MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has lambasted the United States as Iran's main enemy.
"The United States is truly the major malignant enemy… I say this not based on prejudice or pessimism, but based on experience, correct analysis of situations, and observation of the realities within the field," Khamenei said in a statement.
READ MORE: Iran Says Has Missiles Capable of Striking US Forces in Case of Invasion
Commenting on US President Donald Trump's recent statement, in which he labeled Iran a "terrorist nation," Khamenei said that the United States' hostility stretched not only to the Iranian government but to the entire nation.
"These immature remarks prove that the Americans are not only the enemies of the Iranian government and its leadership, but they also reveal their hatred and hostility towards the Iranian nation, a nation that has bravely stood up to them!" Khamenei said.
The Khamenei's comment comes in a wake of the recent expansion of US sanctions against Iran and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in particular over their alleged support of terrorism, a claim strongly refuted by Tehran.
READ MORE: US Expands Sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
The decision came in the wake of the US administration's decision not to certify Iran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal (also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — JCPOA) reached after several years of hard diplomatic work to reach the agreement.
Other members of the deal, compromising P5+1 group, however, have confirmed their intention to stick to the deal, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) acknowledging Iran's adherence to the obligations under the agreement.
READ MORE: Iran Fully Complies With Nuclear Agreement — IAEA Director General
