Four months after the comprehensive nuclear deal between Iran and the six world powers — which was largely the result of bilateral Iranian and American negotiations — Iranian and American officials are still debating misunderstandings over the deal and are becoming entangled in new disagreements.
In the latest attack, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — who has always distrusted the United States while simultaneously giving the green light for the nuclear negotiations — accused the United States of being anti-Shiite, the predominant sect to which the majority of Iranians belong. “Today, anti-Islam, anti-Iran and anti-Shiism are the definitive policies of America and the governments who are affiliated with it,” said Khamenei during a May 5 speech to administration officials, the heads of branches of the government and ambassadors from Islamic countries on the occasion of the anniversary of the day Muslims believe Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation.
Khamenei criticized the United States, which he referred to with the religiously charged terms of “ignorance and idolatrous,” for having dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima, killing hundreds of thousands but after many years “still not ready to apologize.” He also blamed the United States for destroying the infrastructure of countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq and not being willing to accept responsibility for what they have done.
According to Khamenei, “reactionary Islam” — the violent jihadi movements taking over parts of the Middle East — and “American Islam” — a softer and more liberal type of Islam promoted by Western countries — are two movements with the same goals.
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