it had accepted under the accord.
Six rounds of nuclear talks between Iran and world powers, with the indirect participation of the United States, were held in Vienna between April and June.
The last round concluded on June 20, with no date set for another.
‘Repair’ damaged trust
In his speech, Khamenei also called on Raisi to “repair” the public’s damaged trust in the government.
“It is a great asset for a government to be able to attract the confidence of the people, which has unfortunately been slightly damaged. It must repair this.”
He said the way to do it is “that the words and actions of the officials become one” and the promises made are fulfilled.
In recent years, Iran has been hit by several protests over the economy and living conditions worsened by the punishment of US sanctions.
The latest were protests over water shortages that broke out in southwestern Iran in July, where, according to Iranian media, at least four people were killed.
Human rights groups outside of Iran have previously accused the Islamic republic of using force against protesters.
Iran has denied the charges and blamed “opportunists” and “rioters” linked to its enemies for the violence in the protests.
(AFP)
