Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, gave his approval to chants of “Death to America” during a speech he delivered to a group of workers in Tehran on Saturday, as reported by Iran International, an opposition media outlet.
“Your judgment is right,” Khamenei told the local workers as they chanted “Death to America,” shortly before the fourth round of nuclear talks with the U.S. was to commence on Sunday.
Khamenei justified the regime’s animosity toward the U.S. by pointing to American support for Israel, declaring, “Americans fully support Israel – in the true sense of the word.”
The Iranian regime often brands the U.S. as the “Great Satan” and labels Israel as the “Little Satan.” These slogans are a staple of official gatherings, where chants like “Death to America” are typically followed by calls for “Death to Israel.” The Iranian government has been open in its calls for the elimination of the Jewish state.
During his address, Khamenei also accused both the United States and the United Kingdom of direct involvement in the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which is backed by Iran.
“The people of Gaza are not facing Israel alone – they are facing America and Britain,” the Iranian leader told the crowd.
Iran’s state-run newspaper Kayhan echoed Khamenei’s remarks, using President Donald Trump as a symbol of what it described as Western arrogance and manipulation.
“Trump is not a passing phenomenon,” the news outlet wrote. “He is a framework based on narcissism, superiority delusions, and threat-based tactics,” it continued, claiming that Washington’s diplomatic moves constitute “a tool for deception, not an indication of true boundaries.”
Khamenei’s remarks come at a pivotal moment, as the Trump administration is actively pursuing a nuclear agreement with Tehran. The fourth phase of the negotiations is expected to resume in Vienna on Sunday, according to Iran International.
President Donald Trump has made clear that Iran will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, although he has left the door open for a civilian nuclear program under strict conditions.
Speaking to Breitbart on Thursday, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that the U.S. will not accept any uranium enrichment activity by Iran.
“They cannot have centrifuges. They have to downblend all of their fuel that they have there and send it to a far-away place,” Witkoff told the U.S. news outlet Breitbart.
“An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line,” he continued.
“Obviously, they can say no, and they can test President Trump, but I think that would be an unwise thing to do,” Witkoff concluded as a barely veiled warning to the Iranian regime.
Despite its public insistence that it is not pursuing nuclear arms, Tehran has refused to dismantle its centrifuges—key devices in the production of weapons-grade material—according to Western experts.
Iran continues to enrich uranium up to 60%, far beyond what is required for peaceful energy use, raising serious international concern.
Israel, meanwhile, is demanding the complete removal of all aspects of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including programs meant for civilian purposes. Some Israeli officials worry that Trump’s diplomatic overtures may result in a deal resembling the 2015 nuclear accord negotiated by Barack Obama.
While Trump has stated his preference for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, he has also made it clear that military action remains on the table if needed to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power.
“If there’s a second option,” Trump assessed, “I think it would be very bad for Iran, and I think Iran is wanting to talk. I hope they’re wanting to talk. It’s going to be very good for them if they do… Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon. It’s pretty simple.”
{Matzav.com}