Iran's top leader dismisses Trump's anti-Iran remarks

TEHRAN - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that US President Donald Trump's anti-Iran remarks, upon announcement of his withdrawal for the nuclear deal on Tuesday, were "silly and absurd."

"He (Trump) threatened both the (Islamic) establishment and the Iranians. I announce on the behalf of the Iranian nation that 'Mr. Trump, you cannot do anything,'" Khamenei said, according to his official website.

Khamenei also lashed out at the US enmity with Iran, saying it "has no end."

"US problem with Iran was not just nuclear energy program. This was an excuse ... We signed JCPOA, but the US enmity with Iran did not terminate," Khamenei said in a meeting with a group of Iranians.

"Now they are posing our presence in the region and Iran's missile program. If we accept (their demand over) these, they will pose other issues," he said, cited by Tasnim news agency.

The Iranian leader criticized the Iranian nuclear negotiators, saying that they failed to get enough guarantees from the United States upon signing the JCPOA.

"From the very beginning, I said do not trust in the United States. I said if you are signing a contract, ask them (US dealers) for the required guarantees," he said, adding that "the Iranian negotiators worked hard, but they failed to get enough guarantees."

It is recommended that Iran will continue the implementation of the JCPOA with the European states, "but I do not trust these three countries either," Khamenei was quoted as saying.

His remarks were an allusion to Iran's President Hassan Rouhani's comments on Tuesday that the Islamic republic will remain in the nuclear deal with other signatories of the JCPOA without the United States.

"From this time on, the nuclear deal is an accord between Iran and five countries," Rouhani said in live speech broadcast from state TV.

Rouhani said that he has asked the Iranian foreign minister to initiate negotiations with the European partners as well as China and Russia over the measures regarding the fate of the deal.

"Since now, we should examine how the remaining big powers in the accord would deal with it," Rouhani said, adding that "if the deal remains live, we can take steps for the world's peace and security."

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, a landmark agreement signed in 2015.

In a televised speech, Trump announced the exit, adding he will not sign the waiver of nuke-related sanctions against Iran.