Worldran's supreme leader warned Wednesday the country could abandon its nuclear deal with world powers if it no longer served its interests, even as economic and political pressure mounted on the government. "Naturally, if we reach the conclusion that (the nuclear deal) is no longer maintaining our national interests, we will put it aside," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a meeting with the cabinet, according to his website. He said Iran must not "pin its hopes" on Europe, despite European efforts to salvage the nuclear deal following the withdrawal of the United States. Khamenei insisted the political tumult was a sign of the strength of Iran's democracy. Iran's currency has lost around half its value since the US announced it was withdrawing from the nuclear deal in May, and further pain is expected when sanctions on its crucial oil sector are reimposed in November.

Source: Sunday Times August 29, 2018 12:45 UTC