Iranian President Hassan Rohani has linked talks with US President Donald Trump to a US intervention in the nuclear dispute. He demanded that the US president should first withdraw the exit from the Vienna nuclear agreement of 2015 and the sanctions against Tehran. Trump had previously suggested to the Iranian leadership to call him to speak directly about the conflict.
At a meeting with political activists, Rohani was relentless: "Surrender is incompatible with our mentality and religion, and so we will not capitulate in this situation." So it was on the web portal of the Presidential Office in Tehran read.
Heschmatollah Fallahtpischeh, the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in parliament, said Trump's exit from the nuclear deal showed that the current US administration is not reliable. Therefore, Iran Trump will not call.
Trump to Iran: "What you should do is call me"
Trump turned to Iran on Thursday: "What you should do is call me, sit down, we can make a deal, a fair deal, we just do not want you to have nuclear weapons." According to media reports, Trump is said to have given the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which represents US diplomatic interests in Iran, a telephone number under which Rohani could call him. This led to mocking reactions in social media, including the call: "Call me first".
Rohani admitted that Iran is currently in a difficult position. He compared the "economic war" of the US against his country with the eight-year war between Iran and Iraq. This war started in 1980 with an attack by Saddam Hussein's regime on Iran, killing hundreds of thousands of people. But the current "war" is more problematic, Rohani said. "Back in 1980, we did not have the problems with our oil export and cooperation with international banks." But he asserted that Iran would resist and seek solutions together.
The US imposed new economic sanctions on Wednesday, mainly to hit Iran's metals industry. The measures taken so far mainly affect the financial and energy sectors. US punitive measures particularly affect Iran's oil export, the country's main source of income. Trade with foreign countries was also practically paralyzed. The international banks do not want to finance Iranian trade projects for fear of US fines.
The Vienna nuclear agreement of 2015 should make it impossible for Iran to develop nuclear weapons with strict international controls. In return, the US and its European counterparts held out the prospect of reducing sanctions and normalizing economic relations. One year ago, however, the US stepped out of the agreement unilaterally. Iran threatened last week, after the expiry of a 60-day deadline to start the exit, if the agreements are not respected and the sanctions are not lifted.