US policy ‘regressing’ to Bush era: Iran
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Tehran has responded to a speech by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo outlining America’s next moves after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal. President Hassan Rouhani and several Iranian officials say the US is pursing the same policies as former president George W. Bush.
“Today’s world will not accept that America alone decides for it. Countries have independence,” said Rouhani in a meeting with university professors and students in Tehran on Monday evening.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, echoed the claim that US leaders have "regressed to old habits."
"US diplomacy sham is merely a regression to old habits: imprisoned by delusions and failed policies—dictated by corrupt Special Interest—it repeats the same wrong choices and will thus reap the same ill rewards. Iran, meanwhile, is working with partners for post-US JCPOA solutions," Zarif tweeted on Monday.
Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a member of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign affairs committee, also said the new US secretary of state is repeating the same policy, but less aggressively.
“The US secretary of state states the wishes of his country during the Bush administration. The difference is that Bush’s tune was tougher,” said Falahatpisheh, according to Iran's ISNA News Agency.
Falahatpisheh said Iran is in a good diplomatic position, so should not feed into the latest “American aggression.”
European powers do not share the US position on the Iran nuclear deal, which is why Pompeo mentioned Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates as US allies, he said.
EU leaders are fighting to salvage the nuclear deal and protect European business interests in Iran.
Pompeo said on Monday that European firms that continue to pursue “prohibited business” with Iran will be held “to account.”
“These will indeed end up being the strongest sanctions in history when we are complete,” said Pompeo in his first major foreign policy speech since becoming secretary of state.
“We will apply unprecedented financial pressure on the Iranian regime. The leaders in Tehran will have no doubt about our seriousness,” he said.
He demanded Tehran remove its forces from theaters of war throughout the Middle East.
According to FARS News Agency, Russia’s foreign ministry said new US pressure on Iran to change its domestic and foreign policies might have the opposite effect.
“Today’s world will not accept that America alone decides for it. Countries have independence,” said Rouhani in a meeting with university professors and students in Tehran on Monday evening.
Indirectly referring to Pompeo’s speech at the Heritage Foundation in Washington earlier on Monday, Rouhani added: “Now in the US government a man has come to power who takes the country back 15 years to the Bush administration. They are repeating what they were saying in 2003 and 2004.”
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, echoed the claim that US leaders have "regressed to old habits."
"US diplomacy sham is merely a regression to old habits: imprisoned by delusions and failed policies—dictated by corrupt Special Interest—it repeats the same wrong choices and will thus reap the same ill rewards. Iran, meanwhile, is working with partners for post-US JCPOA solutions," Zarif tweeted on Monday.
Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a member of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign affairs committee, also said the new US secretary of state is repeating the same policy, but less aggressively.
“The US secretary of state states the wishes of his country during the Bush administration. The difference is that Bush’s tune was tougher,” said Falahatpisheh, according to Iran's ISNA News Agency.
Falahatpisheh said Iran is in a good diplomatic position, so should not feed into the latest “American aggression.”
European powers do not share the US position on the Iran nuclear deal, which is why Pompeo mentioned Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates as US allies, he said.
EU leaders are fighting to salvage the nuclear deal and protect European business interests in Iran.
Pompeo said on Monday that European firms that continue to pursue “prohibited business” with Iran will be held “to account.”
“These will indeed end up being the strongest sanctions in history when we are complete,” said Pompeo in his first major foreign policy speech since becoming secretary of state.
“We will apply unprecedented financial pressure on the Iranian regime. The leaders in Tehran will have no doubt about our seriousness,” he said.
He demanded Tehran remove its forces from theaters of war throughout the Middle East.
According to FARS News Agency, Russia’s foreign ministry said new US pressure on Iran to change its domestic and foreign policies might have the opposite effect.