Iran sees no difference between Biden, Trump administrations: Khamenei

The Biden administration’s demands from Iran are identical to the Trump administration’s, and as such Tehran sees no difference between the two, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Saturday.

“The current US administration is no different from the previous administration … Their demands are the same as [former president Donald] Trump’s demands and have not changed at all,” Khamenei said during a meeting with President Ebrahim Raisi and his cabinet.

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Khamenei compared the Biden administration to a “cunning fox,” saying: “Behind the scenes of American foreign policy is a predatory wolf that sometimes turns into a cunning fox.”

The US and Iran have engaged in indirect talks in Vienna since April to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. Washington withdrew from the deal under former President Donald Trump in 2018, reimposing sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy.

The last round of talks took place on June 20, and the resumption of talks remains a question mark.

Khamenei urged Raisi’s government to not tie solving Iran’s economic problems to sanctions relief.

“Plans to fix the [economic] problems should be made with the assumption that sanctions are in place,” he said.

Khamenei said Washington is to blame for the ongoing situation in Afghanistan and added that Tehran supports the Afghan people.

Iran’s relationship with any new government in Kabul will be based on reciprocity, he suggested.

“The nature of our relationship with governments depends on the nature of their relationship with us.”

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