Trump administration most ‘spiteful’ to Iran in 40 years, says President Rouhani
The Trump administration’s approach to Iran is the most “spiteful” of any US government in 40 years, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has claimed.
Insisting the US wanted regime change in Iran despite Washington’s repeated denials, he said America was using psychological and economic warfare to try and destroy the Islamic Republic.
“In the past 40 years there has not been a more spiteful team than the current US government team towards Iran, Iranians and the Islamic Republic,” Mr Rouhani said in a speech broadcast on state television.
According to Reuters, Mr Rouhani, delivering a speech to mark the start of the academic year at Tehran University, added: “There was a time when there was one person who had enmity. The rest were moderate. Now…the worst have gathered around each other.”
The US this spring started reimposing sanctions on Iran that were frozen in 2015, after Mr Trump’s announcement he was withdrawing from the eight-party Iran nuclear deal, agreed by Barack Obama
It started by reintroducing steps against Iran’s currency trade, metals and auto sectors in August. Sanctions against Iran’s crucial oil industry are due to come into force next month.
The US has been threatening financial sanctions against other countries that try and continue to trade with Iran. This summer, the US also stepped up its propaganda war, by highlighting issues such as the limits to women’s rights in the country, while remaining silent about the situation in nations such as Saudi Arabia, which is considered an ally.
Part of the campaign involved a series of speeches and online communications meant to foment unrest and help pressure Iran to end its nuclear programme and its support of militant groups.
Before joining the administration as Mr Trump’s national security advisor, John Bolton openly campaigned for a change of government in Iran. He and the US government insist “regime change” is not Washington’s official policy, but that it wants the Iranian government to alter its behaviour.
Speaking to reporters last month, Mr Bolton said there would be “hell to pay” if Iran harmed the US, its allies or its own citizens.
“As I have said repeatedly, regime change in Iran is not the administration’s policy. We’ve imposed very stringent sanctions on Iran, more are coming, and what we expect from Iran is massive changes in their behaviour.”
He added: “And until that happens we will continue to exert what the president has called maximum pressure.”
On Sunday, Mr Rouhani said the US government was trying to undermine Iran’s legitimacy.
“Reducing the legitimacy of the system is their final goal. When they say getting rid of, regime change in their own words, how does regime change happen,” he said. “Through reducing legitimacy, otherwise a regime doesn’t change.”
