'US economic war based on illusions, miscalculations'

In the Cabinet meeting, he said just the same as 1980, i.e. the time of Iran-Iraq war, Iran is in a war, this time an economic one.

"We have had economic sanctions since 1980, but the economic war against us began in 2018," he said, "Today, it is not a question of sanctions, we are one in an economic war, and the United States has entered the war with Iran with all its facilities, banking and economic relations, and its multinational corporations."

"Two and a half years ago, the United States started an economic war against us, based on illusions and miscalculations. Their goal was to close all economic gateways to Iran," Rouhani said.

"When the Americans imposed this economic war on Iran in 2018, they said we would enter Tehran in a few months and the Iranian establishment would not see its 40th anniversary," he said.

"The Americans had told European leaders to give them three months," Rouhani noted, "Two European leaders told me that Trump had told them to wait for three months and that with the economic pressure the US had put on Iran... the Islamic Republic of Iran would not be in power for another three months."

This was also an illusion and a miscalculation, he reiterated.

Amercians, initially, wanted to overthrow Iran's establishment or at least sow some tension and riots in Iran and kill a treaty but none of their dreams have come true, Rouhani said.

The same treaty that the Americans wanted to kill besides the UN Resolution 2231 made a mess with the US, he said adding that this is the first time in history that the US has not been successful in persuading the UNSC to act upon Americans' bullying desires.

"European countries that have been traditionally the United States' allies stood up to it. Russia and China opposed the US. Other members of the Security Council opposed the country. Indonesia and Niger bravely stood up to the United States," he noted.

message end/