U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton
U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton reaffirmed on Wednesday that the United States was not seeking a change of government in Iran.
"Just to be clear, regime change in Iran is not American policy. But what we want is massive change in the regime's behaviour," Bolton told a news conference in Jerusalem, where he has held talks with Israeli leaders.
Bolton, who has in the past suggested the U.S. government should push for a change in government in Iran, said in May that that was not part of the Trump administration's policy.
A senior Iranian cleric warned Washington on Wednesday that if it attacked Iran, the United States and allied Israel would be targeted, as a war of words escalated after the reimposition of the U.S. sanctions on Iran.Ahmad Khatami also told worshippers attending Eid prayers in Tehran that President Donald Trump’s offer of talks with Iranian leaders was unacceptable, as the U.S. leader wanted Tehran to concede on its missile programme and regional influence."Americans say you should accept what we say in the talks. So this is not negotiation, but dictatorship. The Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation would stand up against dictatorship," Khatami was quoted as saying by Mizan news agency."The price of a war with Iran is very high for America. They know if they harm this country and this state in the slightest way, the United States and its main ally in the region, the Zionist regime (of Israel) would be targeted," Khatami said.Khatami did not elaborate which forces would carry out such attacks, but Iran has said it could target Israeli cities with its missiles if it is threatened. Iran also has proxies in the region, including Lebanon's Hezbollah group.Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic's military prowess was what deterred Washington from attacking it, and vowed to boost Iran's military might.The Trump administration slapped sanctions back on Iran this month after withdrawing from the 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran, saying it was too soft on Tehran and would not stop it developing a nuclear bomb.Washington imposed new sanctions in August, targeting Iran's car industry, trade in gold and other precious metals, and purchases of U.S. dollars. Trump has said the United States will issue another round of tougher sanctions in November that will target Iran's oil sales and banking sector.Trump's national security adviser told Reuters on Wednesday that the U.S. president wanted maximum pressure on Iran."There should not be any doubt that the United States wants this resolved peacefully, but we are fully prepared for any contingency that Iran creates,” John Bolton said.Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected Trump's offer of unconditional talks on a new nuclear deal, prompting Trump to tell Reuters in an interview on Monday: "If they want to meet, that's fine, and if they don't want to meet, I couldn't care less." Rouhani says US doesn't dare to attack IranIran to continue cooperating with Turkey: FM spokesmanIran says France's Total has officially left South Pars deal
Iran cleric says Israel and US will be targeted if Washington attacks
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that the United States does not dare to attack Iran as it is aware of the Islamic Republic's military power and the high price of conflict."Why the United States does not attack us? Because of our power, because it knows ...its consequences," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television.Rouhani said the country had to develop its military forces to prevent other states taking over its territory and resources."We should make ourselves ready to fight against the military powers who want to take over our territory and our resources," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television on National Defence Industry Day.
Rouhani says US doesn't dare to attack Iran
Cooperation between Turkey and Iran will continue in the upcoming period as it has in the past, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday.“Cooperation between our two countries has been very positive,” ministry spokesman Bahram Qasimi said at a news conference in Tehran.“This is set to continue in the upcoming period,” he added.Regarding recently-imposed U.S. import tariffs on certain Turkish goods, Qasimi said: “I’m confident that the Turkish people will overcome the problems they face.”As for an upcoming trilateral summit between Turkey, Russia and Iran, the spokesman confirmed that the event -- at which participants will discuss the future of Syria -- would be held early next month in Tehran.On Aug. 7, the U.S. re-imposed a first round of economic sanctions on Iran, which mainly target the country’s banking sector.The sanctions are intended to hinder Tehran's acquisition of U.S. currency; its precious metals trade; bank transactions denominated in Iranian currency; activities related to Iran's sovereign debt; and the country’s automotive sector.Earlier this month, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said that trade between Turkey and Iran would continue as part of a long-term bilateral contract that will remain in effect until 2026.
Iran to continue cooperating with Turkey: FM spokesman
Iran's oil minister said on Monday that France's Total has officially left Iran after the United States threatened to impose sanctions on companies that do business in the country, Iranian state TV reported."Total has officially has left the contract to develop the South Pars Gas project's phase 11 ... the process to replace with another company is underway," Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was quoted as saying by TV. 
Iran says France's Total has officially left South Pars deal
Iran said on Monday that Europe should accelerate its efforts to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers that was abandoned by U.S. President Donald Trump in May, Iranian state TV reported."Europeans and other signatories of the deal (China and Russia) hav been trying to save the deal ... but the process has been slow. It should be accelerated," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi told a weekly news conference broadcast live on state TV."Iran relies mainly on its own capabilities to overcome America's new sanctions."European states have been scrambling to ensure Iran gets enough economic benefits to persuade it to stay in the deal since U.S. withdrawal from the deal, which Trump said was "deeply flawed".The United States has imposed sanctions on Iran in August, targeting Iran’s trade in gold and other precious metals, its purchases of U.S. dollars and its car industry. 
Iran tells EU to speed up efforts to save nuclear deal