Don’t Shy Away from Obeying Law, Rouhani Tells Biden Admin

In comments after inaugurating a number of industrial projects at a videoconference on Thursday, Rouhani said the new US administration has realized that Washington has made mistakes in dealing with Iran.

“Surrendering to law is not a fault. Do not shy away. What is bad is surrendering to force,” the president told the administration of Joe Biden.

Rouhani also dismissed the notion that Iran has taken a series of actions to pressurize the US, saying Tehran calls on Washington to respect law and honor commitments, including the UNSC Resolution 2231.

He also noted that his cabinet would never have thought that a “stupid” person like Trump might take the helm at the US and wage an unprecedented war against the Iranian nation.

Despite all US pressures and economic war and the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Iran maintained economic progress in various industrial sectors, such as steel production, the president said.

Rouhani also hailed his administration’s success in joining the Eurasian Economic Union and unveiled plans for Iran’s permanent membership in the union, which he said would serve the purposes of Iran’s resistance economy and facilitate exports with suitable tariffs.

Biden, one of whose campaign pledges was the US’ return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, has refused to lift the anti-Iranian sanctions imposed by his predecessor and has even set conditions for rejoining the deal that Trump scrapped in 2018.

In remarks on Wednesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said Iran has had enough of empty promises about the nuclear deal, demanding practical action on fulfillment of the JCPOA by the other parties.