Iran demands US 'pay more' for wider deal

Rouhani's tough stance at UN meeting comes with rejection of Trump talks

UNITED NATIONS - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani demanded on Wednesday that the United States "pay more" for any agreement that goes beyond the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Washington abandoned.

Rouhani also rejected talk of meeting US President Donald Trump while the two are in New York this week for the annual United Nations General Assembly, but both US and Iranian officials suggested they have some interest in negotiations.

It remains unclear how that might happen given Teheran's demand that Washington first ease sanctions that have blighted its economy and the US imposition of fresh penalties as part of its "maximum pressure" campaign.

"Our response to talks under pressure is 'No'," Rouhani said in a speech to the General Assembly even as the United States tightened the vise by blacklisting Chinese firms for dealing in Iranian oil despite US sanctions.

The US-Iranian confrontation has ratcheted up since last year, when Trump withdrew from Iran's nuclear deal with major powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the Islamic republic's economy.

Trump wants to go beyond that deal to further curb Iran's nuclear program, halt its ballistic missile work and contain its influence in the Middle East.

"If you wish more, if you require more, you should give and pay more," Rouhani said in his General Assembly address, without giving details.

In his own speech on Tuesday, Trump called on other nations to put pressure on Iran after Sept 14 attacks on Saudi oil facilities that Washington blames on Teheran, despite its denials.

The United States plans to increase its military presence in the Persian Gulf region following the attacks.

Rouhani, however, said the region is "on the edge of collapse, as a single blunder can fuel a big fire", and vowed to respond "decisively and strongly" to any foreign violation of its security or territorial integrity.

Trump had said there was still a path to peace and Rouhani has left the door open to diplomacy, saying that if sanctions were lifted, Washington could join nuclear talks between Teheran and other powers.

"We want a peaceful resolution with the Islamic Republic of Iran," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters, saying it was up to Iran. "We hope we get the opportunity to negotiate with them."

Despite French and British leaders urging Rouhani to sit down with Trump, an Iranian official said there was no chance the US and Iranian presidents would meet this week.

"The chances of a meeting are zero. They know what to do," the official said. The official said the US should return to the 2015 deal, lift sanctions and end the maximum pressure campaign.

Under that deal, Iran limited its nuclear program in return for relief from economic sanctions that constricted its ability to trade with the world. After abandoning the deal, Trump in May tightened sanctions on Iran.

The US has blamed Iran for a series of actions since May - some of which Iran has denied - that have roiled oil markets, including attacks on half a dozen tankers, shooting down a US drone and the Sept 14 attacks on Aramco facilities.

The airstrikes on the heartland of Saudi Arabia's oil industry damaged the world's biggest petroleum-processing facility and knocked out more than 5 percent of global oil supply.

"This cannot go unanswered, there has to be consequences for Iran for what they did," Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir said. He said Riyadh was consulting others and that its options included diplomatic and economic steps.

The US, European powers and Saudi Arabia have blamed the attack on Iran, instead of the Houthi group in Yemen that claimed responsibility. Iran distanced itself from the attacks but said it was ready for "full-fledged" war.

In the penultimate sentence of his UN speech, Rouhani raised the possibility of talks.

"This is the message of the Iranian nation: Let's invest on hope toward a better future rather than in war and violence," he said. "Let's return to justice; to peace; to law, commitment and promise and finally to the negotiating table."

Agencies

(China Daily 09/27/2019 page12)