“The core demand of
the US. is that Iran should not have a nuclear industry and should remain
dependent on them. Our response to America’s nonsense is clear, they can’t do a
damn thing about it.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the remarks as Iran is marking
the 36th anniversary of the passing of Imam Khomeini, the founder of the
Islamic Republic.
“The first word of the US is that Iran should not have a
nuclear industry and should rely on the United States,” Ayatollah Khamenei
said in the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini.
“Our
response to America’s nonsense is clear, they cannot do a damn thing in this
matter,” the Leader said, asking, “Why do you interfere that Iran have
enrichment or not. It is not your business.”
The
Leader’s remarks came in response to President Donald Trump administration’s
proposals that Iran should not be allowed "any enrichment of
uranium."
Highlighting the importance of nuclear industry, the Leader
said, thanks to considerable efforts, Iran has achieved a “complete nuclear
fuel cycle”.
Noting that the nuclear industry is not limited to energy
production, he said it is a “foundational industry” that various scientific
fields are influenced by it.
The Leader said the foes wish to deprive Iran of this
significant industry.
“Uranium enrichment is the key issue in the nuclear matter,
and that’s exactly what our adversaries have focused on.”
The
United States has been claiming that Iran can import nuclear fuel for its
reactors. However, the Leader said the United States is not trustworthy, saying
the US refused to sell 20-percent enriched uranium to Iran to power its medical
reactor in the 2000s.
“In the 2000s, we experienced firsthand how unreliable the
US was when it came to supplying 20% enriched fuel,” Ayatollah Khamenei pointed
out, indirectly referring to Iran's need to nuclear fuel to power its Tehran
medical reactor.
