Rouhani: US sanctions will not isolate Iran from the world

Rouhani: US sanctions will not isolate Iran from the world
Iranian President has asserted that US sanctions will not stop Iran from interacting with the rest of the world.
2 min read
14 July, 2018
Rouhani has urged Iran will continue to interact with the world [Getty]

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says his country will continue its economic relations with the rest of the world despite more sanctions by the United States.

Speaking after a meeting with government leaders, Rouhani said Saturday: "We are very hopeful that the trend of economic engagement with the world will continue as before."

State TV broadcast his remarks live.

Rouhani says the US has become more isolated since imposing sanctions on Iran and says the sanctions target ordinary Iranians.

He added his administration will provide the essential needs of Iranians.

This comes after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged European powers to get behind American measures to cut Iran off from world energy markets on Thursday, during talks in Brussels.

Pompeo peeled off from President Donald Trump's NATO summit entourage and joined US Energy Secretary Rick Perry and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini at the EU-US energy council.

"Iran continues to send weapons across the Middle East, in blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions," Pompeo wrote on Twitter, though he made no statement going into the talks.

"Iran's regime wants to start trouble wherever it can. It's our responsibility to stop it."

Iran is in an economic crisis fuelled by Washington’s May 8 decision to pull out of the 2015 nuclear deal and restore sanctions. International firms have mostly left Iran and the US has demanded allies stop buying Iranian oil.