Iran president Rouhani ‘not overjoyed’ at Biden victory but happy ‘terrorist’ Trump is out

Rouhani called his American counterpart the ‘most lawless US president’ ever

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a press conference in New York on September 26, 2018, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Mr Rouhani has said he is glad to see President Donald Trump leaving office next year. (AFP via Getty Images)

 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that while he is “not overjoyed” about President-Elect Joe Biden’s election victory, he is glad to see Donald Trump, who he branded a “terrorist”, leaving office. 

In a televised speech to the Cabinet on Wednesday, Mr Rouhani said “we are not overjoyed about Mr Biden’s arrival, but we are happy about Trump leaving."

Calling Mr Trump a “terrorist”, Mr Rouhani also accused the US leader of being “the most lawless US president” ever, according to Reuters. 

The Iranian leader’s comments come after the Trump administration sanctioned two Iranian intelligence officials over the disappearance of FBI agent Robert Levinson 14 years ago.

Mr Levinson disappeared in 2007 while visiting a tourist location in Iran. 

He had been in the country on an unauthorised CIA mission collecting intelligence on the country’s nuclear program.

The Trump administration did not provide evidence or justification for the sanctions over Mr Levinson’s disappearance. 

They come amid already rising tensions between the US and Iran.

Last month, US media reported that the Mr Trump had asked senior advisers about potential options for attacking Iran’s main nuclear site.

Mr Trump had reportedly been warned that taking military action could ignite a wider conflict.

Read more: Trump administration sanctions Iran officials for disappearance of FBI agent

The discussions were said to have taken place after the global nuclear watchdog reported that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was 12 times the permitted amount under a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. 

Under the agreement, the US and five other countries offered Iran relief from economic sanctions so long as the country followed parameters that would ensure it could not develop nuclear weapons.

In May 2018, Mr Trump announced that his government would be withdrawing from the deal and since then, tensions between the US and Iran have steadily been on the rise.

Mr Biden has vowed to restore the accord, telling The New York Times that while it will likely be a “hard” task, it is “the best way to achieve getting some stability in the region".