May 08, 2018•Update: May 09, 2018
ANKARA
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday said his country may face “problems”, but he promised that these problems would last for only two or three months.
Rouhani's remarks come on the sidelines of the 23rd Iran International Oil, Gas, Refining and Petrochemical Exhibition (from May 6 to 9) in Tehran.
“Whether we are under sanctions or not, we should stand on our feet. This is very important to develop our country,” Rouhani said.
“The basis of our foreign policy is building constructive relations with the world,” he said.
Trump said Monday that he would announce his decision on whether on not to remain a party to the deal with Iran on Tuesday afternoon.
Trump's confirmation comes just hours after he criticized former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for working behind the scenes with foreign officials to preserve the nuclear agreement.
The nuclear agreement placed unprecedented restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions.
But it has been put in jeopardy by Trump who has until May 12 to decide whether he will continue to extend sanctions relief on Iran.
All of the U.S.'s negotiating partners -- the U.K., France, Germany, Russia, China and the EU -- agree that maintaining the accord is the best way to reign in Iran's program.
Top European officials have been counseling Trump against leaving the deal while also suggesting the possibility of some kind of "side deal" on Iran's ballistic missile program and regional activities.
Reporting by Ahmet Dursun:Writing by Mahmoud Barakat
