Washington: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons was one of his administration's most significant achievements, claiming that Tehran would have already used such weapons if Washington had not intervened.
"I think it's one of the greatest things that we've done — we've stopped Iran from having a nuclear weapon. It's one of the best things that we've done. It took a lot of courage to do it because no other President was willing to do it — and if we didn't do it, Iran would right now have already used massive nuclear weapons," he told reporters.
Trump's remarks came a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Washington's long-standing dispute with Tehran over its nuclear programme as an "excuse". Araghchi maintained that Iran had honoured the terms of previous international agreements, only for the US to withdraw from them.
In an interview with Iraq's Al-Ikhbariya network, Araghchi argued that Washington's opposition was rooted in Iran's refusal to accept American dominance in West Asia.
"The nuclear issue is an excuse; what the Americans oppose and do not accept is Iranian ideology. They completely reject the Iranian perspective, which emphasises confronting American dominance and not surrendering to its power. This is the same thinking that has led to the formation and emergence of the resistance in our region," Araghchi said, according to remarks carried by IRIB.
Araghchi also referred to Washington's withdrawal from previous diplomatic agreements, saying Tehran had fulfilled its commitments before the US unilaterally abandoned the deal.
"We reached an agreement with the world on the nuclear issue and the whole world welcomed that agreement; but the American side withdrew from it without providing any evidence and abandoned the agreement," Araghchi remarked. "The same thing happened again in Islamabad."
Despite the continuing diplomatic tensions and military posturing, Araghchi said Washington understood the consequences of launching a direct military conflict with Iran. He identified Tehran's military preparedness as a key deterrent against potential US aggression.
"Americans know very well that they cannot achieve any of their goals through war," Araghchi warned. "In my opinion, the main deterrent against the US starting a new war is precisely this complete readiness of Iran."
The latest exchanges come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over the implementation of a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in June. The agreement was intended to end hostilities between the two sides and pave the way for further negotiations, particularly on Iran's nuclear programme.
The collapse of the agreement renewed the conflict in West Asia, with the US striking Iranian military and civilian assets and Iran retaliating by targeting American bases across the Gulf.