Iran's Khamenei rejects talks with US, says 'brutal sanctions aimed at collapsing economy'

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected negotiations with the United States over Tehran ballistic missile and nuclear programs. In his address to the nation, he also accused the US of using the talks for propaganda. This comes after Donald Trump expressed willingness to talk to Tehran with “no preconditions” but without discontinuing their pressure campaign.  

In the interview, which was live broadcasted on Iranian state television, Khameinin urged Iranians to not get demotivated by American sanctions. In addendum, he also accused Washington of trying to limit their influence in the Middle Eastern region. “America’s brutal sanctions on Iran are aimed at collapsing our economy ... Their aim is to limit our influence in the region and to halt our missile and nuclear capabilities,” Khamenei said.

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'Resist American pressure'

The leader also urged the residents of the Islamic republic to “resist” American pressure and to reply more on “national capabilities”. He added that cutting dependence on oil export will help the country in tackling the US pressure. Previously, US had many times expressed objection on Iran exporting oil to Venezuela.

On July 29, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched underground ballistic missiles as part of an exercise involving a fake aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported, the latest barrage in a drill that saw two American bases temporarily go on alert over the launches. 

Meanwhile, a semi-official news agency close to the Revolutionary Guard published a graphic overnight that photoshopped the image of an American carrier into the shape of a casket, with a caption quoting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledging to seek revenge for the U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in January.

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