Iran's supreme leader denies nuclear claim
Iran's supreme leader denies nuclear ambition claims calling them a 'fabrication'
Also In The News
|
By inthenews. |  |
Monday, 21, Sep 2009 09:19
By Sarah Garrod.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has denied US and western claims about the country's nuclear ambitions, calling them a "fabrication".
Ayatollah Khamenei called the allegations false and said they were "in the doctrine of anti-Iranianism".
The comments come days after the US said it was modifying plans for defenses against Iranian missiles in Europe.
Speaking to the Islamic Republic news agency, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "This is something that is in the doctrine of anti-Iranianism, since the policy and the 30-year-old history of the Islamic Republic has proven that Iran wants to live in peace and under the spirit of equality and fraternity, with its Muslim neighbors and the rest of the world."
On Thursday US president Barack Obama approved the recommendation of secretary of defense Robert Gates and the joint chiefs of staff for a "phased, adaptive approach for missile defense in Europe".
A statement from the White House said: "This approach is based on an assessment of the Iranian missile threat, and a commitment to deploy technology that is proven, cost-effective, and adaptable to an evolving security environment.
"Starting around 2011, this missile defense architecture will feature deployments of increasingly-capable sea- and land-based missile interceptors, primarily upgraded versions of the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3), and a range of sensors in Europe to defend against the growing ballistic missile threat from Iran."
The change in missile policy came after an "updated intelligence assessment" about Iran's capabilities to hit Europe with missiles.
In his response, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "America, under its former president, spared no efforts against the Muslim world as well as against Iran.
"Even the current administration - with the apparently friendly words and messages - follows that same anti-Islamic and anti-Iranian policy of the past."