Iran on Friday branded US officials as “economic terrorists” saying threats to impose tougher sanctions on the country will not force it to succumb to pressure.
“Over the past 40 years Iranians have not paid heed to the so-called harsh and crippling sanctions imposed by various US administrations and have never yielded and will never yield to bullying as they are armed with prudence and determination and rely on their own capabilities and wisdom,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said in a statement, in reference to the period since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, ISNA reported.
He made the comments after US President Donald Trump said “we’re putting sanctions on Iran, the likes of which nobody has ever seen before, including, frankly, North Korea.”
During a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Washington on Thursday, Trump claimed that his decision to abandon the 2015 Iran nuclear deal had already curbed Tehran’s activities in the region, but cited no evidence to support his contention.
Trump expressed hope that a new deal could be struck between Iran and the United States. “I hope at some point they’ll come to us and we’ll sit down, and we’ll make a deal that’s good for them, and good for us, and good for everybody,” the New York Times quoted him as saying.
Language of Respect
Qasemi said the Americans should deal with Iran respectfully. “Unless the US speaks with Iran…in the language of respect instead of threats and sanctions, there will be no prospect for negotiations with the US regime in any area.”
He went on to say that the “US administration is an ‘economic terrorist’ that is busy threatening other independent governments, nations and companies in the world with sanctions.
It is too weak to be able to undermine the resolve of the Iranian nation, which is determined to safeguard its independence and fight terrorism and is committed to promoting stability, security and economic development in the region.” The Foreign Ministry official also called on the US president to rethink his own policies of sanctions, threats, pressure and unilateralism toward other peoples and nations instead of expecting a new deal with Iran.
Flouting Int’l Norms
Qasemi said Trump’s decision to pull out of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers is only one example of Washington’s disregard for its international commitments and has brought disgrace to the country.
The “uncivilized” American approach has cast a shadow over the future of its cooperation with the rest of the world, he said. Trump abandoned the Iran agreement on May 8 and ordered sanctions reimposed on the country, arguing that he wanted a bigger deal that not only limited Tehran’s nuclear program but also reined in its regional activities.
The leaders of other signatories to the deal—Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China— have expressed dismay at the US move and are doing all they can to salvage the international accord.
