Rouhani: Oppressive US Sanctions Won’t Affect Oil Sales

Local Editor

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the “oppressive” US sanctions will only harm the Iranian people, giving assurances that the country will prevail over the restrictive measures and will continue to sell its oil.

“The Americans thought they could completely cut Iran’s oil exports, but they realized themselves in the days [ahead of the re-imposition of the sanctions] that this is neither practical nor possible,” Rouhani told a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.

His remarks were related to the waivers the US has granted to major buyers of Iranian crude after the sanctions against Tehran snapped back into place on November 5.

He further emphasized that the US sanctions will fail to affect Iran’s oil sales, saying, “We have so many ways of selling oil, and that will render their sanctions ineffective.”

The Iranians have sent the US a very clear and decisive signal that, Rouhani said, adding that: "We will sell our oil and will preserve our financial relations with the world.”

He also noted that the American pressure campaign will definitely fail as Iranian government institutions have been “firmly standing up against the US.”

America has chosen the wrong path in sanctioning Iran and has further exposed its true face to the world in doing so, he pointed out.

“Today, it is clear to everyone that these wrong and oppressive sanctions will harm the dear and noble people of Iran,” Rouhani said.

Additionally, he said, the US main objective in re-imposing the sanctions is to damage Iran’s independence, noting that the only way to counter the bans is through reliance on domestic capacities.

The punitive measures reinstated by the current US administration target 700 individuals, banks, aircraft, ships and companies tied to Iran’s energy and financial industries.

The sanctions came six months after US President Donald Trump scrapped the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], despite international objections.

The first round was re-imposed in August.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team