President Hassan Rouhani of Iran on Wednesday said the country was “very happy” over the growing departure from office of his US counterpart, Donald Trump, who championed a campaign of “maximum pressure” against the Islamic republic.
The US President-elect, Joe Biden, who defeated Trump at the November presidential election, has signaled the willingness to return to diplomacy with Iran after four tense years under the outgoing president.
At a cabinet meeting, the Iran President said in televised comment, “Some say you are overexcited by the advent of Mr. Biden. No, we are not, but we are very happy to see Trump leave.”
“Thank God, these are his final days,” Rouhani added, calling Trump a “tyrant”, “the most unruly, lawless president” and a “terrorist and murderer.”
On Monday, Biden was confirmed as the next US President by the electoral college, despite the continuous refusal of the incumbent to accept defeat.
The formal handover of power will take place on January 20 when the President-elect will be sworn in.
During Trump Presidency, there was a growing tension between Tehran and Washington as his administration brough Israel and the Gulf Arab state closer together with a hard line against Iran.
In 2018, Trump pulled the US out of landmark nuclear deal with Tehran and reimposed punishing unilateral sanctions.
In January 2020, the US President ordered an air strike near Baghdad airport, killing senior Iranian general Qasem Soleimani which drew retaliatory Iranian strikes targeting US troops in Iraq.
Trump “creates obstacles for us purchasing (Covid-19) vaccines, (that is) how much this person is bereft of all ethical and human principles,” Rouhani said.
Iran is the Middle Eastern country that is strongly hit by the coronavirus pandemic with 52,670 deaths from more than 1.1 million cases, according to official figures.
Vaccines and other humanitarian goods are supposed to be exempt from US sanctions but in practice few if any banks are willing to risk processing Iranian transactions for fear of incurring heavy penalties in the US courts.
Since Biden’s victory, Rouhani’s government has repeatedly signaled its openness to the incoming administration of the US, although Iran’s supreme leader has cautioned against hopes of an opening with the West.
Rouhani said the outcome of the US election showed the American people’s desire for a “law-abiding” president and called on the Biden administration to live up to the expectation.
He said, “If it wants to be on the correct path, it’s there, and if it wants the wrong one, it’s also there.”
