Iran has defeated the United States politically in the international arena and this unprecedented achievement should be considered a source of optimism, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday.
"From the perspective of foreign policy, Iran has definitely been the winner and the United States has been the loser. I don't think anyone doubts that," Rouhani said in a speech at Tehran University to mark the beginning of the academic year, his official website reported.
He said Iran's decision to continue to honor its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal after the US exit gave Tehran a political and legal advantage and proved to the world that it is Washington who should be blamed for reneging on an international agreement.
The government's response to the US illegal move has also won the support of world public opinion, the president added, stressing that America's increasing isolation over anti-Iran sanctions bodes well for the country.
Washington reintroduced restrictions on Iran's currency trade, metals and auto sectors in August, and its curbs on the oil exports of the third largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries are set to come into force next month.
> Effective Foreign Policy
The success of Iran's foreign policy was clearly evident in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council meeting that US President Donald Trump chaired last month, Rouhani said, referring to the fact that Trump's remarks against Tehran drew criticism from several major powers, including America's closest allies.
Iran also made a great achievement in The Hague court, he stated, adding that it was made possible with the help of the country's highly qualified lawyers and diplomats.
The International Court of Justice recently ruled that the United States must lift sanctions against Tehran, which targeted civil aviation and humanitarian goods like food and medicine.
> Regime Change on US Agenda
The president said the current US administration, which is the most hostile that the Islamic Republic has faced in its four decades, is seeking regime change in Iran.
"They began their work with psychological warfare and [winning] the economic warfare is their next goal. Their third objective is to challenge the efficiency of the establishment, and their final aim is to reduce the legitimacy of the system" in order to bring about regime change, he said.
The Trump administration insists that its aim is not to overthrow the Iranian government, but to pressure it to radically alter its regional and military policies and actions.
Rouhani acknowledged the problems facing ordinary Iranians, but sought to play down the impact of upcoming US sanctions targeting the country's vital oil and gas sectors.
"There are economic problems, but we can find the best solutions," he said, adding that the Nov. 4 sanctions "will have no effect" because "the US has already done whatever it wanted to do".
He called on students and academics to help address the prevailing challenges and vowed that the nation will get through these difficult times by forging "unity".
