Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Western demands over Tehran's nuclear program are an excuse to confront the Islamic Republic, a day after US President Donald Trump warned about renewed strikes if Iran restarts nuclear work.
"Nuclear programme, enrichment, human rights are all excuses ... What they are after is your religion and knowledge," Khamenei said.
Iran pushes to continue enriching uranium
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox News that Tehran cannot give up on its uranium enrichment program, which was severely damaged during the Israel-Iran war last month.
"It is stopped because, yes, damages are serious and severe. But obviously we cannot give up (on) enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride," the foreign minister told the Fox News show "Special Report with Bret Baier" on Monday.
The foreign minister said the damage to the nuclear facilities in Iran after US and Israeli strikes was serious and was being evaluated further.
Araghchi also said Khamenei was in "good health" and that Tehran was open to talks with Washington but that those will not be direct "for the time being."