Bahrain Mirror: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani denounced on Friday (October 13, 2017) what he described as "baseless accusations" in response to his US counterpart Donald Trump's speech and the United States' aggressive new strategy towards Iran, saying Trump's decision to not certify the landmark nuclear deal signed in 2015 would isolate the US as other signatories of the accord remained committed to it.

"Today, the United States is more than ever isolated in its opposition to the nuclear deal and in its plots against the Iranian people," said Rouhani said, in a televised speech.

In his speech, Trump accused Iran of destabilising activities in the region and called for tougher sanctions against its elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), threatening to "decertify" the deal.

"He has not studied international law. Can a president annul a multilateral international treaty on his own?" stressed Rouhani.

"Apparently, he doesn't know that this agreement is not a bilateral agreement solely between Iran and the United States."

Rouhani further stated that "what was heard today was nothing but the repetition of baseless accusations and swear words that they have repeated for years," in response to Trump's accusation that Iran is a dictatorship, noting that the nuclear deal "is not renegotiable."

Despite Trump's aggressive rhetoric, Rouhani said Iran remained committed to the nuclear agreement for the time being. "We respect the JCPOA ... so long as it remains in keeping with our national rights and interests," he said, using its technical name, adding that Iran's ballistic missile programme will expand despite pressure from the US.

Arabic Version