The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has said that the Islamic Republic is not “angry” with European nations and is ready to work with them, if they do not “blindly follow American policies”.
In a speech on Persian New Year’s Day, Khamenei accused the United States and several European states of being behind the women-led protests that began in September last year.
Khamenei has said that the West intends to isolate Iran, but that this country has “strengthened ties with Asia 100 percent, and will continue to do so.”
According to the Iranian leader, Iran’s relationship with the West has “diminished”, but “we are not angry with Europe, and we are ready to work with any European state or government that does not blindly follow American policy”.
The European Union and Britain have imposed several waves of sanctions on Iran, because the Iranian authorities have suppressed the protests that started as early as September.
The protests started after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was in police custody, who was arrested on the grounds that she did not put the veil on her head properly.
Hundreds of people have been killed, including dozens of security personnel, and thousands more have been arrested in protests that Iran has described as “riots” fueled by the United States and its allies.
The supreme leader has also mentioned Russia’s war in Ukraine, denying that Iran is involved in the conflict, despite accusations by Kiev and its allies that Tehran has supplied Moscow with kamikaze drones that have been used to target civilians.
“We declare against participation in the war in Ukraine”, he said.
The war in Ukraine started on February 24, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the war a “special military operation” to demilitarize Ukraine.
The West has responded to Russia, hitting the economy of this country with harsh sanctions.
As a result of the war, thousands of people have died and millions more have been displaced from their homes./REL