Supreme Leader: Iran categorically rejects insistence on talks with authoritarian powers

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyid Ali Khamenei, has said that the insistence of some authoritarian powers on holding talks with Iran is not aimed at solving problems.

Ayatollah Khamenei made this statement at a meeting with the heads of the three pillars of the state and officials from across the Iranian system in Tehran on Saturday.

The Supreme Leader continued by saying: "The emphasis of some authoritarian governments on dialogue is not for solving problems, but is a way to impose their own personal expectations."

He added that the Islamic Republic will not fulfill their expectations.

He also stressed that these authoritarian powers are not only aiming to discuss the nuclear issue, but are using talks as a "way to raise new expectations" in areas such as Iran's defense capabilities and its international capabilities, things that Iran will never accept.

The Supreme Leader has noted that these powers are raising the issue of talks to pressure public opinion, and to claim that they are ready for talks and that Iran is the one who is refusing.

Ayatollah Khamenei has also criticized European countries for making false claims against Iran, saying that their claim that Iran has not fulfilled its nuclear commitments is "illogical."

Ayatollah Khamenei continued to address European countries: "You say Iran has not fulfilled its nuclear commitments. Okay, did you fulfill yours? You have not fulfilled them from the beginning."

The Supreme Leader noted that after the United States withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement, European countries promised to compensate for the issue, but failed to fulfill their promise.

Ayatollah Khamenei has stressed that the foundations of Western civilization contradict the foundations of Islam and "we cannot follow them."

He continued: "We can and should benefit from anything useful anywhere in the world, but we cannot rely on the foundations of Western civilization."

The Supreme Leader noted that the actions of Western nations, including colonialism, plunder of other nations' resources, genocide, false claims about human rights and women's rights, as well as their double standards on various issues, have brought disgrace to Western civilization.

Ayatollah Khamenei has said "[The claim of] freedom of expression in the West is nothing more than a lie."