Iran will never talk to US under pressure or from ‘position of weakness’ – President Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ruled out any likelihood of talks with the US unless Washington lifts its ‘maximum pressure’ policy, adding that peace in the Middle East and the Gulf is unimaginable without Tehran’s help.

Tehran “will never negotiate under pressure,” Rouhani reiterated in an address quoted by local media. Iran “will never yield to America’s pressure” and will not negotiate “from a position of weakness.”

The Iranian people withstood the US sanctions – re-instated in 2018 by the Trump administration following the withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord – “despite all the hardships of our nation,” he said.

Although the situation is tougher than last year… all the indicators show that we have overcome the issue of maximum American pressure. Surely Americans have concluded that the path they have chosen is incorrect and will not affect [the] Iranian people.

The ‘maximum pressure’ policy involved freezing Iranian assets abroad, paralyzing its banking sector, and bringing its oil trade to zero.

According to Rouhani, Iran will carry on resisting “with the same strength and power next year,” which will eventually see “the enemy” returning to the negotiating table.

Peace and stability in the “sensitive region of Middle East” would be impossible without Iran’s help, he also said.

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