"The US leaders should know that whenever we need a missile test because of a
technical aspect, we will test," Rouhani said in a news conference on Monday.
"We will not wait for them and their permission."
President Rouhani appreciated people's historic turnout in the election among
domestic and foreign media on Monday and described Iran's postions on regional
and international issues. "With more than 42 million turnout, our people
demonstrated an incomparable presence in Iran's history".
He added, "with the election, people told everyone, no faction, group, idea and
school of thought could be eliminated to build Iran".
In the election, people said they are a united nation whose voices must be
heard, he noted.
President Rouhani went on to say that no one has the right to drag Revolution in
its own tent; "Leader belongs to the entire Iranian nation".
Answering a question about defending people's rights, especially in the field of
nuclear negotiations, Rouhani said, "if we succeeded in the field of nuclear
negotiations, it was because the whole Iranian nation was behind the Leader,
building up a national integrity and unity, helping the administration to use
people's power in international stages".
Dr. Rouhani also answered a question about his evaluation of the latest meeting
between heads of some Arab countries and the US President Trump, in which Iran
was accused of supporting terrorism; : "the assembly in Saudi Arabia, I believe,
was a sham assembly without any political and practical vision. We have seen
such shows from Saudi Arabia before".
Stressing that the scourge of terrorism cannot be resolved by holding meetings
and giving a nation's money to a superpower, the president said it is the people
of Syria, Iraq and Lebanon who have been able to stand against terrorism and
Iranian nation, diplomats and military advisors will help them continue the path
to achieve their goals".
"No one in the region can claim that stability will be maintained in the region
without Iran? Noone can claim that full security will be established without
Iran? It was the Syrians and Iraqis who fought the terrorists and Iran,
Hezbollah and Russia were beside them. Those who are supporting terrorism cannot
claim to be fighting it," President Rouhani added.
"I don't think the people of the United States would be willing to trade the
blood they gave in 9/11 with billions of dollars of arms sale, surrendering to
terrorists in the region. The US administration has never combatted terrorism
but the US nation are against terrorists and seek its elimination".
On the administration's plans to fulfil its presidential promises, he said, "our
aim is to eliminate absolute poverty by the end of the 12th administration which
is based on expert opinions and what we presented to the Parliament."
On the possibility of direct talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the
United States of America, President Rouhani said, "within the past 39 years,
Iran and the US have travelled a twisty road with each other. Americans have
used myriad of ways against Iran which were doomed to failure, but maybe they
achieved a partial success in nuclear negotiations, which enjoyed a win-win
result, and that was to the benefit of Iranian nation, the US, 5+1 and the whole
world and if the US chooses another way, it will undoubtedly fail again".
He deplored Americans have always made mistakes with regard to our region; "when
they attached Afghanistan and Iraq, when they imposed sanctions on Iran, when
they raided Syria and Yemen, Americans do not know our region and the problem is
that those who are advising the Americans are unfortunately either rulers who
are misguiding the US, or buying people in the US. I hope that the US
administration think about the interests of the American people, regardless of
the fact that they are not thinking about the interests of other nations".
Answering a question on his plans to have good relations with Islamic countries
and countries of the region and the world, President Rouhani said, "from the
beginning of the 11th administration, we announced to the world that violence
and extremism are great dangers to the region and we all are after a world
against terrorism and extremism".
"Those who congregated in Saudi Arabia have reached the conclusion that they
must create a centre for moderation and they chanted the same motto that Iran
used in 2013. They have come to the conclusion that there is no way other than
moderation," he continued.
"We fighted against terrorism and everybody saw that we helped all nations
fighting terrorism. Iran has established peace and security in the region and we
will continue the same path with more power in the new administration, he noted.
In response to a question on the latest arms deal between the US and Saudi
Arabia, he said, "Saudi Arabia has spent several 100 million dollars for deals
before. Maybe they think they need to buy arms but we do not need to buy them,
we make arms. I believe that Saudi Arabia cannot use these weapons and they will
eventually be forced to take US military advisors to the region".
People of Saudi Arabia are Iran's friends and we hope that the Saudi government
chooses the right path, he said, adding "buying arms from others is not the
right way to gain power, but rather the base of power is national which comes
from people's turnout at the ballot boxes".
He also answered a question about the latest remarks by US Secretary of State on
Iran's missile program and abandoning supporting resistance groups, which they
call terrorist groups. "These are the dreams of enemies. The people of Iran will
neither ask nor await for permission from anybody to use their defensive
weapons. Our nation have decided to be powerful and mighty. Our weapons and
missiles are for peace and if Iran does not have weapons, if we do not build
missiles, there are some who will make mistakes again in their calculations like
they did before when they drag the region into war".
"The American authorities must know that whenever we need to test-fire missiles
for technical reasons, we certainly will do that and won't await for permission
from them," president added.
Touching upon a question on Iran's plans to develop relations with Latin
American countries, President Rouhani said, "in economic fields, we want to
cooperate with all countries based on mutual interests. The region has valuable
potentials, it enjoys great nations and ample talents and Iran will have plans
for developing ties with them".
He also talked about recent developments in Venezuela, saying: "Some people
being in favour and some against the government, is the case in all countries
but it is the people who make the ultimate decision. This is all we are saying
about Syria, Iraq and Yemen".
Our policy is interaction with the entire world for development, peace and
stability, we have no way other than interaction with other countries, he said,
if there is a problem between the US and the Islamic Republic, they are to
blame; they started animosity with our nation and Revolution."
On Iran's relations with Azerbaijan, President Rouhani said, "Azerbaijan is
considered Iran's good neighbour and we have had good relations with this
country from the beginning of its independence. We have had several meetings
with President Ilham Aliyev to promote bilateral and trilateral ties".
Iran-Azerbaijan-Russia tripartite meeting will keep on, said Rouhani adding, "in
the field of transportation, we have a very important plan in which our railway
will be connected to Azerbaijan through Astara and from there, to Russia,
Georgia and European countries".
SOURCE :Alalam