Iran is not afraid of U.S. sanctions or attacks, the deputy commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday, shortly before President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal Iran signed with world powers in 2015.
"Our nation is not afraid of U.S. sanctions or military attack. Our enemies including America, the Zionist regime, and the allies in the region should know that Iran has prepared for the worst scenarios and threats," Maj. Gen Hossein Salami was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.
Following Trump's announcement, Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Trump's decision was a violation of the agreement that would isolate the United States.
"It is obvious that Trump only understands the language of force," he said.
The Islamic Republic News Agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's military, as saying that Iran could have chosen not to sign the deal, "but that arrogant country [the U.S.] did not even stand by its signature."
Ahead of the announcement, Bagheri said Iran's military power would defuse any threat against the Islamic republic.
"The armed forces are delivering their best services and no threat frightens Iran," he said.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country would remain committed to the nuclear deal despite Trump's decision to withdraw from it.
"If we achieve the deal's goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place. By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty," Rouhani said in a televised speech.
"The foundation of our foreign policy is constructive relations with the world," he said. He added that Iran's oil industry would continue to develop, regardless of U.S. sanctions.
Rouhani has previously warned that Iran was ready to resume its curbed nuclear activities if its interests were not guaranteed under a deal without the United States.
"If needed, we will resume our nuclear enrichment at the industrial level without any limit," Rouhani said. "From now on, everything depends on Iran's national interests."
