Speaking at a press conference with representatives of international media in New York on Thursday evening, President Rouhani said direct talks with the US were not impossible, provided that Washington reverses its hostile policies.

"We want the US to remove the precondition for talking to Iran, including its maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian nation" before any talks could be possible, he added.

“This year, we had a very intensive schedule, mainly discussing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and how to implement nuclear agreements, as well as the stability and sensitivity and the need for peace and security in the region and the end of the bloodshed in Yemen,” the president noted.

At the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly, we presented the Hormuz Peace Endeavour (HOPE) initiative to indicate that constructive dialogue is the only way out of regional problems, Rouhani said.

“In some cases, we have had some success in our negotiations and in some cases we still have to pursue the matter until our efforts to bear fruit,” he stated.

We told European leaders that if there was a free and fair atmosphere, we would be ready to negotiate, President Hassan Rouhani stated adding that"I told European leaders when they were ready to discuss the 5 + 1 meeting, we announced "Just an Hour", We are ready.

President Hassan Rouhani after attending and delivering a keynote speech at the 74th United Nations General Assembly in New York followed by four days of intensive talks with leaders of the European, Asian and African countries, arrived in Tehran Friday afternoon.

During his stay, President Rouhani held bilateral talks with several world leaders to discuss a range of issues, including the 2015 nuclear deal and his peace initiative for the Persian Gulf region.

Speaking in a press conference with representatives of international media in New York on Thursday evening, Rouhani said, “This year, we had a very intensive schedule, mainly discussing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), how to implement the nuclear agreement, regional stability and sensitivity, the need for peace and security in the region as well as putting an end to the bloodshed in Yemen."

Rouhani said that upon his arrival in New York, there had been attempts to put the blame on Iran for the attacks on Saudi Arabia Aramco oil facilities by casting doubt on the Yemeni forces’ ability to conduct such attacks, but “I told them firmly, send me your evidence. Where is your evidence?”

Saying that leveling irrational accusations would create more turbulence in the Middle East and would further fan the flames of war in the region, the Iranian president added that in the meetings, interviews and his address to the UNGA, he was able to enlighten on the accusations and other issues and thwart the plot designed by the Americans and Saudis to blame Iran for the strikes.

He went on to say that some countries such as Turkey and Russia explicitly rejected the allegations against Iran.

Elsewhere, Rouhani said that Iran is ready for negotiations and is not afraid of talks, adding that “it is the US that does not want to solve the problem.”

"The Americans had informed almost all European and non-European leaders that they were ready to negotiate. In fact, the Americans wanted bilateral talks [with Iran], that is, talks between the two presidents, but we had repeatedly rejected that. As we had already said that negotiations needed to be within the framework of 5 +1," Rouhani said, adding that Iran rejects negotiation under maximum pressure and sanctions.

He also pointed out that he had explained during his interviews in New York that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue monitoring Iran’s nuclear activity during Iran’s actions in scaling back on JCPOA commitments.

Asked about a recent attack on the Saudi oil facilities, the Iranian president said, “Why should WE explain about Yemen and the attack on the Aramco oil facilities? What does it have to do with us?", the president’s website reported.

"Today, there is a bloody war in the region; a fruitless war against Yemen. The Yemeni people have the right to self-defense and they have to defend themselves, and the whole world knows that the Yemeni forces and the Yemeni army have both long-range missiles and drones,” Rouhani noted.

“Those who accuse others must present their evidence; if the invasion was not from the south and from the north, east or west, those who claim must make their claim clear… I asked some European leaders who had made false accusations about their evidence, and they said they had no evidence, but they thought the Yemeni forces were less capable than carrying out such an attack. In response, I asked them if their lack of knowledge about the Yemenis’ capabilities would lead to such conclusion and accusations. I even told them if you have any evidence, be sure to send them to me, and I would like to see what your evidence are, so let’s come together instead of leveling accusations, and put out the flames in the region,” the president added.

"I urge the United States, France, Britain and Germany, who are constantly giving arms to Saudi Arabia and the Emirates to kill the Yemeni people, to stop sending weapons and to pressurize Saudi Arabia and the UAE for peace," he underlined.

"The Yemeni people and army announced a few days ago that they were ready for a complete ceasefire, and that all activities would be stopped if Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates stop their attacks," the president added, noting, “Unfortunately, after this announcement, we are still seeing attacks on innocent Yemeni people.”

“Yemen has used its right to defend against the Saudi aggression, why should Iran be accused?” he added, stating, “I asked European leaders what their evidence were about Iranian interference; they had no evidence.”

“The JCPOA was the result of two years of seven-party negotiation and UN endorsement, but the US violated the UN Security Council resolution,” the president deplored.

“Our students were not given visas, but they entered contests online and won… Maximum pressure is the American precondition for negotiation, we will not accept that,” Rouhani underscored.

“The P4+1 pledged to execute the JCPOA. Europe proposed many financial systems, but has proven to be incapable or unwilling to act. It is not possible that Europe stays in the JCPOA Iran, but only Iran pays the price,” he added.

“We will continue to negotiate with the JCPOA parties, if they do not fulfill their obligations, the reduction of the commitments will continue,” the president warned.

IRNA

Reporter’s code: 50101