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Rouhani rejects talks, says Iran faces US 'economic war'

News Service
15:54 - 21/05/2019 الثلاثاء
Update: 15:55 - 21/05/2019 الثلاثاء
REUTERS
Hassan Rouhani
Hassan Rouhani

ECONOMIC WAR

"In no earlier period have we faced today's problems in banking and oil sales, so we need everyone to concentrate and feel the conditions of economic war," Rouhani was quoted as saying by IRNA state news agency.

Iran set up fast-track courts last year after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for "swift and just" legal action to confront an "economic war" by foreign enemies.

On Tuesday, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said one of the courts had sentenced 10 businessmen to up to 20 years in jail on charges including "economic sabotage", the semi-official news agency Fars reported. Iran executed at least three businessmen for economic crimes last year.

Rouhani won two landslide elections in Iran on promises to ease its international isolation. But Trump's decision to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal has helped ensure that Iranians have felt little or no economic benefit from Rouhani's policies.

The rial currency lost about 60 percent of its value in 2018 under the threat of the revived U.S. sanctions, disrupting Iran’s foreign trade and boosting annual inflation.

That has provoked sporadic demonstrations against corruption, with some protesters chanting anti-government slogans. Iran blames the United State and other foes for economic sabotage and stoking the domestic unrest.

Washington's European allies say they share U.S. concerns about Iran's behaviour, but disagree with Trump's decision to pull out of the nuclear deal, a move they say undermines Rouhani's pragmatic faction and boosts Iran's hardliners.

They have sought to ensure Iran still benefits from the nuclear deal by finding ways for foreign companies to do business there. But in practice this has so far failed, with companies cancelling investments for fear of U.S. punishment.

Iran said this month it could resume uranium enrichment beyond levels allowed in the nuclear deal if European countries do not find ways to ease financial pressure within 60 days.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said the Iranian threats were not helpful as Europe sought ways to offset U.S. sanctions: "I do not think that Europe will get drawn into this idea of an ultimatum," Le Maire told reporters.

#Hassan Rouhani
#Iran
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