Iran’s Supreme Leader says cooperation with US not possible while it backs Israel

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US continues to interfere in the Middle East region. (AFP pic)
TEHRAN: Cooperation between Iran and the US is not possible as long as Washington continues to support Israel and to maintain military bases and interfere in the Middle East region, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday.
Khamenei’s comments came as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to increase pressure on Iran.
“The Americans sometimes say they would like to cooperate with Iran. Cooperation with Iran is not possible as long as the US continues to support the accursed Zionist regime, maintains military bases, and interferes in the region,” Khamenei said, according to state media.
Trump said in October that the US is prepared to make a deal with Iran when Tehran is ready to do so, saying: “The hand of friendship and cooperation [with Iran] is open.”
The two countries held five rounds of nuclear talks, prior to a 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, which Washington joined by striking key Iranian nuclear sites.
Talks between the two sides have faced major stumbling blocks such as the issue of uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, which Western powers want to bring down to zero to minimise any risk of weaponisation, a plan that Tehran has rejected.