Credit:  UN Photo /  Cia Pak / Hassan Rouhani, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fourth session at UN world headquarters New York Sep. 25, 2019. 

By  Gary Raynaldo  /   DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  –  NEW YORK –  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday warned world leaders that the Persian Gulf region is “on the edge of collapse” during his address at the general debate of the annual UN General Assembly.  The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran stated that “a single blunder can fuel a big fire”.  Rouhani also told the Assembly that Iran would not negotiate on the issue of its nuclear program as long as sanctions remain in place. “Our response to any negotiation under sanctions is negative,” he said. The Iranian president also wasted no time in attacking the United States and  Israel.

“The US and Zionist imposed plans such as the deal of century, recognizing Beit-ul Moqaddas as the capital of the Zionist regime and the accession of the Syrian Golan to other occupied territories are doomed”.

-Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Credit:  UN Photo /  Cia Pak /  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-fourth session at UN world headquarters New York Sep. 25, 2019.

Rouhani also stated,  “we shall not tolerate the provocative intervention of foreigners”,  adding, “we shall respond decisively and strongly to any sort of transgression to and violation of our security and territorial integrity”.

Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated since the US last year withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal that aimed to curb Iranian nuclear activities. Iran responded by breaching the limit on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium set under the nuclear deal.  Last month, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions against Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif,  essentially shutting the door on any negotiations with Iran.

“I should like to invite all the countries directly affected by the developments in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to the Coalition for Hope meaning Hormuz Peace Endeavor,” stated President Rouhani

“The security of the region shall be provided when American troops pull out”,  president Rouhani said, adding that security shall not be supplied with American weapons and intervention.  Noting that after 18 years, the US has failed to reduce acts of terrorism, he contended  that Iran on the other hand, managed to terminate “the scourge of Daesh” with the assistance of neighboring nations and governments.

“America is not our neighbor”, he  stated.  “The United States is located here, not in the Middle East” and is “not the advocate of any nation” nor “the guardian of any State”.