Kerry says Iran vow to defyU.S. is 'very disturbing'

[IceWizard]

Tue Jul 21, 2015 3:18am EDT


DUBAI (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said a speech by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday vowing to defy American policies in the region despite a deal with world powers over Tehran's nuclear
program was "very disturbing".

"I don't know how to interpret it at this point in
time, except to take it at face value, that that's
his policy," he said in the interview with Saudi-
owned Al Arabiya television, parts of which the
network quoted on Tuesday. "But I do know that often comments are made publicly and things can evolve that are different.

If it is the policy, it's very disturbing, it's very
troubling," he added. Ayatollah Khamenei told supporters on Saturday that U.S. policies in the region were "180 degrees" opposed to Iran's, at a speech in a Tehran mosque punctuated by chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". "Even after this deal our policy toward the arrogant U.S. will not change," Khamenei said.

Several Gulf Arab states have long accused
Tehran of interference, alleging financial or
armed support for political movements in
countries including Bahrain, Yemen and
Lebanon.

Kerry said the U.S. believed its Arab allies had
the ability to confront Iranian interference in the region.

"I think President Obama's belief and our military assessments, our intelligence assessments, are that if they organize themselves correctly, all of the Arab states have an untapped potential that is very, very significant to be able to push back against any of these activities," he said.


(Writing By Noah Browning; Editing by William
Maclean, Andrew Heavens)