Tehran, May 21 (UNI) Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has said that he favored talks and diplomacy, but not under current situation, and so his country has chosen a path of “resistance only.”
"I utalks and diplomacy but under current conditions, I do not accept it, as today’s situation is not suitable for talks and our choice is resistance only," the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) quoted him as saying on Monday.
His comments came hours after US President Donald Trump said that any provocations by Iran would be met with “great force,” while noting that he’s also willing to negotiate.
Rouhani told the clerics that there was consensus among the leadership that Iran would stand up to the US and its sanctions.
However, he said Iran would not officially leave the nuclear deal because that would open it up to further sanctions.
"If we walked away from the JCPOA with the US provocative acts, then, in addition to the US, the UN and world would also impose sanctions on us," he said, using an acronym for the official name of the deal.
Tensions have spiraled in recent days after the Trump administration sent an aircraft carrier and other military resources to the Persian Gulf region, and withdrew nonessential personnel from Iraq, raising alarms over the possibility of a confrontation with Iran.
“We have no indication that anything’s happened or will happen. But if it does, it will be met obviously with great force,” said Trump, speaking to reporters as he left the White House en route to a rally in Pennsylvania. “We’ll have no choice.”
Despite saying there was no indication of a belligerent act from Iran, the US President called the Islamic Republic “very hostile” and the “No. 1 provocateur of terror in this country.”
Trump had been downplaying the chances of potential conflict in recent days and again said he was willing to talk to Tehran.
The crisis is rooted in Trump’s decision to withdraw from the nuclear accord last year and impose sweeping sanctions on Iran. The Trump administration has criticized the 2015 accord for failing to rein in Tehran’s regional ambitions.
On Sunday night, Trump took to Twitter to warn Iran not to threaten the US or it will face its "official end."
Trump tweeted, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!"
However, his warning to Iran was issued hours after a rocket was fired into the heavily fortified Green Zone in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and hit a building about 0.5km (0.3 miles) from the US embassy.
UNI XC TV SNU 1257