Trump: Sanctions will not be lifted until Iran's behavior changes
The US President said that until the Islamic Republic changes its behavior, sanctions will not only not be lifted, but will also be intensified.
US President Donald Trump said: "The authoritarian regime of the Islamic Republic is one of the greatest security threats to countries in the world."
In his speech at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, he said, “Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. They are fueling the wars in Syria and Yemen while simultaneously plundering Iran’s wealth to acquire nuclear weapons.”
He said, "But America will never allow this regime to have access to nuclear weapons, and that's exactly why he pulled America out of a bad deal."
"After withdrawing from the nuclear deal, we imposed severe economic sanctions on Iran. Iran responded violently, and we imposed the most severe sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran in response to the attack on Saudi oil facilities," he said.
Trump had previously told reporters, emphasizing that he would talk about Iran in his speech, saying, "There's a lot going on with Iran, a lot more than you know."
The US President's speech comes hours after the publication of a joint statement by three European countries, Germany, Britain, and France, in which the Islamic Republic of Iran is explicitly held responsible for the attack on Saudi oil facilities.
The United States welcomed the publication of this statement.
Hassan Rouhani, who is in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, criticized the statement and once again denied the Islamic Republic's involvement in the attack. He met with French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday.
Despite some speculation, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif ruled out the possibility of any meeting between Hassan Rouhani and Donald Trump hours ago. The leaders of the Islamic Republic have considered the lifting of all sanctions and the return of the US to the JCPOA as a condition for any meeting and negotiations.
However, in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump said, "As long as Iran's behavior continues, sanctions will not only not be lifted, but will be increased."
The US President said: "The Iranian regime has achieved nothing but death and destruction."
He said, "The leaders of the Islamic Republic are pursuing their own tyrannies and interests, but it is time for them to stop threatening others and instead give priority to the Iranian people."
Trump added: "America is ready to be friends with all countries that sincerely seek peace and friendship. America never believes in eternal enemies. We seek partners, not competitors."
"But the leaders of the Islamic Republic are chanting 'Death to America' and calling for the destruction of Israel," he said. "America will never tolerate such anti-Semitic sentiments. Fortunately, everyone in the Middle East has also realized that they have a common interest in combating extremism."
At the beginning of his speech, Donald Trump pointed to his administration's economic achievements over the past three years, while also saying that his country has the strongest military in the world, but he hopes to never be forced to use it.
He also defended his views and the slogan "America First" and said, "Globalism and cosmopolitanism have no future. The future belongs to patriots. That is why we in America have launched a plan for the total reconstruction of the country."
Source: DW
