US to ‘regret’ if it withdraws from nuclear deal: Iran

By Mustafa Melih Ahishali

ISTANBUL

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday the U.S. will “regret” if it withdraws from a nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic.

"If the United States opts to pull out of the JCPOA, you will soon see the historic remorse which the move will bring about for" Washington, Rouhani told a crowd in Sabzevar in northeast Iran.

Under the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed in 2015, the U.S. and other world powers agreed to lift some of the economic sanctions imposed on Iran in return for the latter agreeing to rein in its nuclear program.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called the pact "one of the worst negotiated agreements" he has ever seen. He has threatened to pull the U.S. out of the deal and has to make a decision on whether he will do so by May 12 deadline.

Rouhani said Iran has been “loyal to its promises”.

“But it is explicitly telling the whole world, Europe, America, the West and the East that we will not talk about our country's weapons and defense with anyone."

"We will build and store any amount of weapons and missiles needed by the country.

It is none of anybody's business what decision the Iranian people have made for their defense. We will not talk about the precision [of missiles] and defensive power with anyone," Rouhani said.