Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, stated on Wednesday, November 14, that the path the U.S. has taken in sanctioning Iran is "wrong," and referring to the U.S. efforts to cut Iran's oil exports, he said they "realized in the last days that this is not practical and feasible." The U.S. began the second round of sanctions against Tehran on November 4, targeting mainly Iran's oil industry and banking network. Washington claims the goal of these sanctions is to change Tehran's behavior, accept stricter nuclear limitations, halt its missile program, and stop supporting the Islamic Republic's allies in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen. However, Rouhani described the White House's decision as "incorrect." He stated, "If they are truthful and seeking regional security, this is not the way, and if they respect the Iranian nation and history, this is not the way. They have chosen the wrong path and are further disgracing themselves in the world." The Iranian president emphasized that U.S. sanctions are "detrimental to the Iranian people" and have led people to have a "more accurate judgment" about the U.S., realizing that "Americans do not respect international laws and regulations and trample them." A day before these remarks, John Bolton, the U.S. National Security Advisor, had said that the U.S. would increase pressure on the Islamic Republic until it is "squeezed dry." Bolton also emphasized that the goal of the U.S. is to completely stop Iran's oil exports. However, Rouhani stated that "no matter what they do, there are enough ways and paths for selling oil that their sanctions are ineffective." He remarked, "They thought they would completely cut Iran's oil exports, but they realized in the last days that this is not practical and feasible, both due to their internal issues and the oil price, it is not feasible." The U.S. has granted temporary exemptions to several countries to allow them to temporarily meet their oil needs from Iran. These countries include China, India, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Italy, Greece, and Taiwan.
Rouhani: Americans Realized That Cutting Iran's Oil Exports Is Not Feasible
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized U.S. sanctions, stating that efforts to cut Iran's oil exports are impractical. He emphasized that these sanctions harm the Iranian people and have led to a more negative perception of the U.S. among Iranians. The U.S. aims to pressure Iran into changing its regional policies and nuclear program.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized U.S. sanctions aimed at cutting Iran's oil exports, stating they are impractical. He argued that these sanctions harm the Iranian people and have not achieved their intended goals.
- The U.S. imposed a second round of sanctions on Iran on November 4, targeting its oil industry.
- The U.S. granted temporary exemptions to several countries to continue importing Iranian oil.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, leading to the re-imposition of sanctions aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program and regional influence.
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