Iran “not planning to cooperate with U.S., UK over regional issues”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday, June 3 Tehran had no intention of cooperating on regional issues with its main enemies, the United States and "evil" Britain, state TV reported, according to Reuters.

Khamenei also accused Washington of not being committed to a nuclear deal reached between Tehran and six major powers, including the United States, in 2015 that aims to curb the country's disputed nuclear programme.

Under the agreement, economic sanctions were lifted in January after Iran suspended sensitive nuclear work that the West suspects was aimed at creating a nuclear bomb. Iran denies seeking a nuclear bomb.

"America has continued its enmity towards Iran since (the 1979 Islamic) revolution ... It is a huge mistake to trust evil Britain and the Great Satan (the United States)," Khamenei said in a speech broadcast live on state TV.

"We will not cooperate with America over the regional crisis," he said, adding that: "Their aims in the region are 180 degrees opposed to Iran's."

Following the end of the sanctions on Iran, the country has started to increase trade with the West. But some U.S. sanctions remain and U.S. banks remain prohibited from doing business with Iran directly or indirectly because Washington still accuses Tehran of supporting terrorism and human rights abuses.

"They use human rights, terrorism ... as pretexts to avoid fulfilling their commitments," Khamenei said.

"If we remain strong and united and revolutionary, those who are trying to bully Iran and are against us will not succeed," he told a gathering to commemorate the anniversary of the death of the revolution's founder, Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, in 1989.

Iran has repeatedly urged Washington to do more to remove obstacles to the banking sector.