Iran's supreme leader has called on state bodies to support the government of President Hassan Rouhani in fighting looming U.S. economic sanctions, saying America's "conspiracy" could be defeated, Iranian media have reported.
"I strongly believe that, if the government takes the necessary measures, it will be able to overcome problems and defeat the U.S. conspiracy," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a meeting with Rouhani and his cabinet ministers.
Khamenei also said that "except for a few cases, such as the U.S., the country's relations with the East and the West should be increasingly enhanced."
The emergency meeting was convened by Khamenei on July 15 to discuss the country's worsening economic situation.
U.S. President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran in May and has moved to reinstate economic sanctions against Tehran.
