Iran Has Capacity to Defeat Trump's 'Bullying' - Top Security Official

Amid claims by the US president about a possible withdrawal from the Iran nuclear accord and propositions to renegotiate it, Iran has rejected launching new talks, stating that there would be severe consequences if the US ripped the deal apart.

"This is an international agreement… and we certainly have the capacity to defeat your bullying," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in remarks broadcast on Iranian state television.

The official questioned Trump's statements concerning the revision of the deal.

"You are saying that you do not accept something that was set up under the last president and it should be changed," Shamkhani said, addressing Trump. "Who, then, guarantees that if something is done with you, the next president won't come and refuse to accept it?"

Trump has repeatedly criticized Iranian nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), calling it "the worst deal" of all time. Most recently, the US president threatened to withdraw the United States from the JCPOA if it was not amended, refusing to extend relief from US sanctions for Iran. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the issue with Trump during their respective visits to Washington; however, the US president said that he could stop issuing waivers on the sanctions on 12 May, when the next deadline for continuing the deal expires.

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In his turn, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani cautioned Washington to remain in the nuclear deal with Tehran, promising that otherwise there would be "severe consequences."

On July 14, 2015, the EU, Iran, as well as Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States plus Germany, also known as P5+1 group of countries, signed the JCPOA, which guarantees the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. Iran has pledged to not develop or acquire nuclear weapons in exchange for the cancellation of sanctions imposed against the country.