Iran’s top executive and the country’s president warned America on Wednesday that leaving US President Donald Trump does not mean better relations between the two countries immediately.
The comments come as Iran approaches the first anniversary of the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, an attack that brought Washington and Tehran war-torn to an open war after months of escalation.
Ayatollah CEO Ali Khamenei
(Photo: AP)
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke in Tehran at the hall of Imam Khomeini Hosseinieh, or congregation, where he attended a meeting with Soleimani’s family and top military leaders. They all sat about 5 meters (16 feet) away from the 81-year-old Khamenei, who was wearing a face mask due to the still-contagious coronavirus infection in Iran.
“It simply came to our notice then [former President Barack] America Obama did for you, “Khamenei said.” The hostility is not just for America Trump, which will end when he leaves. America Obama did bad things for you and the Iranian nation. “
Earlier in the day, Rouhani, speaking at a cabinet meeting, made a point similar to criticizing Trump – at a point even saying that the U.S. president “has committed so many crimes, he was a murderer and the insurgents. “
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will address a cabinet meeting in Tehran
(Photo: AP)
“Some people say, ‘You are excited for Mr. Biden ‘, “Rouhani said.” No, we are not excited by Mr. Biden is taking over, but we are very pleased Mr. Trump is gone. “
“The upcoming American administration can choose what you do,” Rouhani said. The path is open. It is up to them whether they are grateful or shameless. If they want the right track, it’s ready. If they want the wrong way, that one is ready for them too. “
Biden has suggested that the U.S. could revert to the 2015 Tehran nuclear deal with world powers, from which Trump pulled America out of one side in 2018 and imposed tougher sanctions on Iran. That decision marked the beginning of greater tensions between the two countries when Iran abandoned the uranium enrichment borders and the Mideast witnessed a series of escalating events and attacks.
In response to Soleimani’s death, Tehran launched a ballistic missile attack that wounded dozens of U.S. troops in Iraq. That same night, he also fired through the error of a Ukrainian aircraft taking off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board.
After the US strike that killed Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani
(Photo: Courtesy)
In a bid to put pressure on Europe, Iran’s parliament recently passed a bill calling on Tehran to increase its uranium enrichment to 20%, a short technical step away from military standards, and throw in international investigators out. The Rouhani government has opposed the bill, citing unrest within the Ioran0that civilian government apparently arrested by the superintendent in his speech on Wednesday.
“Resolve your disputes by negotiating with each other,” Khamenei said. “Are you not saying that we should negotiate with the world, that it is not possible to resolve disputes and resolve with the element a- inside? “