Rouhani says regional stability impossible without Iran

Mr Rouhani, a moderate cleric who signed a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, said the United States had “resorted to many methods against Iran but failed in all”.

Speaking after moderate President Hassan Rouhani’s re-election, an Iranian trade minister said the country needs major investments for offshore oil and gas.

Rouhani was responding to a question on Monday from The Associated Press at a news conference in Tehran.

In a jibe at the billion-dollar deals signed between Trump and the Saudi government, he said: “You can’t solve terrorism just by giving your people’s money to a superpower”.

The Iranian people have voted in favor of the current President Hassan Rouhani in the country’s presidential elections.

French carmakers PSA PEUP.PA and Renault RENA.PA are taking advantage of their lack of USA operations by piling into a resurgent Iranian market that is still off-limits to rivals fearful that Trump’s administration will impose sanctions.

“I do not think the American people are ready to trade the lives they lost in September 11 with billions of dollars gained through weapons sales”, Rouhani said. His supporters look to Rouhani – instrumental in pushing the US-Iran nuclear deal, ending sanctions and allowing foreign investment – to further Iran’s engagement with the world and prevent global isolation.

“The problem is that the Americans do not know our region and those who advise U.S. officials are misleading them”.

President Zuma said South Africa looks forward to working with Iran under President Rouhani to consolidate relations and implement existing agreements. “I hope it can settle so that we can have a better judgement about those in Washington”, Mr Rouhani said.

Spokesman for Iran, Bahran Qassemi, charged that, far from encouraging an atmosphere of unity in the region, Trump’s rhetoric is, in fact, “reinvigorating terrorists in the region by its hostile policies”. The Elders noted the recent meeting between the US President and Sunni leaders gathered in Saudi Arabia and urged the US to broaden its outreach to all regional parties.

The White House said the deal would support the long-term security of the Gulf region in the face of Iranian threats. Despite the controversy, experts such as human rights activist and Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari, believe either presidential candidate would have upheld the nuclear deal.

On Monday, Rouhani, however, said that Iran will continue to test its missiles anytime if there is a “technical need”, and it will not seek the permission of any other country to do so.