Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on Iran’s nuclear matters, issued his first response since the announcement yesterday, Nov. 24, of another extension of the nuclear talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1).

At a conference of Muslim scholars and clerics held in Iran to address the threats of extremist groups, Ayatollah Khamenei said, “American and European colonialist countries gathered together to bring the Islamic Republic to its knees on the nuclear issue, but they were not able to, and in the future they will also not be able to.”

Interestingly, that’s all he said on the nuclear negotiations, which have been the top story in Iranian news for the last few months. His other remarks concerned how the United States, European countries and Israel are now in a weaker position than in years past.

After the latest round of negotiations in Vienna, Iran and P5+1, unable to agree on a comprehensive deal, opted to agree on a seven-month extension. Under the terms, Iran will continue its nuclear program at a reduced level and receive $700 million monthly from its own assets that have been frozen abroad. Negotiators were upbeat about the announcement of the extension yesterday.