TEHRAN – Ali Akbar Salehi, director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, says his country is facing a difficult period in the current calendar year but the Iranian nation will overcome the problems, ISNA reported.

“If we move behind the Leader, we will definitely win,” Salehi said on Thursday, addressing a meeting on Iran’s nuclear achievements.

He also pointed to disagreements between Iran and the West, saying Iran’s disagreement with the West is beyond the nuclear program.

The difference is an intellectual one, because they oppose the Islamic Revolution, he said.

The West would raise issues about Iran’s missile program, democracy and human rights if the nuclear issue gets resolved, he added.

Recently, the Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure on Iran. On April 8, it designated the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as terrorist; also on April 22, it ended sanctions waivers on Iran’s oil exports, threatening to punish any country that buys oil from Iran after May 2.
 
MH/PA