Khamenei: West will never lift sanctions on Iran

Supreme leader says even if Tehran agreed to every demand, world powers would not keep their end of the bargain

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that even if Tehran accepted every demand put forth by world powers in nuclear negotiations, the West would never lift sanctions.

“[The world powers’] main goal of such measures (sanctions) is humiliation of the Iranian nation and stopping the nation and the Islamic Republic’s great move towards a new Islamic civilization,” he said, according to Fars News.

“I believe that even if we accept the demands that they (want to) dictate to us in the nuclear issue, the sanctions will not be removed,” he added during an address to visiting Iranians from East Azerbaijan.

Khamenei went on to accuse the West of plotting against Iran to prevent it from becoming an economic superpower, thwarting potential economic cooperation with other countries and keeping it dependent on oil.

“If the country’s economic basis is planned and strengthened based on using people’s capacities and domestic production, we will never mourn or grow concerned over sanctions and reduction in oil prices,” he said.

Khamenei’s remarks came as US and Iranian delegations were set to meet Thursday for another round of nuclear talks in Geneva. The sides are working on setting a political framework for a deal by the March 31 target date, with the final technical details to be laid out in a comprehensive accord by June 30.

Disagreements in the talks center on the extent of nuclear activities Iran will be allowed to continue and the timetable for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Tehran over its nuclear efforts.

Earlier this month, Khamenei said Iran would never agree to a bad deal with the world powers but said a nuclear agreement was possible.

“I agree with an agreement if it can be struck, but I disagree with a bad agreement,” he said.

“The contents of such a contract should be transparent, clear and not open to interpretation. The contents of the agreement should not allow the other side which is used to bargaining to seek excuses on different issues,” he added.