Sanctions Won’t Alter Iran’s Policies: Khamenei

Western-led sanctions and diplomatic pressure will not force Iran to halt its nuclear programme, Iran’s Supreme Leader said on July 25. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters in Iran, voiced confidence that the Islamic Republic can beat the latest punitive measures aimed at blocking the country’s vital oil and banking industries over the disputed programme. “They (the West) explicitly say they need to increase pressures, tighten sanctions to force Iranian authorities to reconsider their calculations,” Khamenei said in comments broadcast on state television. “But a look at the facts leads us not only to avoid reconsidering our calculations, but to move on our intended path with greater confidence.”
The latest European Union sanctions against Iran’s vital oil industry came into effect on July 1, three days after the US tightened measures that prohibit international banks from completing oil transactions with Iranian banks. The moves, a response to Iran’s refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, further complicate the country’s ability to conduct trade abroad. In his remarks, Khamenei said he felt some countries partaking in the US-led sanctions will not continue them over the long term because of economic drawbacks, calling the sanctions a challenge that could be overcome.