Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that US President Donald Trump cannot undermine the nuclear deal reached in 2015.
"We have achieved benefits that are irreversible. Nobody can roll them back, neither Trump, nor 10 other Trumps," Rouhani said on Saturday.
"The nuclear deal was our moral victory, we proved to the world that we were honest and the ill-wishers were liars. This is irreversible and it will go down in history," Rouhani said, adding that if Washington exits the nuclear agreement, "the entire world will condemn America."
The statement comes just several days after Trump's controversial remark during a dinner for military commanders attended by reporters. Trump puzzled the White House media pool on Thursday evening, referring to the time during which he posed for a photo with the country’s military leaders as "the calm before the storm."
"You guys know what this represents?" he suddenly asked journalists during the photo opportunity at the White House. "Maybe it’s the calm before the storm."
Thousands of American military spouses & dependents are worrying about me saying “Calm before the storm.” I was JUST kidding!! … or was I? pic.twitter.com/oj0p2m9ZS4
— Donald J. Trump (@RealDonaldTrFan) 7 октября 2017 г.
The US president refused to explain what he meant when asked by journalists whether he meant Iran or the fight against Daesh, instead saying, "You will find out." The White House also declined to shed light on Trump's remark on Friday.
"As we've said many times before, I know the president has, as I have from this podium on quite a few occasions, we're never going to say in advance what the president's going to do. And as he said last night in addition to those comments, you'll have to wait and see," press secretary Sarah Sanders said.
The president was not "messing with the press" when he spoke of a "calm before the storm," Sanders says. #Iran #NorthKorea
— Michael Wilner (@mawilner) 6 октября 2017 г.
Trump's statement also prompted a storm on Twitter with social media users speculating what's behind the US president's comment, condemnation and jokes.
Let me get this straight. We are in the midst of a recovery from 3 huge hurricanes, we just had the largest mass murder in history and Trump says that this is the "calm before the storm". I'm terrified!
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) 7 октября 2017 г.
Liberal media losing their minds over Trump saying this is the “calm before the storm.” I’d bet he’s referring to decerifying Iran Deal.
— Martin Walsh (@mrwalsh__) 6 октября 2017 г.
"The calm before the storm" How insane and inappropriate is it for the president of the United States to say that?
— Tony Schwartz (@tonyschwartz) 6 октября 2017 г.
I hope when Trump said “This is the calm before the storm,” he was referring to the burrito he had for lunch.
— Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) 7 октября 2017 г.
Hey @realDonaldTrump warning of a ‘calm before the storm’ is bad diplomacy and an easy way to endanger the citizens you’re sworn to protect.
— Demitri Dawson (@DemitriDawson) 7 октября 2017 г.
Pres Trumps “Calm before the storm” statement has MSM heads exploding 😂😂
— Wendy in Virginia (@Patriotic_Va) 7 октября 2017 г.
They r too easy!#MAGA #AmericaFirst#FakeNews#PresTrump
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/GLrHzLcCq7
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly referred to as the Iran Nuclear Deal, was signed in July 2015 by Iran and the P5+1 group of nations comprised of the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom plus Germany after years of diplomatic work.
Donald Trump called the JCPOA, negotiated under President Barack Obama's watch "an embarrassment" to the United States during his speech to the UN General Assembly and has repeatedly criticized it during his presidential and election campaign.