Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has flatly rejected restoring relations with the United States arguing it would be tantamount to "surrender," newspapers reported on Tuesday.
The comments by Khamenei came after press reports claimed that Iranian and U.S. officials had held talks recently in Geneva.
"Some prescribe the surrender of the Iranian nation to America in the face of the enemy's adventurism. But succumbing to the enemy is by no means effective," Khamenei said in a speech to students in Tehran, newspapers reported.
"Some these days are talking about an opportunity being missed. Does succumbing to the enemy mean not missing opportunities?" Khamenei said.
"Those who say do not give a pretext to America and for example want Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear knowledge, are not aware that America is seeking to prepare the ground and weaken the system from the inside," Khamenei said.
Khamenei said Iran's nuclear energy program is for "peaceful purposes" and not for developing nuclear weapons. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
