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Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would reject conditions for the lifting of sanctions that undermined the countrys honor.

If world powers set as a condition for lifting sanctions something that your honor wont permit, what would you do? Khamenei said as he met a group of Iranians from the holy city of Qom, according to the Iranian Students News Agency. For sure, no official in the country would agree to it.

Khamenei, Irans highest authority, made the comments three days after President Hassan Rouhani said the economy cant grow while the nation is isolated. Rouhani, a former nuclear negotiator, won the presidency last year after campaigning on pledges to improve Irans diplomatic ties and end sanctions imposed on the economy.

Under Rouhanis predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the nuclear program and any related technological advances were touted as proof of independence from the imperialism of global powers. While Rouhanis backing of the nuclear program has been more nuanced, conservative politicians in Iran still consider leniency on the matter as capitulation to outside pressure.

Khamenei has supported nuclear talks provided they dont encroach on what he deems the countrys rights. The U.S. and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, while Iran insists its program is peaceful.

In his speech today, the supreme leader said that Iran must strive to develop immunity in the face of sanctions.

Diplomats from Iran and the group known as P5+1 -- the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Russia and China -- are set to resume nuclear negotiations on Jan. 18, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said yesterday, according to local media. The two sides failed to reach an accord by the self-imposed Nov. 24 deadline, extending negotiations by seven months.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ladane Nasseri in Dubai at lnasseri@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alaa Shahine at asalha@bloomberg.net Mark Williams

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Khamenei Says Iran Won't Trade `Honor' for Lifting Sanctions