Rouhani: Anti-Iran Sanctions “Crime against Humanity”

Young journalists club

News ID: 4943
Publish Date: 8:17 - 31 August 2014
Iranian president on Saturday blasted as “crime against humanity” the sanctions imposed on the country, including those targeting the country's food and medicine sector, adding that Iran will “proudly” continue to bypass the illegal sanctions.
Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani reacted harshly to the new sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department on Iranian individuals and companies, and said, "Illegal sanctions violate the rights of the great Iranian nation.”
He also emphasized that Iran "should stand against such violation with full force.”

"Of course we bypass the sanctions, and we take pride in it, because we consider them illegal and some of them crime against humanity, including those targeting food and medicine (sectors),” he told reporters.

"We will definitely choose our own options against any sanctions, and will not stand by with folded arms,” the president added.

Rouhani then deplored the US decision as a "rude act” which is out of step with the spirit of the nuclear agreements reached between Iran and the sextet of world powers.

"What they (Americans) did will deepen mistrust,” said the president.

As regards the possibility of a final, comprehensive deal on Tehran’s peaceful nuclear program, Rouhani said "If the other party has no excessive demands and shows sincerity, as the Iranian side is sincere and serious, we can reach a final agreement in the remaining time.”

The Islamic Republic had previously slammed similar sanctions stating that the punitive measures are contrary to the spirit of the ongoing negotiations between Iran and the G5+1.

Iran and the sextet –Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany- clinched a landmark interim deal in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 23, 2013. The agreement took effect on January 20 and expired six months later on July 20.

In July, the two sides agreed on the extension of their discussions until November 24 in an effort to achieve a permanent nuclear deal to settle a decade-long standoff on Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program.

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