Since its Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has refused to recognize Israel and has backed militant Palestinian groups. Israel has long accused Iran of seeking its destruction and regards Tehran as its main enemy in the Middle East. “Calling for the elimination of the state of Israel does not mean the elimination of the Jewish people,” Khamenei told officials and participants at an Islamic conference in Tehran, according to his official website. “All nations need peaceful nuclear energy, but Western monopolists seek to keep this energy in monopoly...,” Khamenei said. US intelligence agencies and the UN nuclear watchdog believe Iran had a covert atomic bomb program for a number of years that it subsequently halted.

Source: bd News24 November 15, 2019 11:15 UTC