Iran official says concerned over U.S. influence following nuclear deal

Iran is concerned over U.S. influence in its affairs following the recent nuclear deal, a senior member of Iran's Assembly of Experts said Thursday.

"We should beware of the U.S. use of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) aiming to interfere in Iran's politics, economy and, worst of all, our culture," Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Khatami said as he led the prayers for Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice.

Eid al-Adha is a major religious festival celebrated annually by Muslims worldwide.

Khatami said that U.S. officials want to show that the frozen relations with Iran have begun to thaw with the nuclear deal, but "this is not the case."

"We have meaningful differences with the United States and its Western allies" over a number of issues, including their policies in Iraq, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain, Khatami said.

The United States will wind down its enmity towards Iran following the nuclear deal but would continue to raise pressure on Tehran on issues such as human rights, Khatami said.

Last month, the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that the recent nuclear deal with world powers should not be interpreted as a harbinger for U.S. influence in Iran.

"They thought this deal would clear the decks for U.S. influence in Iran, but we barricaded this possibility indefinitely," Khamenei said.

"We will not allow U.S. economic, political nor cultural interference in Iran, and we will repudiate their efforts with everything we've got," he said, adding that Iran will not permit U.S. influence over the region either.

Iran and the P5+1 group -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany -- reached a comprehensive deal on Tehran's nuclear program on July 14, resolving the decade-long issue.

Following the landmark deal, international sanctions imposed on Tehran are expected to be lifted with increased foreign investments in Iran following years of isolation. Endit