Rouhani: US ‘Maximum Pressure’ Policy Failed, We’ll Never Negotiate from Position of Weakness

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stressed that the US policy for exerting 'maximum pressure' on Iran has already failed and all economic indexes show that the country has weathered the worst phase of that policy.

Rouhani made the remarks in a press conference in Tehran on Sunday, saying, “All [economic] indexes show that we have weathered [the worst phase of] the US maximum pressure [policy]. Americans have reached the conclusion that the path they have chosen [for dealing with Iran] has been based on a wrong strategy.”

“What they thought that they could use maximum pressure to make us sit at the negotiating table from a position of weakness is not possible [to take place] and we have talked to the world with power and dignity, but we will never negotiate from a position of weakness,” Rouhani emphasized.

He continued by saying that although US sanctions have caused some problems for the Iranian people by affecting their ordinary lives, they will fail to bear fruit and will not benefit the country's enemies.

Rouhani added that the United States started to exert maximum pressure on Iran more than 20 months ago but Tehran has managed to better the conditions over the past six months.

"Therefore, sanctions and maximum pressure have failed. We are faced with better circumstances in the region in comparison with two years ago and we have unity in the country," he stressed.