TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho on Wednesday that the U.S. is an “unreliable” country and cannot be trusted.

“The U.S. government’s performance during the past years has been in a way that the world has realized that the U.S. as an unreliable country that does not abide its commitments,” Rouhani stated.

Rouhani said in the current situation, the friendly countries should stand beside each other and expand relations.

“Tehran is determined to expand comprehensive international relations and cooperation (with the world) especially Pyongyang,” the Iranian president remarked.

For his part, Ri said North Korea’s strategic policy is to expand relations with Iran and counter unilateralism.

Ri also gave Rouhani a report about the meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore on June 11.

He described the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposition of sanctions against Iran as a wrong action which runs contrary to international regulations.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Washington’s exit from the nuclear deal on May 8 and ordered restoration of sanctions against Iran.

The first batch of sanctions was snapped back on Monday, August 6.  The second batch will be restored on November 4.

The North Korean chief diplomat was in Tehran on a two-day visit.

He met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday.

NA/PA