Hardline Cleric: Nuclear Deal A Plot To Infiltrate Iran

The Iranian leadership’s anti-U.S./anti-Israel sentiment was put on full display during this weekend’s regime-led prayers in Tehran.

Friday Prayers leader Hojjatoleslam Kazzem Seddiqi called on the Iranian people and their government to be wary of “plots hatched by the U.S. officials to influence and penetrate into the country’s decision-making bodies through the recent nuclear agreement between Tehran and world powers,” the state-run Fars News reports.

“As the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has stressed, we should have watchful eyes to block the enemies’ penetration into the country’s decision-making centers,” Seddiqi told his religious congregation, which will from time to time break out into chants of “Death To America” and “Death to Israel” during Friday prayers.

“Penetration is very dangerous and for the same reason Ayatollah Khamenei has issued a timely warning in this respect,” the religious authority added.

Iran and the P5+1 world powers (US, UK, China, France, Germany, Russia) reached an accord in late July that they said would stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb in exchange for sanctions relief for the Ayatollah’s regime. Advocates against the deal–which includes a majority of the U.S. Congress, the U.S. public at large, and bipartisan opposition across Israel’s political spectrum–warn the accord will only strengthen Iran, and that Tehran will use the sanctions relief to aid its terror proxies in the region, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime.

Seddiqi’s remarks came following similar statements made by Iranian dictator Ali Khamenei, who has insisted that the U.S. is using the nuclear deal to try to influence Iranian society.

“Washington imagined that it could use this agreement whose fate is not clear yet – as its final approval is not yet a definite fact neither in Iran nor in the US – to find a way to influence in Iran; and this was their intention,” Khamenei said in recent remarks. “We will not allow the US to influence (our) economy, or politics or culture. We will stand against such penetration with all our power – that, thanks God, is at a high level today,” he added.

In September, Khamenei threatened Israel with extinction, insisting that the Jewish state will not exist within the next 25 years.

“God willing, there will be no such thing as a Zionist regime in 25 years. Until then, struggling heroic and jihadi morale will leave no moment of serenity for Zionists,” the Iranian despot said.