Iran’s supreme leader said the current situation with the United States was “unsolvable” and that Tehran would never bow to pressure to obey Washington, amid a standoff with Western powers over its nuclear program, state media reported on Sunday.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the remarks days after Iranian officials threatened Israel with renewed fighting, two months after the countries fought a 12-day air war. The comments also come after Iran and three European powers agreed on Friday to resume talks to try to restart full negotiations on curbing Tehran’s nuclear enrichment work.
“They want Iran to be obedient to America. The Iranian nation will stand with all of its power against those who have such erroneous expectations,” Khamenei was reported as saying.
Read more: Israel strikes Yemen’s presidential compound (VIDEOS)
“People who ask us not to issue slogans against the US… to have direct negotiations with the US, only see appearances… This issue is unsolvable,” he added.
The Islamic Republic suspended nuclear negotiations with the United States after the US and Israel bombed its nuclear sites during the 12-day war in June. Israel said the sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites and ballistic missile program was necessary to prevent Tehran from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.
Iran retaliated to Israel’s strikes by launching over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,100 drones at Israel. The attacks killed 31 people and wounded over 3,000 in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals.
Read more: Trump, Intel announce deal giving US a 10% stake in chipmaker
Following that war, France, Britain and Germany have said if Tehran does not return to the table, they could reactivate United Nations sanctions under a “snapback” mechanism agreed to in a 2015 deal between Iran, the United States and several world powers.
To avoid those sanctions, some Iranian officials are reportedly willing to accept limits on the country’s nuclear program. The Telegraph reported on Sunday that reformers in Tehran are pushing the regime to agree to cap uranium enrichment at 20 percent, short of the 90% that would make it suitable for nuclear weapons.