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Friday March 29, 2024

White House ‘responsible’ for all crimes against Iranians: Rouhani

By AFP
September 27, 2020

TEHRAN: Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani lashed out at the US administration on Saturday over the imposition of inhumane sanctions and the so-called maximum pressure on the country, saying the White House is responsible for all the hostile measures and crimes against the Iranian nation.

“They prevented the purchase of medicines and food by imposing unjust, illegal, and inhuman sanctions,” Rouhani said in a televised address.

In May 2018, US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark deal that gave Iran relief from sanctions in return for UN-verified guarantees that it is not seeking nuclear weapons.

The Americans stopped the entry of medicine and food to our country through illegal and inhumane sanctions as well as terrorist operations. We have never seen people with such level of barbarism at the White House. They committed the worst atrocities, Rouhani said. The Iranian president also censured the US administration in Washington for blocking Tehran’s efforts to receive a $5b loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April to fight against the coronavirus. Since breaking from the accord, the US has slapped a string of sanctions on Iran that have crippled its economy.

While humanitarian supplies such as medicine are theoretically exempt from US sanctions, many companies fear breaking the rules and have avoided transactions with Tehran. “The correct address for all crimes and pressure against the dear Iranian people is Washington DC, the White House,” Rouhani added.

He saved particular criticism for US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Rouhani called him “a gentleman who presents himself as the Minister of Foreign Affairs but who is (in reality) the Minister of Crimes.”

Washington’s partners at the UN Security Council have refused to reimpose sanctions and say the US actions are legally unfounded since it left the deal. In a letter dated September 23 and made public Saturday by the UN, US Ambassador Kelly Craft called on the secretariat to “take the steps necessary to re-establish the Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1737 (2006) and its Panel of Experts” to monitor compliance with international sanctions.

Tehran and Washington, long-time enemies, have not maintained diplomatic relations for more than four decades.Stressing that the Iranian people should direct their anger at the White House, the president said, “I have no doubt that the US government will one day surrender and kneel before the Iranians and that the Iranian nation will be victorious.”