Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for vigilance by officials in Tehran to ensure that world powers meet their commitments under a newly implemented nuclear deal.
In his first public remarks since international sanctions were lifted against Iran during the weekend as part of a historic nuclear deal, Ayatollah Khamenei on January 19 also expressed "pessimism" about “expressions by some U.S. politicians in recent days.” He did not elaborate.
His remarks, quoted by Iranian state media, were made in a letter to President Hassan Rohani.
On January 17, a day after nuclear-related sanctions were lifted against Tehran, the United States announced fresh sanctions against Iranian companies and individuals linked to Iran’s ballistic-missile program.
Those sanctions came in response to test launches of Iranian ballistic missiles in October and November that United Nations experts determined were capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Tehran denounced the new U.S. sanctions as illegitimate.