27 June,2019 10:51 AM IST | | Agencies
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Tehran: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that his country remains unbowed by pressure exerted by the United States and its "insults" against the Islamic republic.
"The Iranian nation seeks dignity, independence and progress; that's why pressures by cruel enemies do not affect Iranians," Khamenei said in a speech to a crowd in Tehran.
"The graceful Iranian nation has been accused and insulted by the world's most vicious regime, the US, which is a source of wars, conflicts and plunder," he said, quoted by his office.
"The Iranian nation won't give up over such insults," said Khamenei.
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Tehran and Washington have been engaged in an escalating war of words following Iran's shooting down of a US drone last week.
Pressure mounted this week with US President Donald Trump announcing sanctions on Khamenei and other top Iranian officials.
President Hassan Rouhani said Iran "never seeks war" with the US, state media reported Wednesday.
"Iran has no interest to increase tension in the region and it never seeks war with any country, including (the) US," the president said, quoted by state news agency IRNA. Rouhani was speaking by phone to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
"We have always been committed to regional peace and stability and will make efforts in this respect," the Iranian president told Macron.
Washington: US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he hopes the US does not go to war with Iran but if it did, America's use of force would be overwhelming.
In an interview on Fox Business News, Trump was asked if America is going to go to war with Iran.
"Well, I hope we don't but we're in a very strong position if something should happen. We're in a very strong position. It wouldn't last very long, I can tell you that. And I'm not talking boots on the ground," Trump said amid acute tensions between the two countries.
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