Iran is ready for talks with the world but will never “bow to the pressures exerted by the superpowers, specially the U.S.,” President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday.
Rouhani made his proclamation will addressing a meeting in the north-western province of Ardabil, citing the Islamic Republic’s divinity and need to oppose the U.S. while protecting Islam and its followers.
“How is it possible for us to bow to a superpower and sell our independence and freedom? It is not possible for us to lose the efforts that have been made for centuries,” Rouhani said, according to state Fars news agency.
“I am not the one to miss an opportunity, I hold talks, I speak, as we sat down for talks with six countries and reached an agreement. We are not to blame and we did not lie to the world and we told everyone the truth,” he added.
Rouhani then addressed the U.S. administration directly: “Your [administration] is not superior to our establishment. We respect the American people and denounce your actions, but we emphasize that there is a way back,” he said.
The leader said President Trump needed to first express regret “in words or through action” to admit he has been wrong to discard the Obama-negotiated JCPOA nuclear deal and return to the agreement.
If Trump complies, then Iran “will be ready to speak with you, and listen to you if you have any words to say and you will listen to us if we have anything to say.”
The Iranian spoke just 24-hours after he lamented the economic sanctions imposed by Trump on Iran have more than erased the benefits given by then President Barack Obama under the discarded JCPOA nuclear deal.
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