Iran’s President slams Israel, says US will regret leaving nuclear deal

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – An enraged Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday slammed Israel and warned the United States that it would “soon regret” any decision to withdraw from a nuclear deal signed with world powers.

Addressing a crowd during a rally in the northeastern city of Sabvezar, Rouhani said Tehran had prepared “plans to resist any decision by [US President Donald] Trump on the nuclear accord.”

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed between Iran, the US, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Russia, and France in 2015.

Iran signed the deal promising to halt its nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions.

President Trump has often criticized the 2015 deal and has threatened to scrap the current agreement unless new, more stringent restrictions were imposed on Iran by May 12.

“Orders have been issued to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. A few days ago, I spoke with senior officials of the organization about the programs ahead,” Rouhani said, without providing further details.

He added that Iran would “not negotiate with anyone about our weapons and defenses,” stating his country would “make and store as many weapons, facilities, and missiles” as needed.

The Iranian President claimed “the US administration, the vicious Zionist Regime, and Saudi Arabia” were determined to weaken it.

On April 30, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled exclusive details about Iran’s long-standing nuclear program.

Based on the evidence, Netanyahu emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program never really ended. It began in 1999 under the name, “Project Amad,” and it continues today.

Last week, Iran threatened to walk away from the deal if the US continued to demand a renegotiation of the pact.

In a video statement published on May 3, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif rejected his country’s interests in revising the current deal.

“Let me make it absolutely clear once and for all: We will neither outsource our security nor will we renegotiate or add on to a deal we have already implemented in good faith,” he said.

Zarif claimed Washington had “consistently violated the agreement, especially by bullying others from doing business with Iran.”