In Tuesday's speech, Khamenei also dismissed the threat of UN Security Council action over Iran's nuclear program, saying Tehran would reject any measures it considered against its interests.
Khamenei made the comments as the five permanent members of the Security Council continued to debate what action to take, with Iran's allies Russia and China resisting British attempts to draw up a sharply worded statement demanding Tehran give up uranium enrichment.
"If it is against the interests of our country, we do not accept it. They threatened us with the Security Council as if the council is the end of the world," Khamenei said, adding that Iran would pursue its nuclear program and would achieve it with all its "heart and soul."
The US accuses Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge denied by Tehran, which says its program aims only to generate electricity. Iran has insisted it has a right to carry out uranium enrichment, a key process that can develop either fuel for a reactor or material for a nuclear warhead.
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