Small Wars Journal

Iran’s Rouhani Says No Talks With U.S. While ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign Is On

Mon, 02/17/2020 - 12:06am

Iran’s Rouhani Says No Talks With U.S. While ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign Is On by Aresu Eqbali and Sune Engel Rasmussen - Wall Street Journal

Iran will refuse to negotiate with the U.S. as long as Washington maintains its campaign of “maximum pressure”—even if President Trump is re-elected, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday.

Mr. Rouhani’s defiant remarks solidify Iran’s hard line in a face-off with the Trump administration that only weeks ago brought Washington and Tehran to the brink of war.

“It makes no difference who will be the next [American] administration,” Mr. Rouhani said, speaking at a news conference in the Iranian capital. “Iran will never negotiate under pressure.”

He demanded that the U.S. return to the 2015 nuclear deal, which President Trump quit in 2018, citing Iran’s military activity in the Middle East…

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