Iran: Tehran has plans to “resist” any decision by Donald Trump on the 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, has declared, warning the US that pulling out of the accord will “entail historic regret”.
The US president has threatened to withdraw from the agreement when it comes up for renewal on 12 May, demanding his European allies “fix the terrible flaws” or he will reimpose sanctions.
“We have plans to resist any decision by Trump on the nuclear accord,” Rouhani said at a rally on Sunday in north-eastern Iran broadcast live on TV.
“Orders have been issued to our atomic energy organisation … and to the economic sector to confront America’s plots against our country.
“America is making a mistake if it leaves the nuclear accord. If America leaves the nuclear accord, this will entail historic regret for it.“
Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the nuclear accord but, in an effort to keep Washington in it, want to open talks on Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its nuclear activities beyond 2025 – when key provisions of the deal expire. Rouhani, however, sounded a defiant note.
“We will not negotiate with anyone about our weapons and defences, and we will make and store as many weapons, facilities and missiles as we need,” he said.
Rouhani added: “Trump must know that our people are united, the Zionist regime [Israel] must know that our people are united. Today all [Iran’s] political factions, whether they be from the right, the left, the conservatives, reformers and moderates are united.”