Rouhani: U.S. wants regime change in Iran
16 October, 2018
The United States is seeking “regime change” in Iran, President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday, adding that the current U.S. administration is the most hostile that the Islamic Republic has faced in its four decades.
Tensions have increased between Iran and America after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from a multilateral agreement on Iran’s nuclear program in May, saying it was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran’s ballistic missiles program or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq.
“In the past 40 years there has not been a more spiteful team than the current U.S. government team toward Iran, Iranians and the Islamic Republic,” Rouhani said in a speech broadcast on state TV.
“There was a time when there was one person who had enmity. The rest were moderate. Now ... the worst have gathered around each other,” he added in a speech marking the beginning of the academic year at Tehran University.
In Washington, a U.S. State Department spokesman repeated its position that it wants a change in Iran’s behavior, but “the United States is not seeking regime change.”
He said Trump has voiced a willingness to enter into talks with Iran and wants a deal that also covers its missile program, support for terrorism and “malign regional behavior.”
“Our hope is that ultimately the regime will make meaningful changes in its behavior,” he added.
Rouhani accused the Americans of using psychological and economic warfare and questioning the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic.
“Reducing the legitimacy of the system is their final goal. When they say getting rid of, regime change in their own words, how does regime change happen? Through reducing legitimacy, otherwise a regime doesn’t change,”
He used the English phrase “regime change” to emphasize his point.
Washington reintroduced steps against Iran’s currency trade, metals and auto sectors in August.