Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reacted to the to the US Congress’s sanctions bill on Iran, saying “such sanctions neither affect the Iranian nation nor undermine the people and the Islamic Republic establishment’s resistance, nor change our policies and views.”
President Rouhani stressed that the nuclear deal dubbed JCPOA has restricted US from referring anti-Iranian sanctions to the UN Security Council under the pretext of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons, adding “the sanctions bill on Iran passed by the US House of Representatives that will go to the Senate is very different from the type of sanctions placed on North Korea or Russia. The ‘new’ anti-Iranian sanctions are in fact a repeat of the old sanctions and this indicates that the US sanctions regime has slowed down compared to the past.”
“We must keep improving our defense capabilities and will develop all our defense equipment regardless of others’ opinions,” he stressed.
The President went on to note that once the enemy stops its hostile approach and seeks friendly relations, Iran will do the same and take on the path of peace and friendship.
Rouhani stressed that Iran will definitely respond to the US Congress sanctions bill, adding “if Americans want the region to be more stable and secure, they need to stop their hostile policies against Iran.”
“The only way for US to secure its national interests is to treat other nations with respect and adopt a peaceful approach,” he said.
President Rouhani further expressed hope that all countries in the region will witness the return of complete peace and security in the future and that the US will start to take wiser actions.
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