Iran‘s president has warned Donald Trump that pulling the US out of the nuclear deal with other world powers would be a “historic regret”.
Hassan Rouhani said his country had plans to respond to any move by the US president.
Mr Trump has said unless his European allies rectify “flaws” in the landmark deal – signed by the US, China, Russia, Germany, France, the UK and Iran – he would refuse to extend US sanctions relief for Iran, which has in return has agreed to limit its nuclear activities.
He will decide on 12 May whether to reimpose sanctions, effectively tearing up the 2015 agreement.
In a speech to a rally in northern Iran that was broadcast live by state television, Mr Rouhani said: “We have plans to resist any decision by Trump on the nuclear accord.
“Orders have been issued to our atomic energy organisation ... and to the economic sector to confront America’s plots against our country.”
He added that if the US opted to pull out of the deal, ”it will soon realise that this decision will become a historic regret for them”.
Britain, France and Germany remain committed to the nuclear accord.
Boris Johnson has travelled to the United States as part of last-minute diplomatic efforts to deter the US leader from scrapping the deal.
The foreign secretary will meet senior figures during the two-day trip, including vice president Mike Pence and Mr Trump’s hawkish new national security adviser John Bolton – both of whom have been critical of Iran and the deal.
Earlier this month, French president Emmanuel Macron made similar overtures to Mr Trump during his three-day trip across the Atlantic.
But he subsequently admitted: “My view – I don’t know what your president will decide – is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons.”
Reiterating a rejection by Iranian leaders of talks on Iran’s missile programme, which Tehran says is defensive, Mr Rouhani said: “We will not negotiate with anyone about our weapons and defences, and we will make and store as many weapons, facilities and missiles as we need.”
He also assured Iranians “no change will occur in our lives next week” regardless of Mr Trump’s decision.
Iran has faced economic trouble in recent weeks, with some analysts blaming the uncertainty surrounding the accord.
