Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned on Tuesday that sanctions against Iran will not work and urged the United States to instead “try respect” for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal, that President Donald Trump exited on May 8.
“Iran & US had 2 yrs of talks,” Zarif tweeted on Tuesday. “With EU/E3+Russia+China, we produced a unique multilateral accord—the JCPOA. It’s been working. US can only blame itself for pulling out & leaving the table. Threats, sanctions & PR stunts won’t work. Try respect: for Iranians & for int’l commitments.”
Zarif’s tweet arrived after President Trump’s second offer to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to “make a real deal” with “no preconditions” on Monday. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, rejected that offer by saying, “Iranians never allow their authorities to negotiate with the Great Satan,” referring to the United States.
The sanctions that are set to hit Iran on August 7, and the pursuant sanctions against the export of Iranian oil on November 4, will likely significantly damage the already weakened Iranian economy.
The November deadline is likely symbolic. Between November 4, 1979, and January 20, 1981, 51 American diplomats were held hostage for 444 days in what became known as the Iranian hostage crisis.
In a Wednesday tweet, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s adviser Hesamodin Ashna said, “‘No preconditions’ means ‘No enforcement of illegal sanctions.’ Sanctions and dialogue are contradictory.”
Also on Wednesday, during a “Make America Great Again” rally at a fairground auditorium in Tampa, Florida, Trump said he had a “feeling they’ll be talking to us pretty soon, and maybe not, but that’s OK, too,” referring to the Iranian government.
He reportedly went on to describe the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as a “horror show.”
Hundreds of Iranians in Iran’s central city Isfahan joined a street protest on Tuesday denouncing Iran’s government and leaders over their handling of the nation’s economic problems.
The rial surpassed 100,000 rials per one U.S. dollar on Sunday.
Chants of “Death to the dictator,” referring to the Supreme Leader Seyed Ali Khamenei, replaced the usual “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” slogans that oft fill Friday night sermons and speeches delivered by the supreme leader.
In May, video surfaced appearing to show Zarif chanting “Death to America,” “Death to Britain,” and “Death to Israel” during an address by Khamenei in Tehran.
According to Radio Farda, protesters in Isfahan chanted, “Have shame, Khamenei, and leave the country alone” and “No Gaza, not Lebanon, my life is for Iran.” Other chants reportedly included, “death to the dictator” and “Reza Shah, may your soul be happy,” in reference to the grandfather of Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who is currently living in exile outside of Iran.
Adelle Nazarian is a politics and national security reporter for Breitbart News. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.