Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday, June 12 called the U.S. the “source” of instability in the Middle East and said it was responsible for the creation of the Islamic State terror group, The Times of Israel reports.

“You and your agents are the source of instability in the Middle East…who created Islamic State? America … America’s claim of fighting against Islamic State is a lie,” Khamenei said during a meeting with government officials, in comments provided by Reuters from his official website.

He also lashed out at U.S. President Donald Trump’s accusations during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia that Tehran was a sponsor of terrorism in the region, saying “It is really ridiculous for the U.S., standing next to the tribal and medieval Saudis, to talk about human rights in a place which has no notion of democracy, and to accuse Iran which is the emblem of democracy.”

On Tehran’s enmity with Washington, the Iranian leader said “Some of the problems with the U.S. are essentially unresolvable as the U.S.’s problem with us has nothing to do with nuclear energy or human rights, their problem is with the principle of the Islamic Republic.”

He added: “The U.S. must know that the Islamic Republic will not back down from positions such as battling oppression and defending Palestine and will spare no efforts towards defending the people’s rights.”

Seventeen people were killed last week in a terror attack claimed by IS in Tehran.

Iranian officials said Saturday they had killed the attack’s mastermind. Authorities have arrested as many as 41 people suspected of links to the terror group.