May 8, 2018

Iran seeks constructive relations with the world but will continue domestic development despite possible sanctions, President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday, hours before U.S. President Donald Trump announces a decision on Iran’s nuclear deal.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the deal, which lifted economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear ambitions, unless European allies who also signed the deal fix what he has called its shortcomings.

Trump will announce his final decision on Tuesday at 2 p.m. (1800 GMT).

“The foundation of our foreign policy is constructive relations with the world,” Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

“If we are under sanctions or not, we should stand on our own feet. This is very important for the development of our country,” Rouhani said in a meeting with oil managers in Tehran.

Iran said on Monday that its oil industry would continue to develop even if the United States re-imposed sanctions on Tehran.

Sanctions imposed on Iran in early 2012 by the U. S. and European Union over its nuclear program cut Iran’s crude exports from a peak of 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) before the sanctions to a little more than one million bpd.

But Iran re-emerged as a major oil exporter in January 2016 when international sanctions were suspended.

Trump has consistently threatened to pull out of the 2015 agreement because it does not address Iran’s ballistic missile programme or its role in wars in Syria and Yemen, and does not permanently prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

A senior U.S. official close to the process said France, Germany and Britain had moved significantly to address Trump’s concerns over the ballistic missile programme, the terms under which international inspectors visit suspect Iranian sites, and “sunset” clauses

European leaders have warned that a U.S. withdrawal would undo years of work that led to and sustained a landmark deal that has kept nuclear weapons out of Iran’s hands.

The Iran deal, negotiated during the administration of Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, eased economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear programme.

In the past few weeks, the Republican president has consulted either in person or by telephone with leaders of all three countries.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson made the rounds in Washington on Monday, including talks with Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Still, European diplomats privately said they expected Trump to withdraw from the agreement.

Two White House officials and a source familiar with the debate inside the administration said last week that Trump had all but decided to pull out.

Trump has until Saturday to decide whether to extend the waivers or withdraw and reintroduce sanctions related to Iran’s central bank and Iranian oil exports.

That would dissuade foreign companies from doing business with Iran because they could be subject to U.S. penalties.

Iran has said it will not renegotiate the accord and threatened to retaliate if the United States pulls out, although it has not said how.

Diplomats and military experts say Tehran could seek to resume its nuclear programme.