Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Wednesday dismissed U.S. calls for Tehran to stop enriching uranium.

“The key to nuclear technology is uranium enrichment, and our enemies want to prevent precisely this in order to undermine our independence and our scientific potential,” Mr Khamenei said this on state television.

The U.S., Israel and their allies want to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Several rounds of negotiations between Washington and Tehran have taken place in recent months, without producing tangible results.

Mr Khamenei said his country would not bow to U.S. demands, as it must remain independent and preserve its “culture of resistance”.

The Iranian leader was giving a speech in the mausoleum of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, marking the 36th anniversary of his death.

The comments came one day after Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described independent uranium enrichment as a red line for Tehran.

He accused the U.S. of  “many ambiguities” in its positions and of contradicting previous agreements reached in the negotiations, threatening to lead the talks to fail. 

(dpa/NAN)