Rouhani says US cannot impose negotiations or war on Iran amid new sanctions

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the United Nations General Assembly on September 22 that the United States can impose “neither negotiations nor war” on the Islamic Republic. US-Iran relations quickly deteriorated after US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) in May 2018, calling it the “worst deal ever”.

The United States launched a “maximum pressure” campaign with a slew of sanctions on Iranian officials and its latest declaration to return all UN sanctions on Iran through the snapback mechanism has worsened the relations even further. It has imposed new sanctions on Iran’s defence ministry and other individuals allegedly involved in its nuclear program, asserting its declaration that all UN sanctions have been restored.

“Iran is not a bargaining chip in US elections and domestic policy...any US administration after the upcoming (US) elections will have no choice but to surrender to the resilience of the Iranian nation,” Rouhani told the UNGA in a video message.

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Major powers disagree with the US

The European signatories of the JCPoA, also known as Iran nuclear deal, stated that the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and has no legal standing to trigger snapback. In a joint statement, Britain, France, and Germany said that they have worked tirelessly to preserve the nuclear agreement and remain committed to doing so. 

Kremlin has already denounced the unilateral declaration by the United States on Iranian sanctions under the 2015 nuclear deal as “illegitimate” and “unacceptable”. Russia has also vowed to develop military cooperation with Iran after the expiry of an arms embargo in October, ignoring the declaration of the US.

“This is a victory not just for Iran, but for the global community - during the transitional international order in the post-Western world - that an aspirant to hegemony is humiliated in such self-created isolation,” Rouhani added, referring to the Trump administration.

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Read: 'US Not In Position To Reimpose Iran Sanctions, Europe Won't Concur With Decision': Macron