TEHRAN, Iran, (AP) -Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that his country would continue to acquire nuclear technology and challenge what he called “Western fabrications.”

Speaking to a crowd of thousands in Semnan, a city 155 miles east of Tehran, Khamenei said most countries believe that “nuclear energy should be taken away from the hands of a few powers,” state media reported.

“The Americans open their mouth and close their eyes and say whatever they want, such as ‘the world opposes enrichment,’ Khamenei said, referring to Iran’s enrichment of uranium, which the U.N. Security Council has called on Iran to cease.

“No,” Khamenei replied, addressing the United States, “it is you who do not know and does not see the world.”