Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday threatened the United States and the United Kingdom with reciprocal action, saying “peace for peace, war for war and oil for oil”.
In a speech he delivered at Iran’s foreign ministry, where he praised the foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who has been sanctioned by the U.S., Rouhani also declared, “Peace with Iran is the mother of all peace and war with Iran is the mother of all wars”.
He added, “We are for negotiations. If America is really ready for talks it should dismantle all its sanctions and refrain from criminal actions and economic terrorism. The path for America is real repentance.”
President Donald Trump’s administration has both notched up the pressure on Iran in recent months and it has also repeatedly offered unconditional talks.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has banned any new negotiations with the U.S., saying that Washington is unreliable to deliver on its commitments.