Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States on Saturday of using economic pressure to try to turn Iranians against Islamic rule, underscoring a long-held mistrust of Tehran's main negotiating partner in nuclear talks.
Amid shouts of 'Death to America', Mr. Khamenei, who has the last word on all matters of state, added in a speech that Tehran was negotiating with major powers solely on the nuclear dispute and not about regional matters, an apparent reference to conflicts and instability in Iraq, Syria and the Gulf.
His speech, which contained several passages criticising sanctions, attacked "arrogant powers" -- a reference to major Western countries -- for what he said was their role in bringing about a fall in the oil price by more than half in recent months.
