He made the remarks in meeting with the director, managers and experts of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. The meeting was held on the occasion of the National Day of Nuclear Technology.
Khamenei said: “The purpose of agreeing with these negotiations was to change the atmosphere of hostility that the camp of arrogance has created against Iran. These negotiations should continue, but everyone should know that despite this, the activities of the Islamic Republic in the area of nuclear research and development will not stop in any way. None of the nuclear achievements of the country can be given up.”
Repeatedly he stated that holding “these negotiations do not mean that the Islamic Republic will compromise its scientific-nuclear movement.”
He described as “simple-minded” and “naive” those who believe that the international sanctions imposed on his regime was due to nuclear program. He said “we should remind them that even before the nuclear excuse, sanctions and pressures existed against Iran.”
He stressed that: “the only way is to continue our path of progress with complete power and to stand up against their bullying.”
In an implicit rejection of NPT Additional Protocol which allows unannounced inspections of nuclear sites, he said: “the relations of the International Atomic Energy Agency with Iran should be normal and ordinary relations.”
In the same meeting the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi reported to Khamenei that “an oxygen-18 isotope producing unit begins its production in Arak today.”