Rouhani: Iran cannot talk to US while under sanctions

President Hassan Rouhani has declared that Iran cannot enter talks with the "untrustworthy" administration of US President Donald Trump as long as Tehran is under the shadow of economic sanctions, Al Jazeera reported.

"You cannot expect to talk to a person after you stab him and leave the knife in his body," Rouhani, speaking in Persian, told IRIB state television.

He said the United States proved to be an unreliable negotiating partner when it decided to withdraw from a multinational nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions against it.

"If there is trust, Iran always welcomes negotiations," he said. "But negotiations don't make sense while we are under sanctions."