US Should Abandon its 'Thirst for War' With Iran After Bolton's Resignation - Tehran

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump announced that he had asked National Security Advisor John Bolton to leave his post over disagreements between the official and other members of the administration. Bolton, however, said he had decided to resign of his own accord.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif criticised Washington for new sanctions against Tehran on Wednesday, stating that the American "thirst for war" should've gone along with the resignation of John Bolton, who is known for being hawkish and an advocate of hardline policies against the Islamic Republic.

As the world—minus 3 or 2 panicked cohorts—was breathing a sigh of relief over ouster of #B_Team's henchman in the White House, Pompeo & Mnuchin declared further escalation of #EconomicTerrorism against Iran.

Thirst for war—maximum pressure—should go with the warmonger-in-chief. pic.twitter.com/im8gXJIxEn

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) September 11, 2019

In the meantime, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has released a similar statement, calling on the US to stop its "aggression" against the country.

"America must understand that sticking to warmongers and war-mongering policies is no good and they must abandon warmongers and war-mongering policies and maximum pressure", he said, according to President Rouhani's official website, President.ir

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, center, and national security adviser John Bolton, right, listen as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the Office of Government Hall, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019, in Hanoi

© AP Photo / Evan Vucci

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier reiterated that Donald Trump could meet with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani at the UN without preconditions. Tehran, however, stated it wouldn't engage in talks with the US even though Bolton had stepped down.

Iran announced it would suspend its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA) on 8 May 2019 - exactly one year after the US pulled out of the accord and re-imposed economic restrictions against the Islamic Republic - a step, backed by Bolton, who also supported a massive military build-up by US forces in the Persian Gulf.

The Iranian government later said it would continue abandoning its obligations every 60 days if the European countries that signed the JCPOA failed to shield Iran from US sanctions.