U.S. sends Iran messages 'every day' to begin negotiations: Iran president

[September 08, 2018]  GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States constantly sends messages to Iran to begin negotiations, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday in a speech broadcast on state television.

Tensions ramped up between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran in May and reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic last month.

Trump has said he would meet Iran's leaders.

"From one side they try to pressure the people of Iran, on another side they send us messages every day through various methods that we should come and negotiate together," Rouhani said.

He added, "[They say] we should negotiate here, we should negotiate there. We want to resolve the issues... should we see your message?.. or should we see your brutish actions?"

Washington aims to force Tehran to end its nuclear program and its support of militant groups in Syria and Iraq.

U.S. sanctions targeting Iran's oil sector are scheduled to be reimposed in November.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attends a news conference with President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Vladimir Putin of Russia following their meeting in Tehran, Iran September 7, 2018. Kirill Kudryavtsev/Pool via REUTERS

Iran is facing an "economic, psychological and propaganda war", Rouhani said Saturday, pointing to America and Israel as the Islamic Republic's main enemies.

(Reporting By Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Robert Birsel and Catherine Evans)

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