Iran's top leader mocks 'newcomer' Trump
Iran's supreme leader believes President Donald Trump had shown the "real face" of the United States, after he accused Iran of being ungrateful for sanctions relief approved by the Obama administration.
Trump also promised a tougher stance on Iran and tweeted the country was "playing with fire," saying they "don't appreciate how 'kind' President (Barack) Obama was to them. Not me!"
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who makes the final decisions on all major policies in Iran, appeared to respond to the tweet in a remarks carried by State TV.
"Why should we be thankful to the previous US administration?" he said.
"Because it imposed anti-Iranian sanctions? Because of the extremist Islamic State group? Setting the region on fire in Iraq and Syria?"
He went on to mock Trump
"We are thankful to Mr. Newcomer, of course, since he has shown the real face of the US and proved what Iran has said for 38 years about the political, economic, social and moral corruption of the US government."
Trump has repeatedly criticised the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran, the US and five other world powers, in which Tehran agreed to curb its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.
His administration said Iran was "on notice" over the missile test, and imposed new sanctions on more than two dozen Iranian companies and individuals.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who has worked to improve relations with the West, said earlier on Tuesday that the nuclear agreement could serve as a blueprint for resolving other Middle East disputes.
