Iran's Khamenei says nation will not retreat in face of US sanctions and 'insults'
Khamenei added that the US offer for negotiations is a deception.
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the Iranian nation will not retreat in the face of "cruel" U.S. sanctions and "insults", days after Washington imposed sanctions on him and other top officials in the country.
"The most vicious officials of the (U.S.) government accuse Iran and insult it. The Iranian nation will not give in and retreat in the face of such insults," Khamenei was quoted as saying by his official website.
Khamenei added that the US offer for negotiations is a deception.
US President Donald Trump has said he is willing to hold talks with the Islamic Republic.
“Negotiations are a deception for what they want. A weapon is in your hands and they don’t dare come close. They say drop the weapon so I can do whatever I want with you. This is negotiation,” Khamenei said.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump ordered “hard-hitting” financial sanctions on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holding him “ultimately responsible” for Tehran’s destabilizing activities.
Incorrect path
America is pursuing an incorrect path, Iran s President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday, according to the IRIB news agency.
"Today I tell the Americans that the path you have chosen is an incorrect path," Rouhani said.
U.S. President Donald Trump targeted Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian officials with sanctions on Monday, taking a dramatic, unprecedented step to increase pressure on Iran after Tehran’s downing of an unmanned American drone last week.
European signatories have not done enough to preserve the landmark 2015 nuclear deal and it would be in the benefit of European countries and the U.S. to stick to their promises under the deal, Rouhani said.
Iran s oil exports are increasing despite U.S. sanctions, central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said on Wednesday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
U.S. officials have said they are pushing to cut off Iran s oil exports. "Despite America s claim to bring the sale of oil to zero, oil exports are increasing," Hemmati said.
