TEHRAN – In an indirect reference to U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani said return to the negotiating table is not blocked if the U.S. abides by its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal.

The remarks by Rouhani came two days after Trump told reporters in a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo that the United States is not seeking “regime change” in Iran.

Rouhani also echoed remarks by his foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who said late on Monday that it is “actions” and “not words” which will show Trump’s intent. 
 
“We pay attention to actions and not words. The path is not blocked if they stop practicing wrong deeds against the Iranian people and imposing sanctions and instead abide by their commitments and return to the negotiating table that they themselves left,” Rouhani said during a cabinet meeting.

He added, “If you choose another way in practice and abandon cruel deeds in your decisions, the Iranian people will open the way for you.”

Elsewhere, he invited the people to take part in Quds Day rallies, which will be held on Friday.

“The Iranian people will voice support for oppressed ones in history through participating in the Quds Day rallies and will announce that they will stand against oppressors until victory is achieved,” Rouhani stated.

He noted, “The Iranian nation has always helped other nations, and we have helped the oppressed in Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen.”

Rouhani also said, “The oppressed people of Yemen and Palestine are resistant and not afraid of aggressors. They will force enemies to retreat with their resistance and power.”

“There was a time when the Palestinians used to defend themselves only with rocks and stones, but today, they have worked hard and developed a tool to give crushing responses to Israelis,” he added in an open reference to the Palestinians who now launch rockets at Israel in reaction to the occupation of their land.

International Quds Day was initiated by the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 to express solidarity with Palestinians and oppose the Zionist regime.

Rallies are held each year in various cities around the world by both Muslims and non-Muslim communities. Many Jewish people also attend the rallies in order to draw a line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.

NA/PA