Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Western demands related to Tehran’s nuclear program are merely a “pretext” for clashing with the Islamic Republic. His remarks came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of renewed strikes if Iran resumes its nuclear activities.
Khamenei added, “The nuclear program, enrichment, and human rights are all excuses... What they truly seek is your religion and your knowledge.”
During a visit to Scotland, Trump stated, “We’ve destroyed their nuclear capabilities. They can start over, but if they do, we’ll wipe it out in the blink of an eye.”
It’s worth noting that on June 13, Israel launched air raids on Iran, specifically targeting Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran responded by launching several ballistic missiles toward Israel in a conflict that lasted 12 days.
The United States also struck Iranian nuclear facilities, particularly Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz.
Israel considers Iran’s nuclear program an “existential threat” and has not ruled out launching additional strikes if Tehran attempts to rebuild its facilities, according to Agence France-Presse.
The Israeli attack on June 13 occurred just two days before the scheduled sixth round of talks between Tehran and Washington regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
A major disagreement persists between the United States and Iran over uranium enrichment. While Tehran insists it has the right to enrich uranium, the U.S. administration views it as a “red line.”
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran is the only non-nuclear state in the world enriching uranium to 60%—far above the 3.67% cap established by the 2015 international agreement with major powers, from which the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 during Trump’s first term. Producing a nuclear bomb requires uranium enrichment of 90%.
Western powers and Israel have long accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, an allegation Tehran has denied for years.