Iran's supreme leader scolds top politicians amid U.S. standoff

Iran's supreme leader has publicly criticized the country's president and foreign minister for the first time over their roles in negotiating and implementing the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, reports AP.

Why it matters: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks come as Tehran weighs whether to abandon the nuclear deal and decides how to respond to threats coming from Washington. His criticism undercuts the influence of President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who are considered moderates by the standards of the Iranian regime.

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