Iran tells Trump he will 'regret' pulling US out of nuclear deal
'Our response will be stronger than what they imagine and they would see that within a week,' says President Rouhani
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump will regret it if he pulls out of the nuclear deal with Iran, President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday, warning the US president that the Iranian response would be stronger than he thinks.
US sanctions that were lifted under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed in 2015 will resume unless Trump again waives them on 12 May. Trump has effectively set that as a deadline for European powers to "fix the terrible flaws" of the deal.
Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television: "The new US president - who has big claims and many ups and downs in his words and actions - has been trying for 15 months to break the JCPOA ... but the structure of the JCPOA is so strong that it has not been shaken by such quakes.
"Iran will not violate the nuclear deal, but if the United States withdraws from the deal, they will surely regret it. Our response will be stronger than what they imagine and they would see that within a week."
Iran has warned that it would ramp up its nuclear programme if the JCOPA collapses, to achieve a more advanced level than before the deal.
Rouhani was speaking as Tehran marked National Nuclear Technology Day and unveiled what it said were its latest nuclear achievements including a nuclear battery and centrifuges for the oil industry.
France, Britain and Germany are seeking to persuade their EU partners to back new sanctions on Iran, mainly on its missile programme, as a way to persuade Trump to stick with the nuclear deal that put curbs on Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.
Reuters
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments