Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has dismissed US calls to renegotiate a nuclear deal as “ridiculous” and pledged that Iran will continue to produce missiles for its defense.
The US House of Representatives on Thursday voted to impose new sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program, while lawmakers at Senate urged a vigorous push for tougher inspections of Iran’s military facilities.
“They are faulting us over our weapons. We will build, produce and stockpile any weapons of any kind that we need in order to defend ourselves and the territorial integrity of our beloved nation,” Rouhani said in a speech in parliament Sunday.
“We have built, are building and will continue to build missiles, and this violates no international agreements,” the president added to the chants of “Death to America” by lawmakers.
The missile program is not technically part of the nuclear agreement, with the US admitting that Iran’s missile tests do not violate the terms of the deal between Tehran and six major powers.
Washington’s new sanctions, however, have undermined the nuclear agreement which US President Donald Trump refused to certify this month after endorsing it earlier.
Rouhani hit out at “repeated breaches” by the US government of its commitments, saying it has put the country’s credibility at stake among the world public opinion.
“Some say ‘let’s the commitment we’ve already made remain in the current weak state and talk about other issues’. This is one of those laughable things of history; while you are not loyal to your previous commitments, how do you want to stay committed to your next obligations?”
Washington has been pushing for a renegotiation of the 2015 nuclear deal so that it includes a broader range of issues such as Iran’s missile program.
Rouhani said the US is in fact declaring that it is not a negotiating partner and knows no moral and international principles.
“Can this country tell other East Asian countries to negotiate with it? How do you talk about negotiations when you have not been committed to your previous negotiations with Iran? You have become untrustworthy before the people.”
Trump has also called on Washington’s allies to join forces “in taking strong actions to curb Iran’s continued dangerous and destabilizing behavior.”
Rouhani brushed aside the accusations, saying Iran has been helping its neighbors restore security while the US is fueling insecurity in the region by sponsoring terrorists.
“Iran is a nation that has brought ISIL and terrorism in Iraq and Syria to its knees and now you are faulting it for its efforts,” he said.
“You have come to ruin security and stability in the region. With the establishment and creation of terrorist groups, you have been playing with the security and tranquility of Afghanistan and Iraq,” the president said, addressing the US.
“Iran has helped and continues to help its neighbors establish security. Our job is to help which we have been doing on their own request,” he said.
“Instead, you are intervening in their affairs by creating terrorist groups. You are after dividing Iraq and want to undermine the country’s territorial integrity,” he added.
Source: Press TV
