Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made the remarks Monday night in reaction to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who promised “strongest sanctions in history” on Iran if Tehran refuses to change its foreign and domestic policy and to accept his laid-out 12 conditions for any “new deal” in the wake of Trump's pullout from the JCPOA.
“The current US administration has returned Washington to about 15 years ago, repeating the same old words of 2003 and 2004,” said President Rouhani, referring to the George W. Bush era.
“All countries in the world demand independence in their decision-making,” Rouhani said. “Perhaps the Americans may succeed in advancing certain objectives by exerting pressure, but logic does not accept that the US should decide for the whole world.”
The Iranian president noted Pompeo’s previous post as the CIA director, adding “it is utterly unacceptable that a man, who had served for years in an intelligence agency, to try and make decisions for Iran and other countries as US Secretary of State.”
“Who do you think you are to make decisions for Iran and the world, and to tell us what to do about our nuclear technology?” said Rouhani.
The President further dismissed Pompeo’s remarks as old and repetitive, adding “the Iranian people will pay them no mind and continue on their own path as a united nation.”
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