Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday that the US’s “maximum pressure” policy aimed at isolating Iran has “failed,” and he claimed President Trump does not want a war with Iran because it would “ruin” his reelection chances.
Rouhani said the regime would be willing to negotiate with the Trump administration if the US were to reinstate the Iranian nuclear deal – negotiated by the Obama administration – and drop crippling economic sanctions, USA Today reported.
Last week, eight Senate Republicans sided with Democrats to support legislation restricting Trump’s ability to wage war with Iran in a rare bipartisan effort.
“Of course, sanctions naturally create some problems, but they will not yield Any results for the enemies. Maximum pressure has failed. We are in a better situation in the region now. “
– Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
The measure, which headed to the House, reflected lawmakers’ concerns that US tensions with Iran could escalate into a full-fledged war.
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“I think the Americans aren’t after war since they know what harm it could do them,” the Iranian leader said.
US-Iranian relations have been strained , culminating in the early-January US drone strike that killed Iran’s shadowy general, Qassem Soleimani. Iran responded with airstrikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops which left more than 823 of those soldiers with brain injuries.
Trump, however, repeatedly has expressed interest in holding talks with Iran, the report said. The State Department did not immediately respond to the newspaper’s request for comment on Rouhani’s statements.
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Asked about whom he favored in November’s US elections, Rouhani expressed little interest, saying there was no difference for Iran between the Democrats and Republicans. Tehran, he said, cared only about its national interests.
“We will never sit at the negotiating table with a weak position,” Rouhani said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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