‘Our Response Is Negative’

:Rouhani on Negotiation Amid ‘Merciless Economic Terrorism’

UNITED NATIONS -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday ruled out negotiations with the United States so long as sanctions are in place and said he was not interested in a "memento photo" with President Donald Trump.

"I would like to announce that our response to any negotiation under sanctions is negative," Rouhani said in an address to the UN General Assembly.

As European leaders sought to arrange a tension-reducing encounter between the Iranian and U.S. presidents, Rouhani dismissed what he saw a photo-op for the media-hungry Trump.

"Memento photos are the final stage of negotiations, not the first one," he said.

He doubted the sincerity of the United States to negotiate, pointing to Trump administration officials boasts of damage inflicted by sanctions on Iran.

"We cannot believe the invitation to negotiations by people who claim to have applied the harshest sanctions in history against the dignity and prosperity of our nation," he said.

"How can someone believe them when the silent killing of a great nation, and pressure on the lives of 83 million Iranians, especially women and children, are welcomed by American government officials?

"The Iranian nation will never, ever forget and forgive these crimes and these criminals," he said. 

Trump wants an agreement that goes beyond the 2015 nuclear deal and would further curb Iran’s atomic program, restrict its ballistic missile work and end its support for resistance movements in the Middle East.

Rouhani said, "If you wish more, if you require more, you should give and pay more.”

 The Iranian president said the United States is involved in "merciless economic terrorism", using his UN speech to stress that security in the Persian Gulf can be guaranteed only when his nation's security is as well — and only with the involvement of Iran's neighbors.

He said Iran has "resisted the most merciless economic terrorism" from a nation that is engaging in "international piracy."

He spoke as his country's nuclear deal with world powers unravels under pressure from the Trump administration. Iran has turned back to expanding its nuclear enrichment program after Trump's decision last year to pull out of the accord and reimpose sanctions on Tehran, targeting its ability to export oil.

Rouhani's remarks at the UN came a day after Trump described Iran as "one of the greatest threats" to the planet.

The United States has sent military reinforcements the Middle East in past months, further escalating tensions.

"Our region is on the edge of collapse, as a single blunder can fuel a big fire," Rouhani said. The region will become secure when U.S. troops withdraw, he added.

"We shall not tolerate the provocative intervention of foreigners. We shall respond decisively and strongly to any sort of transgression to and violation of our security and territorial integrity.”

Rouhani spent much time appealing to Iran's neighbors, saying that their destinies are intertwined and they should consider each other rather than pinning their hopes on the involvement of the United States.

"Security shall not be supplied with American weapons and intervention," he said. "Security cannot be purchased or supplied by foreign governments.

As he ended his General Assembly speech, Rouhani said, "This is the message of the Iranian nation: Let's invest on hope toward a better future rather than on war and violence," he said.

"Let's return to justice, to peace, to law, commitment and promise and finally to the negotiating table."