Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States of not complying with the landmark nuclear agreement that took effect in January, and said American credibility would suffer if the accord were not honored.
In his United Nations General Assembly speech and later at an hourlong news conference, Rouhani criticized what he described as an American failure to adhere to obligations under the agreement, which relaxed many economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for verifiable pledges of peaceful nuclear work.
Rouhani told reporters that despite the intense diplomacy that had achieved the agreement between Iran and big powers including the United States, there was “not a very stellar report card by the United States when it comes to fulfilling the agreement.”
Rouhani called the agreement a model for how to resolve disputes peacefully. But he coupled the praise with a warning against “illegal actions” by the United States.
He complained that American restrictions on banking and dollar transactions with Iran, which were unaffected by the nuclear agreement, have discouraged many banks from engaging with the country because they worry about possible penalties from the United States.
Rouhani said any failure in implementing the nuclear agreement “will further erode the credibility of the United States in the world,” the New York Times reports.
