In response to Trump .. Rouhani requires lifting sanctions before any dialogue

TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called for the lifting of US sanctions on Tehran as a first step to start dialogue with Washington after President Donald Trump said he was ready to meet Rouhani “if conditions are right”.

Rowhani said in an interview broadcast on Iranian television that if Washington does not lift the sanctions, which he described as illegal, from Tehran will not change the status quo.

At the same time, the Iranian president stressed that his country has never wanted to acquire nuclear weapons, adding that his country is always ready for dialogue.

"We will continue to reduce our commitments in the 2015 (nuclear) agreement if our interests are not guaranteed," he said.

Commenting on a possible meeting with Trump, Rouhani said yesterday that if he knew the country's problem would be resolved if he met someone he would not refrain from doing so, Fars news agency reported.

American conditions
US President Donald Trump has expressed willingness to meet his Iranian counterpart within weeks to seek possible negotiations to reach a settlement to the current crisis related to the Iranian nuclear file, including the easing of tight sanctions on Tehran.

Asked about the possibility of a meeting with Rouhani, Trump said on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France, that it makes sense for him to hold talks with Rouhani within weeks if conditions are right.

He added that Iran must be a good player in the region, and that he wants to see a strong Iran and does not seek regime change, stressing in the meantime to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

His comments came a day after he asserted that the leaders of the seven countries were close to reaching an agreement on Iran and that his country was not seeking regime change in Tehran.

The meeting between the US and Iranian presidents could be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next month.

In recent weeks, the United States has appeared on the brink of military confrontation after several incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf, including the downing of a US drone and the exposure of oil tankers to mysterious explosions or to detention by Iranian authorities.