Hassan Rouhani
The United States constantly sends messages to Iran to begin negotiations, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday in a speech broadcast on state television.
Tensions ramped up between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran in May and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic last month.
Trump has said he would meet Iran's leaders.
"From one side they try to pressure the people of Iran, on another side they send us messages every day through various methods that we should come and negotiate together," Rouhani said.
Iran and Russia can work together to restrain America, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, according to Fars News.Putin arrived in Tehran on Friday to attend a trilateral meeting with Iran and Turkey focused on the Syrian province of Idlib, the last stronghold of active opposition to the government of President Bashar al-Assad."One of the issues that the two sides can cooperate on is restraining America," Khamenei said. "Because America is a danger for humanity and there is a possibility to restrain them."Iran closes border crossing with IraqTehran summit joint statement calls for political solution in Syria
Iran, Russia can work together to restrain America: Khamenei
He added, "[They say] we should negotiate here, we should negotiate there. We want to resolve the issues... should we see your message?.. or should we see your brutish actions?"
Washington aims to force Tehran to end its nuclear program and its support of militant groups in Syria and Iraq.
U.S. sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector are scheduled to be reimposed in November.
Iran is facing an "economic, psychological and propaganda war", Rouhani said Saturday, pointing to America and Israel as the Islamic Republic's main enemies.
Iran closed its border with Iraq on Friday after protesters torched the Iranian consulate in the southern city of Basra.Tehran closed the Salamcheh crossing after an angry mob torched the consulate, according to Iraq’s local media.The attack did not result in any casualties but caused considerable damage to the building.After the incident, Basra Operations Command declared a curfew in Basra.Since July 9, Iraq’s Shia-majority central and southern provinces, especially Basra, have been rocked by protests to demand better public services, more job opportunities and an end to government corruption.Iraq assembly to hold emergency session on Basra unrestEight Iraqis arrested over suspected Daesh links in TurkeyIraqi authorities shut down key port Umm Qasr over Basra protestsThree protesters dead during violent unrest in Iraq's BasraIraqi officials lift planned Basra curfew minutes before it was due to start
Iran closes border crossing with Iraq