Iran Supreme Leader: U.S., Israel Will Suffer for Threats on Nuclear Program

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday the Islamic Republic would not yield to international pressure to abandon its nuclear course, threatening retaliation for sanctions aimed at Iran's oil exports.

• Shin Bet Chief: Iran Trying to Hit Israeli Targets in Response to Attacks on Nuclear Scientists
• Iran Mulls Ban of Samsung Over Israeli Commercial Depicting Attack on Nuclear Plant
• 'Certain Countries' Could Take Iran Nuclear Matter Into Their Own Hands, U.K. Official Says
• Report: Iran Launches New Satellite Into Orbit

"Threatening Iran and attacking Iran will harm America.... Sanctions will not have any impact on our determination to continue our nuclear course.... In response to threats of oil embargo and war, we have our own threats to impose at the right time," Khamenei told worshippers in a speech broadcast live on state television.

The official Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Iran's Supreme Leader as saying that war threats would "disfavor the US itself; the war would be ten times against interests of the US itself, said the Supreme Leader.

"I have no fear of saying that we will back and help any nation or group that wants to confront and fight against the Zionist regime [Israel]."

On Thursday, British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said in an interview that he was concerned that "certain" countries" would take the Iran nuclear issue into their own hands, refusing to say whether or not Britain would "participate" the military conflict that could ensure as a result from such a move.

Clegg was quoted as telling The House Magazine, a weekly British political journal, that he feared Israel could carry out a pre-emptive strike on Iran amid suspicion in the West that Tehran is secretly developing nuclear weapons.

Tensions have been heightened over Irans intentions, leading UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday to warn Israel that the standoff over Tehrans nuclear program must be resolved peacefully.

Asked if he feared Israel could launch an attack against Iran, Clegg — leader of the Liberal Democrats, the junior member of Britains coalition government, acknowledged he had concerns.

Of course I worry that there will be a military conflict and that certain countries might seek to take matters into their own hands, Clegg was quoted as saying.

He said Britain had been attempting to demonstrate that there are very tough things we can do which are not military steps in order to place pressure on Iran.
Last week, the European Union agreed to tougher sanctions, including an embargo on Iranian oil imports.

However, Clegg said he would not speculate on whether Britain would participate if the standoff eventually led to a military response.