Iranian President Hassan Rouhani claimed on Tuesday that America, not Iran, is the key supporter of Middle East terrorism.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Rouhani, in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, claimed President Donald Trump has been misguided in his criticisms of Iran.

"I am amazed at the interpretations of Mr. Trump, vis-a-vis terrorism," said the Iranian President.

"Today, America, unfortunately, is the supporter of terrorism in our region -- and wherever America has gone, terrorism has expanded in the wake," he claimed.

As proof of his remarks, Rouhani pointed to US military involvement in Syria without the permission of President Bashar Al-Assad.

"The country that is present and flying over the air space of and bombarding the soil of the country of Syria without permission of the government is the United States of America," said Rouhani.

The interview with Rouhani took place after Trump’s speech at the UN General Assembly, in which he accused the Iranian government of a "fanatical quest" for nuclear weapons.

"The regime's record of death and destruction is well-known to us all," the president said. "Not only is Iran the number one state sponsor of terrorism, but Iran's leaders are fueling the tragic wars in both Syria and Yemen.”

"At the same time, the regime is squandering the nation's wealth and future in a fanatical quest for nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them. we must never allow this to happen,” he added.

The interview also comes amid attempts to organize a face-to-face meeting between Trump and Rouhani.

Trump last week said he would prefer not to meet with Rouhani. The Iranian President himself made clear that he will not meet Trump unless all sanctions against Tehran are unilaterally lifted by the US.

Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated since US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal last May. He later imposed two rounds of sanctions on Iran, the latest of which went into effect in November of 2018.

Iran, in turn, has scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal.