WarSclerotic

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani declared over the weekend that his country will continue its economic relations with the rest of the world despite more sanctions imposed by the United States.

“Today, we are in conditions in which the United States is more isolated than ever over the sanctions issue,” Rouhani said Saturday.

“America’s illegal actions … have even isolated it among its own allies as we just saw,” he continued, referring to demonstrations in Britain last week protesting  a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“We are very hopeful that the trend of economic engagement with the world will continue as before,” Rouhani said.

He blasted U.S. sanctions as a move targeting ordinary Iranians and said his administration will provide the essential needs of the people.

“The government pledges to the people that there will be no problems for the country in terms of energy, transportation, basic goods and production,” he said.

Iran is currently facing an economic crisis fueled by the U.S.’s decision on May 8 to pull out of an international nuclear accord, which, in 2015, lifted international sanctions from Iran in exchange for curbs on Iran’s controversial nuclear program.

Upon withdrawing from the nuclear agreement, the U.S. declared its intention to reimpose sanctions on Iran and threatened to impose new sanctions on companies dealing with Iran.

Since the American withdrawal from the accord, international firms have mostly left Iran for fear U.S. sanctions, and the U.S. has demanded allies stop buying Iranian oil.