Pres. Rouhani: US sponsor of terrorism in our region

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): President of the Islamic Republic of Iran said that creating trust is prerequisite to any plans for reaching Iranian and American people’s goals, stressing, “We must create mutual trust, and the trust is something that Mr Trump took away from this framework”.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News Tuesday evening in New York President Hassan Rouhani said, “Vis-à-vis the nuclear issue we are committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as the additional protocols, so our activities are peaceful. Those who are going outside of the framework of the NPT is the United States of America that is against the framework of the NPT, conducting nuclear weapon tests”.

He continued, “If we seek to pursue higher goals to benefit both nations, it must be planned and talks must be based on those plans. However, prior to that, we must create mutual trust and the trust is something that Mr Trump took away from this framework. We had an agreement and Mr Trump withdrew from an international agreement illegally without a valid justification. Therefore, if the US government is willing to talk, it must create the needed conditions.”

“Once we carried out negotiations with the United States of America for 2 years, and during a 17-day period, the Iranian Foreign Minister and the US Secretary of State had continuous talks without returning to their countries. It was extremely difficult, but we did reach an agreement, which was enshrined in a United Nations Security Council resolution. The United States left the agreement without a valid cause. Therefore, it took away the foundation of the needed trust. The most basic needed issue is trust and Mr Trump damaged the trust between the two countries” added Rouhani.

He also went on to say, “Trust must be restored and restoration of trust consists in taking away the pressure imposed upon the nation and the people of Iran, which clearly show that there is animosity even towards our children and our ill people because they even have difficulty in obtaining basic medications and medical equipment. This is a type of terrorism; this is inhumane and if there is a cessation to this, then of course, the atmosphere will change; then it can be envisioned and we can talk about many different topics of mutual interest for both sides. Just as in the nuclear issue in year 2015 we reached an agreement, we can reach agreements on other topics as well”.

Dr Rouhani added, “Regarding the oil installations in Saudi Arabia that were attacked, that returns to the Saudi attack on Yemen, and the people of Yemen have the inherent right, even brought in the UN Charter, to defend themselves when they have been the subject of bombardments for over five years. Of course, the people of Yemen have the right to defend themselves”.

“Mr Trump has levelled an unfounded accusation against Iran when the Saudi Arabian spokesperson announced that the equipment by which the attacks were conducted were not Yemeni because on the weapons, they saw the name Ya Ali. Well, there are Shiites in Yemen as well. Therefore, that spokesperson who thinks Iranians are all Shiites and Yemenis are not, is mistaken,” he continued.

The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran also went on to say, “Let us assume if it was from Iran, all of the money received from the United States for these defensive systems, weapons, and radar systems installed in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula, why were they not able to prevent that missile from hitting the target? So, what was the point of selling all that Patriot anti-missile systems?”

He said, “The Yemenis have quite advanced military capabilities so why is it that the Intelligence agencies of the United States of America that are receiving large budgets from the taxpayers base in the United States are completely unaware of the military capabilities of the Yemenis? The Unites States must answer why they sold the region so many defence systems and weapons”.

Dr Rouhani added, “If there is no ceasefire moving forward, you will see once again and you will witness the military capabilities of the Yemenis. So, let us come together and find a solution, levelling unfounded accusations are not constructive. Let us help the people of Yemen and not let the Saudis continue daily bombings”.

“During the past four decades, Iran has fought against terrorism unequivocally. Those who conducted killings inside Iran and killed over 17000 innocent civilians are now living their lives under your auspicious here in the United States. Mr Bolton, who up until not too long ago was your national security advisor, was on their payroll, giving speeches on their behalf,” continued Rouhani.

He added, “Iran is a country that has brought peace in the region. What should those who are subjected to occupation do? Be passive and just look? You call the people of Yemen who are defending their country terrorists, and those who make the bombs and missiles and defence systems and make them readily available to the Saudi Arabians with which they target school buses, schools, and weddings and hospitals you do not find them guilty. You ask why we shot an American drone; I ask you, why did you shoot down an Iranian airliner in the same region and killed 290 innocent women and children? If we defended, we defended our territory, why did the United States come to our region and shoot down our airliner? Those who target an airliner are terrorists”.

..................................................
End/ 257