Iran to give no quarter in stand-off with U.S: Supreme leader

Iran to give no quarter in stand-off with U.S Supreme leader
Iran to give no quarter in stand-off with U.S Supreme leader

Iran's supreme leader upped the ante in a volatile stand-off with the United States on Tuesday, warning Tehran would continue removing restraints on its nuclear programme and retaliate for the seizure of an Iranian oil tanker.

Tensions have spiked since U.S. President Donald Trump last year abandoned world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Iran under which it agreed to curtail its enrichment of uranium in return for the lifting of global sanctions crippling its economy.

European parties to the pact decided on Monday not to trigger the deal's dispute mechanism in favour of pursuing more talks and avert any U.S.-Iranian military conflict, but took no action to shield Iran against a sanctions clampdown by Trump.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's ultimate authority, accused Britain, Germany and France of failing to uphold obligations under the deal to restore Iranian access to global trade, especially for Tehran's oil exports blocked by U.S. sanctions.

"Accordingto our foreign minister, Europe made 11 commitments, none of which they abidedby. We abided by our commitments and even beyond them. Now that we've begun toreduce our commitments, they oppose it. How insolent! You didn't abide by yourcommitments!" Khamenei said, according to his website.

"We havestarted to reduce our commitments and this trend shall continue," Khamenei saidin remarks carried by state television.

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