29 May, 2017
Reformist candidates have reportedly swept municipal elections in the Iranian capital, taking all 21 seats in Tehran as moderate President Hassan Rouhani won a second term.
Remarks by enemies about Iran's missile power result from their ignorance, President Rouhani said at a cabinet session on Wednesday. Standing next to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Trump said: "The United States and Israel can declare with one voice that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon, and must cease its deadly funding, training and equipping of terrorists and militias".
"The Americans do not know our region, that's what the catch is", Rouhani said in response to a question from The Associated Press. They also dismiss the idea of increasing cash subsidies as economically foolhardy and fiscally unaffordable. No matter what claims are made about the importance of religion, the real source of power in Iran continues to be money.
It was another boost to the reformist camp after the resounding re-election of President Hassan Rouhani announced the day before.
Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, his first foreign destination as president, was framed by the ruling Saudi monarchy as a fundamental shift in USA policy away from the goal of improved relations with Iran that had been sought by the administration of President Barack Obama. President Rouhani won 23.5 million of Iran's total 41 million votes, his next nearest rival winning only 15.8 million votes.
Iran was waiting until after the election to hold its first global auction of oil-development rights, Iranian Students News Agency reported on May 16, citing Ali Kardor, managing director of state-run National Iranian Oil Co.
Trump also attended a summit with leaders of the 6-nation Gulf Cooperation Council on Sunday. "I hope it can settle so that we can have a better judgment about those in Washington", said Rouhani.
In 2015, he brought his country to sign a deal with world powers, providing for curbing Iran's nuclear program and lifting economic sanctions on Tehran.
He also suggested that the leaders of Iran, like many leaders elsewhere, are still trying to understand Trump and his policies.
The UAE, a regional trading and tourism hub, is a main trading partner with non-Arab Iran. The country's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif shot back at Trump and said the latest arms deal between the USA and the Arab kingdom is merely aimed at milking Riyadh of hundreds of billions of dollars.
Trump repeatedly has criticized Iran in speeches on his first foreign trip. "We will not wait for them and their permission".
Rouhani added: "Our missiles are for peace, not for attack".
