BICOM

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei yesterday accused the United States of having fabricated Iran’s nuclear threat in order to demonize the country.

Iran and the P5+1 powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany) agreed a framework to a comprehensive deal over Tehran’s nuclear development earlier this month, paving the way for negotiations to begin towards a long-term accord, which must be agreed by June. However, both sides have since indicated differing understandings of the nascent deal, including fundamental issues such as Iran’s use of advanced centrifuges and the pace of sanctions relief.

Such discord was exacerbated yesterday by Khamenei, who told the semi-official Fars news agency that, “They [United States] created the myth of nuclear weapons so they could say the Islamic Republic is a source of threat. No, the source of threat is America itself.” He added, “The other side is methodically and shamelessly threatening us militarily … even if they did not make these overt threats, we would have to be prepared.”

Meanwhile, the Deputy Leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, an elite and influential force allied to Khamenei, said that international inspectors would not be allowed to enter Iranian military sites. Such access and oversight is crucial to the implementation of any accord between the P5+1 and Iran. Gen Hossein Salami told state television that allowing international inspections means ”humiliating a nation” and would be tantamount to “occupation.” He said, “We will respond with hot lead (bullets) to those who speak of it … Iran will not become a paradise for spies. We will not roll out the red carpet for the enemy.”

On Saturday, Iran marked Army Day with a military parade south of Tehran. The event, broadcast on national television and attended by President Hassan Rouhani, was accompanied by crowds chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” The parade featured a variety of weapons systems plus a truck displaying a huge banner proclaiming “Death to Israel.”