Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the US nuclear deal proposal was “against Tehran’s national interests” and that Iran will not abandon uranium enrichment.

Speaking at an event marking 36 years since the death of his predecessor, Ruholla Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Khamenei said in a speech that uranium enrichment is key to the country’s nuclear program and that the US proposal to end it violates Iranian independence.

“Independence means not waiting for the green light from America and the likes of America,” Khamenei says, adding that the proposal is “100 percent against the idea of ‘we can,’ which is an important principle in our country’s independence.”

“If we had 100 nuclear power plants while not having enrichment, they are not usable for us,” Khamenei said. “If we do not have enrichment, then we should extend our hand (begging) to the U.S.”

Khamenei also addressed US President Donald Trump, saying, “Who are you to tell us whether we can have a nuclear program or not? We will not give up the ability to enrich uranium.”

An Iranian diplomat told Reuters on Monday that Tehran was set to reject the US nuclear deal, calling it a “non-starter.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)