Hawzah News Agency- Here are some excerpts of Ayatollah Khamenei’s statements regarding the U.S. breaching the nuclear deal by renewing sanctions on Iran:
At the end of my statements, I would like to say a few things about our issues with that arrogant government. Of course, the administration that is supposed to take office soon – it has not taken office yet – is an “unopened watermelon” [Farsi expression meaning something not yet known] and we do not know what exists inside it. But even the administration that is in office now – the current US administration – is acting against its commitments and the decisions that were taken collectively – whose results were announced to us by the officials of the country at that time.
I deem it necessary to say here that they have done many things and they have committed many violations. It is not only one, two violations. The most recent one is this ten-year renewal of sanctions. If these sanctions are renewed, this is definitely a violation of the JCPOA. It is undoubtedly a violation of the JCPOA. And they should know that the Islamic Republic will surely react to it [audience chants “Death to America”]!
What I want to say to officials and to the people is that the nuclear agreement – which has been referred to as the JCPOA – should not turn into a tool for pressure. It should not become a tool for the enemy to pressure the people of Iran and our country from time to time. We should not allow them to turn this into a tool for pressure. Officials have said to us that they would do such and such things so that pressures coming from sanctions are eliminated. They [the Americans] have not done what they had promised to do at that time and what was supposed to be done in the first day. Now, eight, nine months have passed, but it has not been done completely and it is incomplete.
Our officials themselves are saying this openly. Those who were in charge of that task are saying this openly. Now, if they want to use it again as a tool for exerting more pressures on the Islamic Republic, this cannot be allowed. By relying on divine power and by believing in the power of popular presence, the Islamic Republic is not afraid of any power in the world. If someone says, “We are sure to be overtaken” [The Holy Quran, 26: 62] copying the weak morale of the Israelites, we too will say – copying Prophet Moses (pbuh) – “By no means. My Lord is with me. Soon will He guide me” [The Holy Quran, 26: 63].
Ayatollah Khamenei, Nov 23, 2016