Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made little on Friday of US President Donald Trump’s new strategy on Tehran, saying that the nuclear deal was “stronger than the US president believed.”
“We will respect the nuclear deal as long as our rights are guaranteed and as long as our interest demand its,” he said during a televised speech hours after Trump declared his new strategy.
Rouhani added that Tehran was cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency to that end.
He warned however that Iran would abandon its nuclear agreement with world powers if it failed to serve the country’s national interests.
Responding to Trump’s claims that the authorities in Tehran had violated the rights of the Iranian people, he announced that the US president “will not be able to come between the people and Supreme Leader.”
Furthermore, he criticized Trump for labeling the Persian Gulf as Arab, urging him to brush up on his history and geography.
“His speech only had insults and false accusations against the Iranian people,” stated Rouhani.
In addition, he renewed his defense of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, stressing that they are “combating terrorism in the region.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi reiterated Rouhani’s stance, warning that Tehran would withdraw from the nuclear deal if it had to.
“Iran’s main policy backs peace and stability in the region and it confronts destabilizing activities,” he stressed.
The Iranian military forces, including the Revolutionary Guards, are a symbol of strength and preservation of Iranian national security, he declared.
“Any military move against the military and Revolutionary Guards will be met with the appropriate and resolute Iranian response,” he stressed.
Moreover, he accused the US of supporting terrorism in the region, saying that it cannot blame others for its action and shy away from its responsibilities.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani warned on Friday that Washington’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal will mark the end of the agreement, reported the Russian TASS news agency.
“Washington’s withdrawal would lead to chaos in the world,” he warned from St. Petersburg in Russia where he is attending an international parliamentary conference.
He hoped that Russia will play role in resolving the disputes related to the nuclear deal.
Meanwhile, deputy chief of Iran’s Quds Force, the external branch of the Revolutionary Guards, Esmail Qa’ani said that Trump’s threats to Iran will harm the US, reported Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.
“We are not warmongers, but they will regret any military action against Iran,” he warned.
