President: Repetition of Old Sanctions against Iran Indicates US Desperateness

“The Americans are re-imposing sanctions against those entities which had earlier been placed under similar sanctions and this means the US is fully desperate and maximum sanction and pressure (policy) has clearly failed to accomplish any goal,” President Rouhani told reporters on Monday morning before leaving Tehran for New York to participate in the UN General Assembly meeting.

He lauded the Iranian nation’s resistance in the past one and a half years after the US re-imposed sanctions against Tehran, and said, “Thanks God, economic trend has improved and it shows that we have enough power in this confrontation.”

Elsewhere, President Rouhani referred to the recent incidents in the region and allegations raised by the Americans against Iran, and blasted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for uttering irrelevant and illogical words.

He added that the Americans claim that the damages inflicted on the Saudi oil installations will be repaired within a month, while they can be fixed in two weeks, because Washington wants to take control of the region.

President Rouhani referred to the US agreement to deploy Patriot defense system in Saudi Arabia, and said, “They clearly intend to take control of the whole oil resources in Eastern Saudi Arabia.”

He underlined that the regional issues should be resolved by the countries of the region, adding that he will raise an initiative at the UNGA to launch a “Coalition for Hope: Hormuz Peace Endeavour”.

“We hope that we can declare to the world with this plan that Iran is after long-term peace in the region,” the president said.

He referred to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal and its political isolation in the world, and said, “Except one or two little countries which are the US extensions, most countries condemn the US measures.”

President Rouhani also described the recent Yemeni drone attacks against the Saudi oil installations as the result of the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel’s aggression against Yemen, and said the Americans cannot tolerate Yemen’s response to this aggression, while they have closed their eyes on oppression and crimes against the Yemeni people.

President Rouhani said on Sunday that he will present an initiative to the UN General Assembly on safeguarding peace in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz together with regional states.

Iran will announce to the world that foreign forces’ presence is trouble making and dangerous to the region, international waterways, security of the shipping, oil and energy, the president said.

Iran’s path is to create unity and coordination among regional countries, Rouhani said, adding that those who want to attribute regional incidents to Iran are repeating their lies.

If they are telling the truth and they aim to safeguard peace in the region, they should not send arms, planes, bombs and dangerous weaponry to the region.

If they are right, they should not stir up arms race in the region, Rouhani said, adding that if they are really seeking security, they should distance from the region.