Iranian President Says Most Important Goal: Protect Nuclear Agreement

The most important foreign policy imperative for the Islamic Republic is to protect the 2015 nuclear development agreement Iran signed with the United States and several Western nations according to President Hassan Rouhani. Rouhani told the parliament that “the United States and other enemies” must not be allowed to succeed [in tearing up the pact as President Trump has threatened]. His comments ran contrary to recent threats to nullify the agreement if Washington continued to add new economic sanctions, but he explained to the lawmakers that the deal is the best way to get a much needed economic stimulus. To that end, he tasked the foreign ministry with renewed effort to attract international investment. At the session held to approve his cabinet choices, Rouhani did not explain why there were no women selected to head any ministry – a fact for which he has been criticized by rights groups.