Tehran, April 30 -- A statement attributed to Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Ali Khamenei-who has not been seen or heard from, except via missives, since February 28-affirmed Tehran's refusal to give up its nuclear and missile capabilities, and set out a hardline position against all of the US's pressure tactics as the Islamic Republic's hostilities with Washington intensify.
Khamenei's message, read in a televised address, said that Iran's technological and military capabilities are 'national assets' that would be protected alongside the country's territory.
'Honourable Iranians inside and outside the country regard all of Iran's identity-based, spiritual, human, scientific, industrial and technological capacities - from nanotechnolo...