Iran Warns West Over ‘Economic Terrorism’
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said U.S. sanctions are "economic terrorism" as he sought to foster a united front from visiting regional officials on Saturday.
Washington has reimposed an oil embargo and other damaging sanctions on Iran since pulling out in May from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers.
"America's unjust and illegal sanctions against the honorable nation of Iran have targeted our nation in a clear instance of terrorism," Rouhani said in a televised speech.
He was speaking at a conference on terrorism and regional cooperation attended by parliament speakers from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey.
"We are facing an all-out assault which is not only threatening our independence and identity but also is bent on breaking our longstanding ties," he added.
Rouhani drew parallels with the sanctions and other pressure faced by the countries attending the conference.
"When they put pressure on China's trade, we are all harmed... By punishing Turkey, we are all punished. Any time they threaten Russia, we too consider our security to be endangered," he said.
"When they impose sanctions on Iran, they deprive all of us of the benefits of international trade, energy security and sustainable development. And in fact, they impose sanctions on everyone.
"We are here to say that we don't intend to tolerate such insolence."
Rouhani also warned Europe -- which has strongly objected to the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal -- that much is at stake in its efforts to bypass U.S. sanctions and maintain trade with Iran.
"I warn those who impose sanctions that if Iran’s ability to fight drugs and terrorism are affected ... you will not be safe from a deluge of drugs, asylum seekers, bombs and terrorism,” Rouhani said.
"Weakening Iran by sanctions, many will not be safe. Those who do not believe us, it is good to look at the map,” he added.
Iran lies on a major drug route between Afghanistan and Europe and the Persian Gulf states. Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of opium with its Helmand Province being the biggest opium-producing region. Opium is the raw material for heroin and Afghan farmers harvest about 80 percent of the world’s supply, according to UN reports.
Iran pays a heavy price to fight drug trafficking, with a number of border guards killed in fighting drug smugglers every year. Every year, the country burns about 100 tons of seized narcotics as a symbol of its determination.
"We spend $800 million a year to fight drugs which ensures the health of nations stretching from of Eastern Europe to the American West and North Africa to West Asia. Imagine what a disaster there would be if there is a breach in the dam,” Rouhani said.
Iran has also complained about accusations that it violates human rights by executing convicted drug smugglers, who make up 73 percent of executions in Iran.
In 2013 alone, Iran spent more than $26 million to dig canals, erect walls and embankments, create new outposts and set up barbed wire along its 2,000-kilometer (1240-mile) border with Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to government statistics.
In 2012, Iran accounted for two thirds of the world’s opium seizures and one fourth of the world’s heroin and morphine seizures, a UN report published in 2014 showed.
"We have been just as determined in the fight against terrorism ... sacrificing hundreds of valuable troops and spending millions of dollars annually,” Rouhani said.
The European Union is working on a payment system, known as the "special purpose vehicle", to keep money flowing into Iran, but has struggled to find a host since many countries fear repercussions from the Trump administration.
The conference in Tehran was the second regional meeting on terrorism -- the first was held last December in Islamabad.
Washington has reimposed an oil embargo and other damaging sanctions on Iran since pulling out in May from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers.
"America's unjust and illegal sanctions against the honorable nation of Iran have targeted our nation in a clear instance of terrorism," Rouhani said in a televised speech.
He was speaking at a conference on terrorism and regional cooperation attended by parliament speakers from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey.
"We are facing an all-out assault which is not only threatening our independence and identity but also is bent on breaking our longstanding ties," he added.
Rouhani drew parallels with the sanctions and other pressure faced by the countries attending the conference.
"When they put pressure on China's trade, we are all harmed... By punishing Turkey, we are all punished. Any time they threaten Russia, we too consider our security to be endangered," he said.
"When they impose sanctions on Iran, they deprive all of us of the benefits of international trade, energy security and sustainable development. And in fact, they impose sanctions on everyone.
"We are here to say that we don't intend to tolerate such insolence."
Rouhani also warned Europe -- which has strongly objected to the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal -- that much is at stake in its efforts to bypass U.S. sanctions and maintain trade with Iran.
"I warn those who impose sanctions that if Iran’s ability to fight drugs and terrorism are affected ... you will not be safe from a deluge of drugs, asylum seekers, bombs and terrorism,” Rouhani said.
"Weakening Iran by sanctions, many will not be safe. Those who do not believe us, it is good to look at the map,” he added.
Iran lies on a major drug route between Afghanistan and Europe and the Persian Gulf states. Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of opium with its Helmand Province being the biggest opium-producing region. Opium is the raw material for heroin and Afghan farmers harvest about 80 percent of the world’s supply, according to UN reports.
Iran pays a heavy price to fight drug trafficking, with a number of border guards killed in fighting drug smugglers every year. Every year, the country burns about 100 tons of seized narcotics as a symbol of its determination.
"We spend $800 million a year to fight drugs which ensures the health of nations stretching from of Eastern Europe to the American West and North Africa to West Asia. Imagine what a disaster there would be if there is a breach in the dam,” Rouhani said.
Iran has also complained about accusations that it violates human rights by executing convicted drug smugglers, who make up 73 percent of executions in Iran.
In 2013 alone, Iran spent more than $26 million to dig canals, erect walls and embankments, create new outposts and set up barbed wire along its 2,000-kilometer (1240-mile) border with Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to government statistics.
In 2012, Iran accounted for two thirds of the world’s opium seizures and one fourth of the world’s heroin and morphine seizures, a UN report published in 2014 showed.
"We have been just as determined in the fight against terrorism ... sacrificing hundreds of valuable troops and spending millions of dollars annually,” Rouhani said.
The European Union is working on a payment system, known as the "special purpose vehicle", to keep money flowing into Iran, but has struggled to find a host since many countries fear repercussions from the Trump administration.
The conference in Tehran was the second regional meeting on terrorism -- the first was held last December in Islamabad.