No prospect for talks with US on new deal: Iran

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Friday that US President Donald Trump is better to stop his threats, sanctions, pressure and unilateral approaches to other countries and nations across the world instead of expressing hope about reaching a deal with Iran.

Addressing a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday, Trump said the US is "putting sanctions on Iran, the likes of which nobody has ever seen before."

However, he expressed hope that "at some point they’ll come to us and we’ll sit down, and we’ll make a deal that’s good for them, and good for us, and good for everybody. And it will be great for Iran.  I expect it to be — I want it to be great for Iran… We had a great opportunity to make a phenomenal deal."

In reaction to the US president's remarks, Qassemi said the Iranian people have always proved that they "have never changed their wise judgement, deeds and behavior in dealing with any [act of] bullying and threats and will never do in the future."

So long as that the US refuses to speak with the Iranian nation with the language of respect instead of the language of threats, there would be no prospect for any talks with Washington in any field, he added.

The Iranian spokesperson emphasized that Trump's decision to withdraw from a nuclear deal Iran signed with major world powers in 2015 was a clear example of the US moves in explicit breach of international regulations.

Qassemi said the Iranian government and nation do not welcome sanctions, pressure and acts of bullying against any country in the world and condemn such "uncivilized" approaches.

However, he added, Iran once again reminds the US that Iranians have never paid any heed to the so-called crippling sanctions imposed on Tehran by different US administrations over the past 40 years as they relied on their prudence, determination and capabilities and would never yield to bullying and force.

As an "economic terrorist," the US administration is posing threats against other independent governments, nations and companies by using sanctions as a tool but it is too weak to inflict any damage on the Iranian people who are resolved to maintain their independence, fight terrorism and are committed to regional stability, security and economic development, Qassemi pointed out.

The US president announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.

Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.

Under the JCPOA, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions imposed against Tehran.

In separate letters to his counterparts in various countries, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said all members of the international community must stand up to US law-breaking behavior, bullying and disregard for the rule of law after Washington announced it was withdrawing from the JCPOA.

Zarif warned of the dangerous consequences of the US "illegal and unilateral" move to pull out from the nuclear agreement and said, "Illegal withdrawal of the US government from the JCPOA, especially bullying methods used by this government to bring other governments in line, has discredited the rule of law and international law at international level while challenging the goals and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and efficiency of international bodies."