Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday dismissed a proposal for new “Trump deal” aimed at resolving a nuclear row, saying it was a “strange” offer and criticising US President Donald Trump for always breaking promises.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Trump as a great dealmaker, called on Tuesday for the president to replace Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with major powers with his own new pact to ensure Tehran does not get an atomic weapon.
In response to the PM Johnson, Trump took to Twitter, saying “Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, @BorisJohnson, stated, ‘We should replace Iran deal with the Trump deal”.
Rouhani said, “This Prime Minister in London, I don’t know how he thinks. He says let’s put aside the nuclear deal and put the Trump plan in action”.
Rouhani said Iran could reverse steps that exceeded restrictions in the agreement as soon as sanctions are lifted.
“What we have done is reversible. Whatever we do on the nuclear issue is under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” said Rouhani.
Rouhani criticised the Europeans for reneging on promises to protect Tehran’s economy from US sanctions.
Earlier in the month, President Trump had ordered the death of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps considered a hero in the country, in order to “stop a war,” not start one.
Iran had termed the US action of “international terrorism” as “extremely dangerous and a foolish escalation”.
General Qasem Soleimani was among the eight people killed in a rocket attack by the US on Baghdad international airport.
On January 7, Trump said that Iran will not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Taking to Twitter, President Trump tweeted, “IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!”.
Rouhani repeated Iran’s longstanding position that peace can come to the Middle East only when the United States withdraws from the region.
“American soldiers today are not secure in the region … We don’t want there to be insecurity in the world. We want you to go from here, but not with war. We want you to leave the region intelligently and it’s to your benefit.”