U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is making “very disturbing” comments just one week after it reached a nuclear deal with world powers.
The Iranian leader’s weekend assertion that U.S. hopes for the region were “180 degrees” from his own prompted Mr. Kerry to tell Al Arabiya television, “I don’t know how to interpret it at this point in time, except to take it at face value, that that’s his policy,” Reuters reported. “But I do know that often comments are made publicly, and things can evolve that are different. If it is the policy, it’s very disturbing, it’s very troubling.”
Mr. Khamenei added on Saturday “Even after this deal, our policy toward the arrogant U.S. will not change,” Reuters reported.
President Obama said on July 14 that the nuclear deal with Iran created a “more hopeful world.”
“This deal offers an opportunity to move in a new direction. We should seize it,” Mr. Obama said at the time, Reuters reported.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.