Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has stated that the US is going downhill due to an unexpected source – their own presidents. In a speech published on the supreme leader's website, Khamenei opined that America's reputation has been greatly tarnished by the actions of the last two presidents – Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
"The US is receiving a blow from a place it never expected. Today the two US presidents - the former and the current president - have joined hands to ruin whatever was left of the US reputation, and they're doing it. They are weakening the US, and this will continue".
He went on to claim that the falsehoods spread by Washington will eventually be dispelled and that "the camp of truth" will prevail.
US-Iranian relations took a turn for the worse under the Trump presidency – not only did he withdraw the country from the Iran nuclear deal, slapping Tehran with extensive sanctions, but he also ordered the killing of one of the Islamic Republic's most popular generals – Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani.
The current president, Joe Biden, vowed to do his best to try and negotiate a deal to limit Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. However, several rounds of talks in Vienna have so far failed to produce any tangible results, with Washington blaming Tehran's unrealistic demands for the fiasco. Iran, in turn, said it demands nothing more than the restoration of the old nuclear accord, while Washington tries to keep some sanctions in effect and attempts to include the country's missile programme in the new agreement.