Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday predicted that the United States “will be defeated” as it has chosen the wrong path in reimposing sanctions on his country.
“The Americans will definitely be defeated in this path. The path they have chosen is wrong and incorrect,” Rouhani said, according to Reuters. “If they are being honest and they are looking for regional security, this is not the path. If they are being honest and respect the Iranian people, this is not the path.”
He added, “They have made themselves more infamous in the world and in front of our people. It’s clear for everyone that the incorrect and cruel sanctions of America will harm the dear and honorable people of our country.”
Washington reinstated sanctions targeting Iran’s oil industry on November 5. These mark the second round of measures the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic since President Donald Trump withdrew in May from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, which he has said is “the worst deal ever negotiated”.
US National Security Adviser John Bolton has reiterated that more sanctions on Iran could be on the way.
Bolton noted last week that the two rounds of US sanctions introduced by Trump had had a "quite significant" effect on the Iranian economy and the country's actions abroad.
Rouhani’s claims on Wednesday followed his insistence last week that the new US sanctions have had no effect on Iran’s economy because Washington had already practically reimposed them earlier.
“The sanctions have had no impact on our economy because America had already used all the weapons at its disposal and there was nothing new to use against us,” he said on Saturday.
“They just issued a long list of banks, their branches ... and airlines and their planes. And this shows that they are merely trying to affect the Iranian nation psychologically,” he added.
Before the sanctions were imposed, Rouhani warned Iranians they may face more difficulties in the months ahead.