Sanctions against Iran are illegal and are undermining international law, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told journalists on Wednesday.

“When it comes to sanctions, have they been successful so far? Sanctions first and foremost are illegal,” he told journalists on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “And a Congress which claims to be making laws should not contravene international laws.”

President Hassan Rouhani

“These sanctions translate into the weakening of the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons), the weakening of international laws and regulations. No other country can decide for another country.”

Rouhani’s comments follow the announcement of a bipartisan proposal in the U.S. Congress calling for new U.S. sanctions, with implementation delayed to allow negotiations to continue. A senior U.S. Senate aide told CNN this month that an informal count for the move had surpassed 75 votes — more than enough for the Senate to override the presidential veto that Barack Obama has pledged would follow any such measure.

“We are not afraid of threats,” Rouhani said. “And the language of threats is ineffective when it comes to Iran. The language they need to choose should be a legal one, a respectful tone of voice when addressing the Iranian people. … It benefits our region and the interests of other countries.”

Still, Rouhani said there is “full readiness” on the part of Iran “to take the final step” on the nuclear issue.

Rouhani insisted that Iran still had a right to peaceful nuclear technology, including enrichment, which he described as “part and parcel of the inalienable rights of states.”

“It is a part of our national pride, and nuclear technology has become indigenous,” he said. “And recently, we have managed to secure very considerable prowess with regards to the fabrication of centrifuges,” he added, explaining that “not under any circumstances” would Iran destroy any of its existing centrifuges.

Comments

comments