The supreme leader of the clerical Iranian regime made an appearance on Saturday in front of a crowd in the city of Mashhad, where he called for “Death to America”, a day after the President of the United States Barack Obama appealed to the regime to seize the opportunity being provided to them for a nuclear deal.
ring his speech in the gathering the crows started the chants of “Death to America”, to which he responded “Of course yes, death to America, because America is the original source of this pressure”.
President Obama sent a message to the Iranians celebrating the Persian new year this week suggesting that the success at the talks could build on trust between the two, he also stated that it was up to Iran to seize the moment and the possibilities that can bloom from it.
However quashing the positive outlook of the talks Ali Khamenei told the crowd, “Negotiations with America are solely on the nuclear issue and nothing else.”
“We do not talk with the U.S. over regional issues. In the regional issues, America’s goals are completely opposed to ours.”
Khamenei also made demands that the upcoming nuclear deal end economic sanctions on his regime at its outset rather than gradually as proposed by the United States and five other world powers during the negotiations.
“Sanctions must be lifted immediately”, said Khamenei.
Khamenei’s statements contrasted those made by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani who said “achieving a deal is possible” by the date of March 31 for preliminary accord.
U.S. Secretary of State was more circumspect, as he spoke to reporters after six days of negotiations in the Swiss city of Lausanne, he stated that the talks made “substantial progress” but “important gaps remain”.
Kerry was departing later on Saturday to meet with European allies in London in part to ensure unity, before returning to Washington. The five negotiating partners in the deal Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia are “united in our goal, our approach, our resolve and our determination”, said Kerry. He also said that the U.S. was not rushing into a pact and that the latest attempt at diplomatic settlement with Iran has gone on for two and a half years.
