Iran's Rouhani Pledges 'Crushing Response' if U.S. Extends
Arms Embargo
By Reuters
·
May , 2020, 4:22 a.m. ET
·
DUBAI — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani threatened
a "crushing response" on Wednesday if the United States goes ahead with plans
to extend an embargo on Iranian trade
of conventional arms, which the United
Nations is set to lift later this year.
Under Iran's deal with world powers to accept limits to its
nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions, a U.N. weapons embargo is due to expire in October.
The United States, which exited the deal in 2018, says it wants
to extend the embargo.
In a speech
on Wednesday, Rouhani repeated Iran's longstanding criticism of Washington's decision
to exit the nuclear deal, which he called a "stupid mistake".
"If America wants to
return to the deal, it should lift all the sanctions on Tehran and
compensate for the reimposition of sanctions," said Rouhani, a pragmatist whose
rhetoric towards the United
States is frequently more measured than that of some
officials. "Iran will
give a crushing response if the arms embargo on Tehran is extended," Rouhani added.
Iran has gradually rolled back its commitments
under the accord in response to the U.S. decision to quit, but says it wants the
agreement to remain in place.
It has criticised European parties to the deal for failing to salvage the pact
by shielding its economy from U.S. sanctions.
"Iran's nuclear steps
are reversible if other parties to the deal fulfil their obligations and
preserve Tehran's
interests under the pact," Rouhani said.
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