Iran defies Trump over nuclear deal, missile remarks

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has downplayed US President Donald Trump's aggressive remarks over Iran's commitments to 2015 international nuclear deal as well as Tehran's ballistic missile programme.

In a live speech that followed Trump's remarks pertaining to new US strategy towards Iran, Rouhani on Friday said President Trump cannot decertify Iran's international nuclear deal "unilaterally", Xinhua news agency reported.

"Apparently Trump does not know that this is not a bilateral document between Iran and the United States to treat in any way he wishes," Rouhani said.

"Trump's remarks showed that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is stronger than what he treated during his presidential campaign," Rouhani said, adding that the US President failed to ally other parties involved in the clinch of deal with his policy over the nuclear deal.

The Iranian President stressed that Iran would respect the nuclear deal as long as its "national interests and rights are met".

"We have cooperated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and will keep working with the UN body within our commitments," he said, warning that "however, if one day, our interests from the JCPOA are not respected, we will not hesitate to respond."

On Friday, Trump announced that he had decided not to certify Iran's compliance with the landmark deal reached in 2015.

The US President also said he would ask Congress to establish "trigger points," which could prompt the US to reimpose sanctions on Iran over a series of issues, including Iran's continued ballistic missile launches.

In response, Rouhani said that his country is "more determined" to continue its ballistic missile programme.

"Our missile is for defense. We have always been serious over defensive issues, and from now on, we will double our efforts for that end," he stressed.

Also, Iran's Foreign Ministry dismissed the remarks of the US President that the Islamic republic's ballistic missile programme is a threat to the world.

"Iran will earnestly follow and boost its defensive and security capabilities," Qasemi said.

The national security and interest will be the only consideration of the Iranian government in pursuing the country's defense capabilities, he added.

"Based on the factual record I have put forward, I am announcing today that we cannot and will not make this certification," Trump said at the White House about the Iran nuclear deal.

He also threatened that he might terminate the nuclear deal at any time.

The JCPOA was reached in 2015 between Iran and Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany.

According to the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act passed by US Congress in 2015, the US government is required to recertify to Congress Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal every 90 days.

Besides, Iran's Foreign Ministry on Friday rejected the remarks by the US President over Iran's nuclear programme under 2015 deal.

The IAEA preserves the authority to confirm Iran's commitments subject to the 2015 international nuclear deal, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said.

In its eight reports, the UN nuclear watchdog has verified Iran's compliance with the nuclear deal, internationally known as JCPOA, Qasemi said.

He accused the US of repeated violations of the deal in "spirit and letter".

Iran's principle is to oppose weapons of mass destruction across the world, including the nuclear arms, Qasemi stressed.