WEB DESK
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned western countries that they will face a massive influx of drugs if his country becomes weakened by US sanctions. He was speaking today at a six-nation conference in Tehran on fighting terrorism.
Parliament speakers of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, China and Russia attended the conference. In remarks broadcast on state TV, Mr Rouhani said, a weakened Iran would be less able to fight drug trafficking.
Iran lies on a major drug route between Afghanistan and Europe and the Persian Gulf states. Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of opium with its Helmand Province being the biggest opium-producing region.
“A country that has started a trade war with China, uses sarcastic tones with Pakistan, humiliates Afghanistan, punishes Turkey, threatens Russia and imposes sanctions against Iran, is the prime suspect for breaking the bonds,” continued Rouhani.
He also said, “If the US thinks that it can break us apart, it is gravely mistaken, and we are here to say it out loud that we will not tolerate this insolence, and we will stand against them”.
Stating that, “We do not expect the one who bows to walls to respect bridges,” he continued, “We do not expect such an irresponsible person to take on another responsibility. The person who has humiliated civilisations cannot be expected to be the guardian of the common grounds of civilisation”.
The President also said, “Where the United States contributes to the annihilation of societies, we will not let it escape its expenses and destruction”.
Iran’s economy is reeling after the US re-imposed sanctions lifted under Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal and began restoring sanctions. Mr Rouhani called the US sanctions as economic terrorism.