ZCZC
BFF-18
IRAN-EU-US-NUCLEAR-POLITICS
Europe not to be trusted: Iran leader
TEHRAN, Feb 8, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei said Friday that Europe “cannot be trusted”, a week after the EU
launched a trade mechanism to bypass US sanctions on Tehran.
“These days there’s talk of the Europeans and their proposals. My advice
is that they shouldn’t be trusted, just like the Americans,” he said at a
meeting with air force officials, his website reported.
“I’m not saying we shouldn’t have relations with them. This is about
trust,” he added.
Britain, France and Germany last week launched a special payment mechanism
called INSTEX to help save the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world
powers.
It would allow Tehran to keep trading with EU companies in spite of US
sanctions renewed after Washington quit the accord last year.
Tehran has cautiously welcomed INSTEX as a “first step”, but US officials
said the new entity would not have any impact on efforts to exert economic
pressure on Iran.
Khamenei also accused Europe of hypocrisy over human rights, criticising
France’s treatment of protesters in Paris.
“They (anti-riot police) attack protesters in Paris streets and blind
them, then they have the audacity to make human rights requests of us,” he
said.
Turning to the United States, Khamenei said Iranians would chant “death to
America” as long as Washington kept up its hostile policies, but the slogan
was not directed at the American people.
“Death to America means death to (President Donald) Trump, (National
Security Advisor) John Bolton and (Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo. It means
death to America’s rulers … we have nothing against the American people,”
he said.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1729 hrs