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REUTERS
DUBAI
IRANIAN President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday cautioned US President Donald Trump about pursuing hostile policies against Tehran, saying"war with Iran is the mother of all wars", but did not rule out peace between the two countries.
Iran faces increased US pressure and looming sanctions after Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from a 2015 international deal over Iran's nuclear programme.
Addressing a gathering of Iranian diplomats, Rouhani said:"Mr Trump, don't play with the lion's tail, this would only lead to regret,"the state new agency IRNA reported.
"America should know that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars,"Rouhani said, leaving open the possibility of peace between the two countries, at odds since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
"You are not in a position to incite the Iranian nation against Iran's security and interests,"Rouhani said, in an apparent reference to reported efforts by Washington to destabilise Iran's Islamic government.
In Washington, US officials familiar with the matter told Reuters that the Trump administration had launched an offensive of speeches and online communications meant to foment unrest and help pressure Iran to end its nuclear programme and its support of militant groups.
Current and former US officials said the campaign painted Iranian leaders in a harsh light, at times using information that is exaggerated or contradicts other official pronouncements, including comments by previous administrations.
Rouhani scoffed at Trump's threat to halt Iranian oil exports and said Iran has a dominant position in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping waterway.
"Anyone who understands the rudiments of politics doesn't say 'we will stop Iran's oil exports'...we have been the guarantor of the regional waterway's security throughout history,"Rouhani said, cited by the semi-official ISNA news agency.
