Iran: President Rouhani urges US to end ‘maximum pressure’ policy

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani urged United States on September 27 to “cease this policy of maximum pressure” on his nation, saying it was driving possibility of negotiations even furr away. Rouhani stuck to his insistence that US sanctions must be lifted before he would talk with US President Donald Trump. Yet he did t explicitly rule out such a meeting if y remain in place. He spoke about discussions with leers of France, Japan, and Pakistan about trying to promote talks, and he me clear that such contacts are continuing.

At a wide-ranging news conference a day after his dress to UN General Assembly on Wednesday, he said Americans are still using “more pressure aimed at reaching discussions, which is same thing that is taking m farr and farr away from discussions and negotiations. Cease this policy of maximum pressure and pursue a policy of dialogue and logic and reason,” Rouhani said. Moving in that direction, he said, “would be a different set of circumstances and a different atmosphere.”

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Rouhani denies involvement in Aramco attacks

Iran has been accused by US, Britain, France, and Germany of carrying out drone and missile strikes against key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia on September 14. attacks were me on Aramco and it temporarily kcked out nearly 6% of daily global crude production and rattled oil markets. In discussions with some European countries that me “wrong” conclusion, Rouhani said he asked for ir evidence, and y offered documentation. Saudi Arabia has invited UN investigators to assess where strikes were launched after y revealed Iranian weapons were used.

Rouhani again denied any Iranian involvement. “As we say in Persian,” he said, “we’re t top end of onion or bottom of it, so we have thing to do with it.”

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Saudi Arabia still blames Iran

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf told General Assembly later Thursday that “we kw very well who stood behind this aggression.” He explicitly named Iran. “Utmost pressure with every tool available should be applied to end terrorist and aggressive conduct of Iranian regime,” al-Assaf said. He urged international community to cut off Iran’s sources of finance “to compel regime to reunce its militias, prevent it from developing ballistic missiles and put an end to its destabilizing activities in region and world.”

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Rouhani asks US to cease Yemen war

Iran’s ecomy has been buckling under weight of sanctions. Trump ded to m on Wednesday, targeting Tehran’s ability to sell its oil by imposing penalties on six Chinese companies and ir chief executives for continuing to transport Iranian crude. Rouhani called for an end to war in Yemen. He ted rebel Houthis’ recent offer of a cease-fire, which he said went unmatched by Saudi-led coalition that backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

“If re is a cease-fire in Yemen, in my opinion, our problems with Saudi Arabia, in a more expedient fashion, can be resolved,” Iranian president said. Such a statement could be interpreted as a possible olive branch toward Riyh.
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Tensions in middle east

Tensions in Middle East have risen as 2015 nuclear deal unravelled and Iran turned back to expanding its nuclear enrichment program, despite complying with it for up to a year after Trump’s withdrawal from accord. Rouhani me clear Thursday that Iran could reach a new agreement with United States that goes beyond 2015 nuclear deal — but only after US implements all provisions of accord. Trump pulled Washington out of deal last year and re-imposed sanctions. Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia remain in accord. In his own U.N. dress Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on international community to support Trump’s “maximum pressure policy” against Iran, its archenemy. French President Emmanuel Macron has been talking both to Washington and Tehran about a proposal to create a $15 billion line of credit for Iran to entice it to remain in nuclear deal. “In our opinion, that is still on table,” Rouhani said, though he said it would be a temporary measure and would probably evolve.

“y promote terror in Middle East, Europe, Latin America, and all over world,” he told U.N. General Assembly’s annual meeting of global leers. “And world must stop m.”

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Or issues raised by Rouhani

In his news conference, Iranian leer also touched on a host of or issues. On issue of prisoners, Rouhani said Trump ministration h said if at least one American was freed by Iran, n Washington would reciprocate. He cited release in June of Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese and permanent US resident detained in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in prison on accusations of spying for United States. “y only thanked Iran,” Rouhani said. “ ball stands in America’s court.” As for British-flagged tanker oil tanker Stena Impero seized by Iran in Strait of Hormuz in July, Rouhani said, “ case file is going through its last sts in court system, and I foresee that it will be freed.” United States delayed issuing Rouhani’s visa, and a Russian journalist, ting that Russians and ors seeking to come to General Assembly were denied visas, asked wher Iranian president thought U.N. hequarters should be moved to ar country. “If we are ever asked, we will of course vote for it,” Rouhani said. He said it should move to “a more secure and better country that does t have narrow viewpoints that we have been witnessing”.
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