Rohani: "We are not an election card... Any US administration will eventually have to yield to Iran"

Criticism of the United States in the 75th UN General Assembly Speech

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated, "We are not a bargaining chip for the US elections and domestic policies," adding, "No matter which administration is elected in the upcoming election, it will inevitably succumb to Iran's resilience."

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani delivering a speech at the United Nations General Assembly via video conference
[Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

President Rouhani made these remarks on the 22nd (local time) during a prerecorded speech at the 75th United Nations General Assembly held via video conference. This year's UN General Assembly speech was conducted virtually due to concerns over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In his speech, President Rouhani condemned the United States for unilaterally withdrawing from the nuclear deal (JCPOA - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and imposing sanctions on Iran.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump, in his UN General Assembly speech, stated, "We withdrew from the terrible nuclear deal with Iran and imposed severe sanctions on the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism," asserting the legitimacy of the sanctions against Iran.

During former US President Barack Obama's administration in 2015, the US, Iran, Europe, and others agreed through the nuclear deal to limit Iran's nuclear development in exchange for lifting sanctions. However, in 2018, President Trump unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal and reinstated sanctions on Iran. Trump has demanded a more comprehensive agreement than that of the Obama administration, including restrictions on missile development and cessation of support for Shia militias across the Middle East.

On the other hand, Iran maintains that it cannot engage in dialogue unless the US lifts sanctions and returns to the original agreement. Iran has lifted the restrictions on its nuclear development capabilities that were imposed under the initial nuclear deal and has taken reciprocal measures.

President Rouhani also expressed gratitude toward the international community, including the UN Security Council, for opposing the US's moves to strengthen sanctions. He said, "This is a victory not only for Iran but for the entire international community," adding, "The US, dreaming of hegemony in a world undergoing transition, has brought humiliation upon itself through self-imposed isolation."

Additionally, President Rouhani criticized the United States by referring to the death of African American man George Floyd in May, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck. He said, "The footage of US police officers dealing with African Americans reminded us of our own experiences," and added, "We recognized the arrogance of an independent nation's neck being pressed down by a knee."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.