Nikki Haley: Nothing will change until Iran reformes itself

The US representative to the United Nations said in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday evening that until the Islamic Republic government corrects its behavior and policies, nothing will change and the situation in Iran will not improve.

Nikki Haley, responding to the host of the "Special Report" program about the White House's approach towards Tehran, said, "Iran has an absolutely subversive role in Syria, we've seen it try to threaten Israel, and it's been waging proxy wars throughout the Middle East."

He added, "These are the reasons we pulled out of the Iran deal; because it gave Iran the financial clout to continue its bad activities, and now we have cut off these financial sources. In August, the first round of sanctions returned, and on November 5, the second round begins."

US President Donald Trump, who had been opposed to the 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran from the beginning, withdrew from it on May 8, arguing that Tehran was violating the spirit of the deal by continuing its missile program and malign actions in the Middle East.

In his televised interview today, the US ambassador to the United Nations stated that Tehran has already felt the pain of the sanctions, and that from November 5th and the return of oil and banking sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Republic will truly feel the pressure of the sanctions.

These sanctions were lifted after the implementation of the comprehensive nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, in January 2016.

Nikki Haley noted that ultimately, until Iran reformes itself, nothing will change and the situation in Iran will not improve.

Focus on the Iranian people

The US representative to the UN, in response to the question that if too much pressure is put on Iran, it may become a helpless and unstable country, like some countries in the region, and this will be another problem for the United States, said, "Our focus right now is on the Iranian people."

He added, "The Iranian people have demonstrated, they have shouted their demands and they have said they want a better life. We are clearly focused on the Iranian regime, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and they must make a decision. Ultimately, we cannot allow them to have any nuclear program."

President Trump's administration has repeatedly stated that Washington is not seeking regime change in Tehran and that its goal is to change the behavior of the Iranian government. After the White House announced its withdrawal from the JCPOA, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced 12 conditions for reaching a new agreement with Tehran.

Nikki Haley had previously announced on September 4 that the United States plans to hold a special meeting of the Security Council on Iran, chaired by President Trump, at the same time as the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, which is scheduled to be held in New York in late September.

Don't try America.

In response to another question about the Syrian civil war and the operations of Bashar al-Assad's forces and his supporters, namely Russia and Iran, against the positions of Assad's opponents in Idlib and the possibility of a chemical attack, the US ambassador to the UN warned Damascus, Moscow and Tehran not to test the United States.

Syrian government forces, backed by Russian air support and allied forces from Iran, are on the verge of launching a massive military operation in Idlib province to liberate the region, considered the last major opposition stronghold in Syria, from rebel control.

President Trump warned Russia and Iran last week about the impending attack, saying that Bashar al-Assad should not attack Idlib and that the Russians and Iranians would be making a huge humanitarian mistake if they participated in this human tragedy, as hundreds of thousands of people could be killed.

Iran and Russia have supported the government of Bashar al-Assad throughout the seven-and-a-half-year-old Syrian civil war, which has claimed more than 400,000 lives and displaced millions. The United States and its regional and international allies have supported Assad's opponents.

Source: Voice of America