Iran’s Rouhani rules out UN meeting with Trump

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Monday that he will not meet with President Trump during his visit to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly session, citing sanctions the president has placed on Iran.

In an interview with NBC News set to air Monday night, Rouhani accused Trump of creating a hostile relationship with Iran by pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear agreement and reimposing sanctions on the country. 

{mosads}”Naturally, if someone is keen on having a meeting and holding dialogue and creating progress in relationships, that person would not use the tool of sanctions and threats [and bring] to bear all of its power against another government and nation,” Rouhani said. “That means that the necessary willpower is absent in order to resolve outstanding issues.”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Trump would be willing to meet with Rouhani at the General Assembly gathering.

“I think the president’s been pretty clear about that. He’s happy to talk with folks at any time,” Pompeo said. 

Trump in May announced he was pulling the U.S. out of the nuclear deal that lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. 

Rouhani told NBC News that Trump would need to walk back the sanctions he reimposed before any meeting between the two leaders can take place.

“That bridge must be rebuilt,” he said.

Rouhani’s comments come after he blamed the U.S. and its allies for an attack on an Iranian military parade over the weekend that left dozens dead. Rouhani called the U.S. “a bully toward the rest of the world” following the attacks and accused U.S. allies of instigating the attacks.

“All of those small mercenary countries that we see in this region are backed by America. It is Americans who instigate them and provide them with necessary means to commit these crimes,” Rouhani said Sunday.

Pompeo on Sunday dismissed Rouhani’s accusations, saying on “Fox News Sunday” that it was an “enormous mistake” for Rouhani to blame the U.S. for the attacks.