Iran to Respect Nuclear Deal as Long as Its Interests Secured: President

Speaking in a televised address on Friday, shortly after the US president’s declaration of his new hostile strategy towards Tehran, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani lashed out at his US counterpart for ‘a bunch of insults’ he uttered against the Iranian nation.

Rouhani called on US President Donald Trump to study history and geography and learn lessons from the past decades.

Trump has forgotten that the US overthrew Iran’s democratically-elected government in 1953 coup, supported Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime in his eight-year bloody war against Iran, particularly his chemical attack on innocent people of Iran’s Sardasht, Rouhani said.

“How does a US president not know Persian Gulf,” Rouhani asked, referring to Trump’s use of a fake name for the body of water located south of Iran.

The Iranian president advised Trump to ask his navy commanders about the name mentioned for this gulf in the maps they hold in overseas operations.

Rouhani further questioned Trump’s knowledge of law, saying that the US president does not know that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is not a bilateral deal between Iran and the US, so he cannot just scrap it.

Referring to the fact that Iran has remained committed to its obligations under international treaties and that it has democratic elections, Rouhani blasted Trump for calling Iran an aggressive state.

“Which one is an aggressor: Iran or the US which is the only state to use nuclear weapons for two times,” he added.

Rouhani said the US is still threatening to use its nuclear weapons against other nations, so it cannot pretend to be seeking nuclear disarmament.

He further noted that Trump’s Friday remarks against Iran only helped the Iranian nation know that they need to be more united against their enemies.

The Iranian nation will not give in to a dictator and submit to any superpower, he added.

“Trump’s remarks showed that the nuclear deal is more robust than what the US president thought during his electoral campaign,” he went on to say, stressing that not a single article will be added to the nuclear deal.

Rouhani said the entire world stood against the US on the nuclear deal, and now America under Trump is more isolated than ever.

He further referred to Trump’s allegations against the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and said the IRGC is fighting against terrorist groups like ISIS, which has been created by the US, as Trump mentioned in his campaign speeches.

“The IRGC has positively responded to the calls of regional nations and will do the same in the future,” he noted.

Iran’s missiles serve defensive purposes and Tehran will continue to reinforce its missile power, Rouhani said, asking Trump to be concerned about the arms his country is selling to Middle Eastern states instead of being worried about Iran’s defensive capabilities.

Rouhani also stressed that the Islamic Republic will respect the nuclear deal as long as its interests are secured and it reaps the JCPOA benefits.

Whenever Iran’s interests are not secured or the other parties start violating the nuclear deal, Tehran will not hesitate in giving appropriate response, he added.

He also noted that the US will never succeed in distancing the Iranian nation from their Leader, adding that people respect the Leader based on their Constitution.

Rouhani pointed to the ‘Death to America’ slogan chanted by Iranian people, saying the slogan does not target the US nation, but the US policies.

The US can stop its hostile policies towards Iran and then see how people would react, he added.

The Iranian nation has respected the American people and will do so in the future, Rouhani noted.

He also said that what Trump and his administration is trying to do is disrupting Iran’s economy and preventing other nations from making investment in the country.