Rouhani denounces US sanctions against Iran as big mistake, illegal act

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has slammed the US’s move to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic as a “big political and economic mistake,” which flies in the face of international regulations and UN resolutions.

During a meeting with Australian Ambassador to Tehran Lyndall Sachs on Tuesday, Rouhani said all independent states need to stand against illegal American sanctions and make the US respect the rule of law.

The president was referring to the harsh economic sanctions that the US reinstated against Iran last year after leaving a 2015 multinational deal on Tehran’s nuclear program, which has been endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Rouhani further pointed the Washington’s campaign of threats against those seeking to preserve or respect the landmark deal and said, “It is unprecedented in the world history that the US wants to punish those countries that are abiding by United Nations resolutions. We should not allow the US to succeed in countering international obligations.”

Iran, he added, has been complying with its commitments agreement — officially named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — despite Washington’s unilateral exit and the ensuing failure of the European co-signatories to fulfill their side of the bargain.

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“The collapse of the JCPOA will be to detrimental to the entire world,” warned Rouhani as Tehran has been taking a set of counter-measures within the framework of the deal to prompt the remaining signatories to fulfill their contractual obligations.

Rouhani further noted that Iran and Australia should not allow the illegal US sanctions to hinder the expansion of their ties, urging both sides to make more efforts to bolster trade and economic relations based on the two nations’ long-term interests.

The Iranian president also voiced alarm at the US military presence in the region, saying, “Regional countries, particularly Iran, are well capable of maintaining their security and the military presence of other countries will be very dangerous.”

Australia backs Iran deal  

In turn, the new Australian ambassador, who submitted her credentials to the Iranian president, said her country has always supported efforts to preserve the nuclear deal as a means to establish peace and security in the region.

Sachs called on all sides to live up to their commitments under the JCPOA and make efforts towards confidence building in the world using the same methods stipulated in the international document.

She called on the two countries’ officials to remove obstacles in the way of strengthening trade and economic cooperation.

Iran stands by Yemen in peace restoration process: Rouhani

The Iranian president commended the courage and steadfastness of the Yemeni people in confronting a Saudi-led coalition of aggressors waging war on the country.

He said the Islamic Republic strongly supports the Yemenis’ efforts to establish peace and stability in the war-ravaged country and promote intra-Yemeni peace talks.

“Today, the aggressors and enemies of the Yemeni people as well as the entire world have reached a conclusion that they cannot achieve their objectives through pressure and war and this means that the Yemeni people’s resistance has been fruitful,” Rouhani said in a meeting with new Yemen Ambassador to Tehran Ibrahim Mohammad Mohammad al-Deilami on Tuesday.

He added that Iran has always stood by the Yemeni people on the political stage and provided them with humanitarian assistance, saying, “There is no doubt that the resilient Yemeni people will be the ultimate victor in dealing with aggressors.”

Iran backs Yemeni-Yemeni peace talks, Stockholm agreement: Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expresses Tehran’s support for intra-Yemeni peace talks.

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