TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that the U.S. has launched “war on hope” by tightening sanctions measures against Iran.

“They seek to break our hope but we should break their hope,” he said during a speech marking Teacher’s Day.

Rouhani added, “They (the Americans) seek to take our hope and we should fight this weapon of America. I am hopeful about the future of the system, the country and the youth.”

U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018 and ordered reimposition of sanctions against Iran. The first round of sanctions went into force on August 6 and the second round, which targets Iran’s oil exports and banks, were snapped back on November 4.

Also, on April 22 the U.S. announced that Washington has decided not to extend waivers allowing major importers to continue buying oil from Iran at a reduced rate. Waivers ended on May 2.

Rouhani said that the U.S. administration reneges on its promises and violates international law.

“The U.S. final objective is to prevent Iran from being great, independent and influential in the world. The U.S. cannot bear such Iran. They seek an Iran which is like 40 years ago. They seek to help Iran on the condition of its submission,” Rouhani notes.
“The U.S. final objective is to prevent Iran from being great, independent and influential in the world. The U.S. cannot bear such Iran. They seek an Iran which is like 40 years ago. They seek to help Iran on the condition of its submission,” he explained.

Rouhani also said that the U.S. seeks to weaken the Iranian currency in order to influence the prices of consumer goods in the country.

“We have to increase our hard currency income and cut our currency expenditures,” he noted.

After Tehran and world powers started implementing the 2015 nuclear deal in 2016, Iran started selling 2.3 million barrels of oil per day.

Speaking at a gathering of workers in Tehran on April 30, Rouhani said Iran should continue to export oil despite U.S. sanctions.

Via sanction, he said, the U.S. administration intends to reduce Iran’s exchange revenues.

“The Americans will see for themselves in the coming months that our oil exports will continue. America may shut one door to us, but there is not just one way to doing this business. There are other ways which America does not know about,” Rouhani remarked.

NA/PA