Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday strongly denounced the United States’ decision to withdraw from the 2015
international nuclear deal and said President Donald Trump’s actions to weaken or undercut global institutions showed
total disregard for international order.
In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly’s annual general debate, delivered hours after President Trump from
the same podium accused his country of spreading “chaos, death and destruction” in the Middle East, Mr. Rouhani said it
was unfortunate that international leaders trampled international law and encouraged extremist, racist and xenophobic
tendencies, “not far from Nazism”.
In particular, he said it preposterous that such leaders would be convening on Wednesday of a high-level meeting of the
Security Council devoted to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The United States, “at least the current administration,” seemed determined that international institutions will be
paralyzed, Mr. Rouhani said. He lamented the recent withdrawal of the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action (JCPOA), in defiance of international law and the obligations of Mr. Trump's predecessor.
The JCPOA – reached by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the US and the European Union – sets
out rigorous mechanisms for monitoring restrictions placed on Iran’s nuclear programme, while paving the way for the lifting of UN sanctions against the
country.
He praised, however, the “united and categorical” position of the international community vis-à-vis the US withdrawal
and recalled that the Plan of Action had been unanimously endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 2231 (2015).
Iran had honored its commitments under this Plan of Action, as shown by 12 reports of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), while the United States has failed to respect their, under misleading motives, said Mr. Rouhani. He urged the UN to
ensure that no State could evade the implementation of its international commitments, before denouncing US threats
against countries implementing resolution 2231.
Denouncing US unilateral sanctions, the Iranian President said no nation could be forced to negotiate by force. There is
nothing better than dialogue, as long as it takes place in both directions, he said.
“We invite you to return to the bargaining table that you have left. If you do not like this Plan of Action because it
is the fruit of your political opponents, then come back to the resolution, return to international organizations, do
not impose sanctions,” he said, adding that sanctions and extremism are two sides of the same coin.
The Iranian President said the two sides could still listen. “I'm starting the dialogue right here,” he said, stressing
that the UN is not part of the US administration. “The dialogue can be resumed at the same point and by the same person
who left the negotiating table”. This requires a cessation of threats, he said.