We have no problem with Europe. It was the Europeans who clashed with us. I said to a European president, who had recently come to our country, that Europe should liberate itself from following America for its policies.The Europeans have followed American policies. He imposed sanctions on us and they followed him. He did propaganda activities against us and they followed him.
European governments have stressed the issue of the Bar-Jaam[JCPOA]. He [Trump] had said that he would tear it and do such and such things – he dared make such stupid remarks. However, European governments condemned this. They said that he should not tear it and the like. Very well, this is good. We welcome even this much of effort on their part and this is good, but it is not enough to merely say that he should not tear it. Well, the Bar-Jaam is to their advantage. It is both to the advantage of the Europeans and the Americans. It is natural that they do not want it to be torn up. Of course, we too have said that as long as the other side does not tear it, we will not tear it either. However, if he tears it up, we will shred it [Supreme Leader and Audience laugh]. Of course, I had said something else before [reference to Supreme Leader's speech delivered on June 14, 2016, where he said that if the US tears up the agreement, we will set it on fire]. So, even this much of effort is good, but it is not enough.
First of all, the Europeans should stand up against the US's measures. If he does not tear it, but violates it instead – for example, through sanctions and the things which they expect to come out of their Congress – the Europeans, France and Germany, should stand up against him. Of course, there are not very high expectations of England [Supreme Leader and audience laugh]. They should stand up against him. If they only say that they are opposed, this is not enough.
Secondly, they should avoid entering into our fundamental matters such as defensive power and the like. They should not be unanimous with the US. If European governments say the same thing that the US is saying if they say why Iran is present in the region – well, what is that to you? Why should it not be present? Or when they echo the US criticisms about us having missiles with a range of two, three thousand kilometres, this does not make sense. What is it to you? Why do you yourselves have missiles? Why do you yourselves have nuclear missiles? Why do you have atomic weapons? If they want to interfere in the defensive power of the Islamic Republic and speak against it, this cannot be done. We will not accept this from the Europeans in any way! They should not sing along with the US when it sings songs of bullying and foolishness.
Imam Khamenei, Oct 18, 2017
