TEHRAN (AFP)--A top aide to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday that the U.K. and France were "worse" than the U.S. when it comes to interfering in Iran's internal issues.
Ali Akbar Velyati, adviser to Khamenei on international affairs, accused the U.K. and France in particular of wanting to stop Iran's nuclear drive.
"Britain and France are worse than the United States when it comes to interfering in Iran's internal issues," Velayti told the Fars news agency.
"Western nations, especially France and Britain, want Iran to stop its nuclear activities. They want a weak Iran at the negotiating table."
Global powers led by Washington suspect that Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at making atomic weapons but Tehran denies the charge.
Iran has taken a harsh stand against the U.K. in particular since the violence which erupted after the disputed election on June 12 that returned hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power for another four years.
It has accused London of seeking to destabilize Iran and continues to hold one of nine local employees of the British embassy in Tehran on allegations of inciting post-election rioting.
Tehran has also detained a French woman lecturer on charges of spying after taking part in protests opposing Ahmadinejad's re-election.